My mother has suggested three possible places to make a day trip to on one of our free days. Which do you suggest? (When I looked at previous posts, I got the strong impression the Blarney was not worth the trip...)
Youghal
Cobh
Blarney

Also, any suggestions on must-sees while in Kilkenny (besides the usual tourist stops/castles)? I love pottery and handmade local artisian "stuff," so is the Design Center in Kilkenny a great place to go, or should I go elsewhere in town? (I don't have a ton of money to spend...)

The average temps. are reading low 50's...does it get much colder than that this time of year? I'm worried I'm packing too Spring-like....
Lastly, we will be there during the end of April, beginning of May, during the music festival in Kilkenny! Will it be terribly crowded?

Thanks for any help! (Can you tell I've never been before?!)

I like Cobh quite a lot and we've based ourselves there before. Youghal could even be a stopover along the way if you route it that way. That said, Kilkenny to Cobh could realistically be 2.5 hours each way without the stop. It's about 90 miles, which sounds like it could be faster, but the roads there can sometimes be slow going and you probably would want to enjoy the scenery along the way.

Another option for a day trip would be a Cashel and Cahir combo. These are easily reached from Kilkenny and both have major attractions. You may have read several of us glowing about these places in other threads. The Rock of Cashel is very well known, but for good reason. It's a major piece of history. There's also the ruined Hore Abbey just down the hill.

In terms of towns, I enjoyed Cahir more. Cahir Castle and the Swiss Cottage folly can consume a fair amount of time and the town itself I found quite enjoyable. In addition, there's an artists studio/shop there in town that was quite a bit less known and less expensive than the Design Center in Kilkenny. It's just a block or two up one of the streets from the castle, heading opposite the cottage. The walks along the river there are beautiful as well.

Finally, we found the towns of Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir both worth an unplanned stop, from the perspective of "everyday" sort of towns, not geared to providing tourist attractions. A place called Tipperary Crystal was along the road between Carrick and Cahir, if you enjoy that sort of stop.

mama,

If you're keen on pottery, then County Kilkenny is the place to be.

Nicholas Mosse pottery, arguably Ireland's finest, is based in the pretty nearby village of Bennettsbridge. The Mosse "factory" is a must-see for quality pottery buffs, as it features a lovely and most inviting shop. There's also a delightful cafeteria, with goodies served on - you guessed it - Mosse pottery. In addition, there's a terrific 'seconds" section, featuring oh-so-slightly flawed Mosse goods at sizable discounts.

As to excursions from Kilkenny City, you'd be well served to explore the area around Bennettsbridge. This part of Ireland is quite underrated (Shhh. Don't tell too many others, or it'll lose its luster.) The countryside is very attractive, a gentle, very green landscape. After Bennettsbridge, explore Inistioge, Thomastown, to name but a couple villages. See the evocative ruins at Jerpoint Abbey, and N. Mosse's Kilfane Glen and Waterfall. In short, enjoy rural County Kilkenny.

Best of luck.

I live in Carrick. Tipperary Crystal is now The Blarney Woolen Mills. It still has some Tipp Crystal stuff there. I've gone in there a few times for presents for people etc, nice stuff.

I hope you plan to visit Jerpoint Abbey just outside of Kilkenny...it is very interesting and one of our favorites!

we also enjoyed Cashel, Cahir, and the Swiss Cottage.

Thank you for the suggestions!
We will be visiting the following places:
Kilkenny Castle and town
Waterford/Irish Nat'l Park
Rock of Cashel/Cahir Castle
Jerpoint Abbey
Dublin (one day excursion)

I'm getting excited! Will be leaving next week!
Thanks, again!

Slightly Demented: What's the weather like right now?

Where i am (Waterford/Tipperary/Kilkenny Border) it's been a typical week. Some days have been sunshine (as in mowing the lawn) the next day it has showers. Today its 11C/53F and showers. They are giving showers every day this week except Friday. Hopefully you will be here days where its not raining!