elisaegs

Need help for suggestions on where to go in Southern Ireland. Land in Dublin; could fly to Cork or drive; Want to travel along coast from 2/24-2/28 and then go to wedding (stay in Kinsale?).

Suggestions on towns, inexpensive places to stay and as a women what to wear to a wedding in Southern Ireland on March 1????

Date of the wedding is set for March 1st, 2008. Couple getting married in Clonakilty in West Cork and our reception will be in a village called Innishannon.

Links from bride.

Some useful links:

Church (near Clonakilty): http://www.corkandross.org/churchGal...sp?churchID=35

Clonakilty town: http://www.clonakilty.ie/

Hotel where our reception will be: www.innishannon-hotel.ie

Kinsale, a great town to stay in near the reception: http://www.kinsale.ie/

SiobhanP

Are you driving to the wedding from Kinsale? I would arrange a lift to and f4rom as its a country road with no lights at night to Clonakilty from Kinsale at night. I would actually stay in a B&B near the wedding that night. Thata is what people usually do here in Ireland. Its worth it to book a room in the hotel the reception is held for one nihgt. Irish weddings can go on to the small hours unlike a 5 hour reception in the U.S. There will also be B&B's near the hotel for a cheaper option. I rerally feel strongly about not driving at night in the country if you have not driven often here in Ireland.

As for dress, we really don't do the hate thing like in the UK. Only the mothers of the bride and groom do this. My mother did not even wear a hat to mine in Nov. Its suits for huys and a dress for fals. We do dress up here for weddings as its a big day out for all. For example I would wear a nice dress and pashmina and some sparkly jewelry to a wedding. some people like those feather combs and they are popuylar these days. Some weare a dress with matching coat that you can take off at the reception. I always bring a colourful pashmina as the crowd can end up outside (Smokers) or just socialising if its nice out and then it will keep your shoulders warm without lugging aa jacket around.

Padraig

SiobhanP wrote: "we really don't do the hate thing like in the UK"

That's true: our weddings are all love and kisses.

The hate comes later.

cailin

Gosh - I'm not so sure about the "hat" thing...I love wearing hats to weddings!! We had quite a number at our wedding a couple of years ago - both young and old wore them.

SiobhanP

AHHHH sounds awful its Hat NOT hate ...I keep thinking of Paisley saying No NEVER!!! ha!

SiobhanP

Don't get me wrong I love hats and we used to share amongst the gals a big black one and have flowers pinned to it...sounds naff but looked so cool with a red gerber daisy. I just seem to see it less and less. I think its just the feather hair comb thingy is popular right now.

Also Its not mandatory and I would hate to see someone spend a lot on something to wear (once) that they feel is custom and its not necessary.

Hats still are up there in my book, the bigger the better.

elisaegs

Thanks so much for the advice. Hats not haters....good note. Someone suggested a feather comb but I have not heard of that.

My friends just booked us at the Carlton Hotel in Kinsale I believe. I think I am renting a car to tour around the south before the wedding. Hiring a car the night of the wedding--good tip plus I might be enjoying beverages that night.

So now that I have an idea of what to where and have a place to stay, suggestions on where to go by car Mon-Wed of that week? From Cork airport?

Again--so thankful for the great advice.

prue

In Australia the feathers with the comb are called Fascinators!

Itallian_Chauffer

Firstly, allow me to briefly hijack your thread to offer my congrats to SiobhanP, on HER recent wedding.

As to what to do with your "free" time -- Near Clonakilty is Drombeg Stone Circle:

http://www.travelsinireland.com/ireland/stonecircle.htm

Michael collins birth AND death place:

http://www.michaelcollinscentre.com/index.html

Ireland's #1 Folk Club -- Debarra's:

http://www.debarra.ie/

The charming sea-side villages of Union Hall and Glandore, made famous in the movie: War Of The Buttons.

Of course, there is also Kinsale, itself, perrennial favorite Blarney Castle and The Stone, The Queenstown Story, in Cohb:

http://www.cork-guide.ie/cobh.htm

To name JUST a few ...

Bob

crazychick

Clonakilty is a lovely place and worth stopping over the night before the wedding. Have you been to an irish Wedding before? They celebrate for a long time, they have a very laid back attiude and nothing is rushed. Example you will have people coming into town the night before, so they tend to met up in the local for a drink. Then the wedding itself what ever time it is meant to end forget it, they party all night long.Then of course there is the get together the day after, even a day later to all say goodbye and go on their travels or back home. I would also advise against driving in the night as you will not be familiar with the roads and a lot them will be dark country roads.As for hats it was at one time a must to wear a hat at a wedding. These days it is not a must, so people can choose. You will not feel uncomfortable if you wear one or not. Yes a wedding is an oppunity to dress up and Irealand is just the same, and that is why some ladies mught choose to wear Feather Bow Comb or Fascinator instead of a hat. but not a problem if you wera nothing.
http://www.cork-guide.ie/index.html
Also my preference would be to fly to cork and get a hire car from cork Airport to do the driving around the coastal roads and I would stay in Innishannon for the night of the wedding then connsider a drive to Kinsale. Depending on how many days you have after the wedding you do it on route to to Cork airport, with an overnight planned if you have the time.

crazychick

I should have added I had friends that lived in Bnatry bay and we would often pop over from the UK for long weekends.
I would drive from Cork to Glengariff is just over 2 hours drive from the airport allow about 2:30 to be comfortable. Stay there a 2 or 3 nights nights and go and see the Itailain gardens, do a few trips to the Peninsula and maybe the ring of kerry,then drive over to Bantry Bay a lovely drive around the bay. Drive to Schull and then take the coast road, try to stop at Leap a very pretty place and Union Hall but most of that coast route is very scenic. Then stay a night or 2 in Clonakilty.

crazychick

I would forget my only funeral.
I would reccommned this B&B
http://www.lamiragebb.com/b_b_reservations.html

I stayed there for the same reasons as you we were going to wedding and
the reception was in a hotel about a mile or 2 up the road. By the time we worked out we could go to the wedding the hotel that the recpetion in was fuly booked. This was a great place nice and friendly a good base for Glengariff and that area. If you get the right room lovely views out of therooms.
She bakes fresh cakes for her guests on the day of arrival, As you pull in she puts the kettle on and while you book in and unpack she brewed a fresh pot of tea to go wth your homemade cakes. The rooms were very clean always had a bowl of fresh fruit and breakfast was good. On our last night we had to be up early next day for an early ferry back to Wales. We thought they would just leave a cold breakfast out for us but she insisted on getting up at 5am to cook us a full breakfast. They were also very good in advising us on places we had not been to before and ordering taxi's for us so we could go in to Bantry for the night to meet up and have a drink and not drive.

SiobhanP

Thanks Bob you are so sweet! Some people still think Siobhan is a blokes name Yikes.

Crazy Chick is right weddings are long events. Mine you could say was 3 days with guests and family coming over early and then we would have a dinner and then the pub. the night before we had a rehearsal dinner and then the pub where most guests who came down that night were in. Great fun actually. And then the day itself which some people later until 5am....I was in bed at this point. Do get a taxi booked to take you back and don't drive or alternatoively stay nearby that night.

Enjoy

S

elisaegs

Thanks so all for the advice. I am now trying to decide on renting a car. With miles, my flight is in and out of Dublin. The Monday after the wedding I fly out of Cork to Dublin for my return. I think getting a car to drive us to the wedding/reception is a good idea. I do plan to be out until the wee hours.

Flying to Cork to start the drive is a good suggestion. I have 3.5 days before meeting up with friends for the wedding. End of Feb in Ireland, driving alone as a woman, any suggestions on a route that would be lovely but not to hard to navigate?

SiobhanP

Not really many ways to get there so can't reccommend a route but the major motorways. You can stop on your way down to take some time out. Look up the route and see where might be of interest for you.

crewe

One of Our favourite b&bs is Buggys in lismore, great food cozy rooms .

Itallian_Chauffer

If you opt to drive from Dublin, I would hope it is not immediately after your international flight. If that IS the case, you would be better off flying down to Cork. Alternately, you could take the train or an inter-city bus.

If you ARE driving from Dublin -- being a single Female, in Feb, with limited time -- I would recommend the main, N8. There's probably still a bit of construction chaos at the M50 junction (think of it as the Dublin Ring Road), but other than that, it's a really good, modern highway that by-passes most of the viallages and towns along the way. You could take a nice break stop in Cashel and do a quick tour of The Rock. I wouldn't suggest too much else, though, as it will get dark early and you'll want to be safely "nested" by then.

While in Cork, the main route through the southern part of West Cork is the N71. If you do a lot of short haul touring, you will get to know IT pretty well.
http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/ Use their route planning option. Alternately, since the AA site is being reworked, you can also use:
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichel...MaHomePage.htm

Be advised that the DRIVE TIMES are rather, AH... OPTOMISTIC -- as they assume that you are a skilled, LOCAL driver and that you won't be distracted by the views and the IRISHNESS of your surroundings.

Bob

elisaegs

Thanks Bob. I will spend the night with friends in Dublin. I am thinking of flying down to Cork on my second day and then renting a car.

I'm still a little nervous about driving and about being alone but am feeling adventurous. I am thinking of going West from the CORK airport since I will be in Kinsale for 4 days. I did hear the travel time is slow. The first one lane road and any livestock will be interesting.

Thoughts on planning ahead for B&Bs or just checking along the way?

crazychick

The dates you are going you should be able to just book B&B's as you go if your not sure jut what route your are going to take.
If however you would prefer the comfort of booking in advance this site is really helpful. It has plenty of info and an outline of the area so you can get an idea of the towns etc and there are plenty of B&B's on this site with the clover logo which is the board of failte approval.
I was given this website by a friend who used it with his family to travel all around Cork. They just booked up as they went along, and was happy with all of the B&B's they stayed in. I have used it to stay in only one B&B and it was very nice as mentioned in my earlier post. If you wnat to book up before they look at the site pick afew that you like the loaction and look of and then post the name shere to ask if anyone has stayed there before. I have spend many a wekend in Cork when friends lived in bnatry Bay so we did not have to look for accomadtion then, but found the site useful for planning our driving trips. accomdtion but

Itallian_Chauffer

You haven't said what INTERESTS you, so 'tis difficult to propose a plan....

From the Cork Airport ( http://www.corkairport.com/index.asp OR, http://www.cork-guide.ie/cork_airport/index.html ) you COULD head straight to Kinsale on the R600, or pick up the N71, via Bandon to Clonakilty and continue all the way to Skibbereen or Bantry.

An more adventurous alternative would be to pick up the N22 near Blarney and travel via Macroom to Killarney. Then, the next day, you could drive the N71 South, through Kenmare, Glengarriff and Bantry to Sibbereen, winding up in Kinsale at the end of the third day.

Again, though a lot depends upon what you want this trip to be --
Do you want to see a lot of beautiful scenery, or just meet and spend time with the Irish people --

Bob