We are considering stopping in Dublin on our way home from Paris in March. St. Patrick's Day is on Friday March 17th. Would it be worth it/fun to stop in for a couple nights? Is St. Patrick's Day big there? Is it difficult to find accommodation?
We are two American couples in our late twenties/early thirties that all love Guinness. ;-)
Thanks in advance.

In the past few years a festival has been developed here in Dublin for St. Patrick's Day. Information on www.stpatricksday.ie. They may not have the information for 2006 posted yet but keep an eye onit. It is usually good fun, lots of events, etc. Weather can vary. check out too www.visitdublin.com It would be important to book accommodation in advance for that weekend. There are a number of budget hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts in the city centre or you can book b & b slightly out of town if you want somewhere quieter. If you love Guinness you must go to Guinness Brewery and have a drink in the Gravity Bar - a lot of the good old Guinness pubs in the city have been destroyed (in my opinion) to cater for partying crowds but Mulligans in Poolbeg Street close to O'Connell Bridge is still a good old fashioned Guinness pub.

To be honest I'd advise you to stay away. This last St Patricks day was a fiasco, I felt utterly ashamed to be Irish as I watched drunken teenagers brawl to the point of breaking each others noses and watched ambulances screech past. There were police everywhere preventing people going where they wanted, and this was in the city centre! There were several reports of innocent tourists being set upon and attacked. I wished I'd just stayed at home and watched the parade etc on TV.

Even without all the violence and yobbishness, the city was way too crowded, there were no seats in any pubs or restaurants and queues for everything were a mile long. Just not worth the effort IMO.

Sounds almost as bad as 5th Avenue or even Southy.

Flying to Ireland a few years ago on Aer Lingus had me reading the inflight magazine and an article on how it rained every year on St. Patrick's day in Dublin, and sure enough..... Crowded, rainy and I think a good time to skip Dublin.

It has barely rained the last 2 years and never does all day so that is just a stupid reason not to go. It does get mobbed and I would not stay in Temple bar more than 1-2 hours after the parade as then it gets insane with drunken people and can be a lot of hassle. We did a pub crawl with the 2 of us this year starting in Temple bar and had a great time. We ended up at the end in the Morrison hotel bar and met a group of DJ's from Chicago who were broadcasting in Ireland for St Patricks day. It gets VERY crazy later in the evening and then I would avoid the touristy places but there are lots of nice pubs off Grafton street and Baggott street that are fun.

Also they have a Monster Ceili after the parade each year with bands and trad music, a fun fair and fireworks over the St Patricks week. Many of the groups performing in the parade will be around town in the days coming up to the parade so there is a nice buzz.

I would book a toom NOW though as you will not get one last minute.

Have fun!

Thank you for all of your replies.
Would anyone recommend visiting Cork or Limerick or another city instead? We will need to fly in and fly out. This is everyone's first time to Ireland, except mine. I visited Dublin once for a couple days.
My husband would like to see/stay in a castle if possible but I told him that may be difficult to do due to our time constraints.
Thanks!

Dublin will have the biggest parade in Irlenad and may be easier to fly in and out of you have a short time.

As for castles do a web search but you could compromise and stay in a Castle style hotel. There are two I can think of in Dublin. The first is clontarf castle which has restaurant, bars and reception and the fron like the old castle and the rooms etc are modern. Also Killiney Fitzpatrick Castle is similar with the older areas in the bars, reception area and a restaurant or club in the dungeon. It could be fun if time is short.

Another nice possibility is Kilkea Castle which is about 1-1.5 hours south of Dublin. This is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Ireland, the original structure built in 1180. Website is http://www.kilkeacastle.ie/index.htm.

Have fun.

Bill

If you want a great St Patrick's day outing

Go to New York!!!!

Not Dublin IMO

I have been to both parades and I still think Dublin is much nicer as its a week long festival with several events before and after the parade. The one in NY I was taken to each year as a kid gets a bit boring. Its far more focused on marching bands and police forces while the one in Dublin does have that element but its more performers and imagination and fun for kids (And big kids too!)

If you are only coming to Ireland for 3 days, I think you should forget about Cork and/or Limerick. Maybe consider day trip out of Dublin to County Wicklow which is very scenic.
Staying in castles often works best financially for a group of 8 to 10 people. Check out www.irishlandmark.com It is the website of the Irish Landmark Trust, an organisation who save Irish heritage properties that are at risk of becoming lost. Having restored the properties they rent them out.