What are your "gem" towns in Ireland?
 

I have a friend who would like to go to Ireland for her anniversary this Sept/Oct. I offered to help with some planning because I enjoy it. She is wanting to fly into Dublin and spend a little time there before heading off to see some countryside. I am trying to familiarize myself with Ireland and I have heard some good things about Galway and I just found a place called Doolin and it looks kind of neat. Fodorites give me some more neat towns that you enjoyed. By the way, my friend and her husband like some outdoors things but they are not major hikers and they often like to chill out so places with cool pubs would be right up their alley.

Hi!
Dublin is just okay, nothing special, and quite expensive. In the west, try Kinsale, Killarney, Dingle, and Adare. Gallway is fun, too! If your friends could fly to Shannon instead, they would miss Dublin all together, and head out from there.

We enjoyed Kinsale. Lots of good restaurants, nice B&B's. Take the walking tour and go to the Fort. Interesting and pretty scenery!

We found Galway very crowded ( well, it was summer) and not interesting ( we took a plane to Aran for a day - that was great)
I don't know why so few people recommend taking DART from center of Dublin to Monktown, Sandy Cover or Howt - all on Dublin Bay, lovely, interesting and reachable in 15-20 minutes.

I enjoyed Dublin but my favorite town was Dingle. Galway was not special. Kilkenny was also a nice town with very good restaurants.

i liked the Southwest Cork area: the fishing village of Baltimore, Schull, Bantry, Glengariff and especially the off-the-beaten track, Beara Peninsula.

My daughter likes Dingle and Ventry Beach.

Have fun planning.

Good luck with your search. I think you'll find lots of interesting places and will have a hard time making d

I'll second the recommendations for Dingle and Kilkenny. DIngle is a great seaside town, close to lots of incredible scenery. Good chance for trad music, too. Kilkenny is a compact medieval city with wonderful churches and abbeys, good pubs too.

I'll add Ennis to the mix because it's got a great central location and I liked the main tourist drag :)

Kenmare, Kenmare, Kenmare, Kenmare!!

Dingle, Kilkenny, Malahide, Oughterard, Roundstone, Achill Island, Glasson, Westport, Enniskillen, Downpatrick, Hillsborough.

I subscribe to a Ireland newsletter that has a "Hidden Gems" section that I find very interesting.

I find all of Ireland a "gem". If I pick a few places, here they are.

County Clare;
Ennis
Lisdoonvarna
Killaloe
Milltown Malbay

County Kerry:
As IrishEyes says Kenmare , Kenmare
Dingle

County Louth(east coast): Carlingford

Galway: Clifden (scenery around it)

Kilkenny County and Town

Tipperary: Cashel

County Wicklow: Avoca

Sounds like they would like Dingle(for many reasons),,,also Kenmare, and Kinsale..
Doolin is quite small, little l block long town with a couple of pubs...but apparently some nice B&B's scatterd around the countryside.
Dublin is the opposite,,and I suppose nice to see for a day or so. Perhaps a 3 hr. comprehensive city tour, (or hop on hop off bus), then a walk around the University, book of kells etc, and then walk the famous "pub" street.
But they could skip Dublin, fly to Shannon and drive around the western/southwestern part of Ireland visiting the above towns....and have a wonderful trip. Perhaps Galway if they want, but it IS a larger city.

IrishEyes do you mean the newsletter you write.We all know you are Michele Erdvig.

newname, I don't know that. Now do you know it?

IrishEyes, for years I received a magazine, not Ireland Of The Welcomes, I still receive that one. I think Brenda was the editor. They are just on-line now and for the life of me I can't remember the name.

Thanks, Joan

Joan, A few years ago there was a funny post here about guessing who was who on the forum. It was very creative. For the life of me I can't find it now. If I do I will post the link.

I subscribe to many newsletters and magazines. Ireland of the Welcomes is always a favorite. I like their Byways & Highways column. You may be thinking of Inside Ireland http://www.insideireland.com/home.htm Is that it?

IrishEyes, Thanks so much, that's it. When I moved last March I gave all of my copies to a friend who has a used book store. I'll sign up again to read on-line, just sort of hard for aging eyes.

Ilovetulips, sorry for high-jacking your thread. Be sure to come back for more help. This is a good place.
Regards, Joan

Dundrum, County Down
where The Mountains of Mourne really do sweep down to the sea.

Thanks everyone for the input. I will begin with a search in Dingle and kind of go from there. For those who have visited Dublin, how long would you recommend visiting before moving out to the other towns. I think my friend would consider an open jaws flight into Dublin and out of Shannon, we just need to come up with an itinerary first.

Ok guys, I have been trying to check out some different places and I have found some really neat towns including Dingle and Kinsale. When I look on some Ireland accomodation websites it gives me bed and breakfasts and hotels. My friend would prefer B and B's but in some instances I cannot tell the difference between the two. In small towns are they one in the same. Also, price wise it looks like prices go down in Oct. and they are closer to high season in Sept. Is Sept. still a busy season for Ireland and how far in advance do you recommend reserving rooms? Thanks.

These websites list B&Bs: http://www.townandcountry.ie/ , http://www.family-homes.ie/ & http://www.irishfarmholidays.com/ifh/index.cfm This one lists hotels and guest houses: http://www.hotelsireland.com/

September is still busy in Ireland. Not as busy as June - Aug. Prices generally come down starting in Oct.

Kinsale, Ennis, Dingle.

Thanks Irish Eyes, I will check them out.