Melissajoy

I am very excited to be planning our first family trip to Ireland for June 2006. This is the fulfillment of a life-long dream for me. I have very fond memories of my Irish grandmother.

Can you share your favorite Irish places/B&B's/towns/sites with me, and say why you enjoyed them? (This type of sharing helped me a lot with planning our first family trip to Italy, which was a big success!)

We will spend 2 weeks in Ireland. I will travel with my husband and two daughters, ages 18 and 19.

Many thanks!

dln

The Rock of Cashel has always stuck in my mind. What grand old ruins! Very impressive.

The other thing that I've always been glad we did was to find the town my grandparents came from. Would you be able to visit your grandmother's birthplace?

Clifton

I've never been able to nail down the #1 spot, but I think my top 3 would be Glendalough in Co. Wicklow, the Beara Pennisula and Connemara. Or maybe Cahir Castle.

Ok, Top 4.

Melissajoy

dln and Clifton, thanks for sharing. I will add your favorite places to my list of places to research.

dln, yes, I hope to be able to visit my grandmother's birthplace. some of the extended family has visited the actual house where my grandmother used to live. But they are relatives that I'm not in touch with, so it's a matter of seeing if I can hunt them down and get more info from them.

Another family member has my great grandmother's passport! She lives in Texas and we've never met but she invited me to come and visit and I think I will. She has been to County Armagh in Ireland where my great grandmother and my grandmother came from but she wasn't able to find the house.

khepps

killarney national park/hiking and the drive from there to Kenmare.

pegoode

Wow, that's tough. We just made our first trip in September (check irelandyes.com for many trip reports including mine). Dingle Peninsula was incredible, Beara was spectacular, Galway was neat, Connemara was amazing...sorry, I'm struggling for a favorite!

acubsfan34

I spent 12 days in Ireland in June.

Favorite Spot? I think, hands down, my favorite spot was the Cliffs of Moher. Spectacular views, especially around sunset, peaceful and awe-inspiring. Also enjoyed the Rock of Cashel and Beara peninsula.

Favorite B&B? We stayed in several, my top 2 were probably Dunaree, in Bunratty (www.dunaree.com) and Seaview Lodge, in Tramore (www.seaviewlodge.com)

hope that helps!

amyprib

Even though I traveled with acubsfan, I would say what she says is exactly what I would say. Although Cliffs is a place where all tourists should and usually visit, at sunset on a clear day/evening, it's absolutely amazing. Even in June at 7-8pm, not very many people were out there... Just great.

Also would say Killarney Natl Park, and wish we could have spent more time there to explore further.

I'd also include Mizen Head, certainly on a clear sunny day with the very blue waters, and also Sky Road, bluest waters with a sunny, clear day..

Oh, also... Aran Islands (InisMor)... just very neat place, and wish we had more time to explore there too.

Glendalough, south of Dublin, also great if you enjoy hiking/walking/exploring...

As you can see, hard to pick favorites.. Almost everywhere we went could be listed as a favorite, but esp the West and SW of Ireland. We didn't get to Northern Ireland.

Have fun!

Ann41

Inishowen Penisula in Co. Donegal

Tyrella Beach near Newcastle in Northern Ireland

Mountains of Mourne, also N. Ireland

Connemara

VolGreg

For such a small island it is loaded with outstanding site. I can't name just one so here is a list in order of preference.

1) the Dingle Peninsula
2) the Cliffs of Mohr
3) the Rock of Cashel
4) the Burren

Greg

nankar

You absolutely cannot go wrong on this one! Hopefully, you will go in early June as we did this year. The Rhododendron was in full bloom and incredibly beautiful at Muckross House and in the Killarney area. We enjoyed Killarney even though everyone cautions about what a tourist trap it is. I was disappointed in Kinsale and would not recommend doing more than driving through it. I would also skip Cork. We loved Dingle and Galway; both very special towns with much to see and do. Dublin is also a great and beautiful city if you have time to spend a few days there. I agree that Glendalough was very spiritual and the Cliffs are amazing. I haven't been to Northern Island yet so cannot help you there.

travelinwifey

Ditto what others have mentioned:
1. The Cliffs of Mohr
2. Killarney and Muckross House
3. Rock of Cashel
4. Blarney Castle

jessicam40

Loved Galway - stayed in nearby Salt Hill at a nice little inn. (can't remember the name).

Melissajoy

Thanks to everyone, you are giving me a nice list of places to research more...It's always exciting to hear what other people really enjoyed. Guidebooks just aren't enough.

jcnyc

A nice Irish vacation starts in Dublin, then moves by rental car into the countryside - a retreat from the urban to the rural (and gives you a chance to recover from jet lag before you start driving, on the left!). I recommend two day trips out of Dublin (I took a tour bus). The south tour goes to Glendalough (ruins of medieval abbey with round tower) and Powerscourt (ruins of an eighteenth century manor house with gorgeous definitely-unruined Italianate formal garden). The north tour went to the neolithic older-than-pyramids passage tombs in the Boyne Valley (Newgrange). I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys the historic or the mystic.
I agree with the people who recommended Cashel, Blarney, and the Ring of Kerry, which are all high points of a "first trip" to Ireland.
If you want to continue with the day trip strategy, Galway (charming university town) is a good center for day trips to Connemara, the Burren, and the Aran Islands. But if you really want the rural experience, stay in the one of the more smaller towns (Roundstone, Clifden, or on the Aran Islands themselves) where you will see sheep crossing the road and beautiful vistas of lakes and mountains.
I also love Westport in County Mayo. This is an eighteen century "planned" manor town, and is a vacation spot for locals. The manor house is now open to the public. Near Westport, you can also visit, or climb, Croagh Patrick (Ireland's Holy Mountain) and go dancing to traditional music at Matt Malloy's (of the Chieftains)! (See County Mayo websites.)

margo_oz

I was absolutely knocked out by Glendalough. I didn't know what to expect, and, when I got there, was just overwhelmed by the beauty, the peace.

I had only a short time there, so it's first of my list for my next visit - to explore that area more.

happytourist

Loved Dingle Peninsula. Ring of Kerry was a disappointment. The Killarney area is a major tourist area for a reason--it has lots to offer.

Melissajoy

I am so excited to check all these places out! Somebody mentioned the mystical...I am a closet poet and the mystical and the magical calls out to my soul!

I am eager to stay in some interesting small towns and family-run B&Bs. I want a chance to meet some local Irish and talk to them. then I will do my best to understand their Irish brogues, and I will cross my fingers and hope that they understand us as well!

What is it about being Irish in the USA that seems to stir in your blood until you are called to get as close to Ireland as you can. The call of Irish ancestors? My Irish grandmother and her 9 sisters and brothers passed this pride in being part Irish down to all of us "cousins by the dozens". Many cousins of the extended family have been drawn to visit Ireland and try to work out family geneologies.

wojazz3

Melissa:

It really is hard to pick favorites. There are so many wonderful places.

The Antrim Coast is beautiful and Glenarrif is a beautiful glen in Antrim. Perhaps my favorite spot in the area is Carrick-a-Rede, before or after the buses are there.

Fanad Head, just across Lough Swilly from Inishowen as Anne mentions. I haven't spent much time on Inishowen, so I'll be there in May. Perhaps Anne, you can give me some advice on that.

Slieve League in Donegal doesn't get the attention that the Cliffs of Moher get but are a spectacular sight. The Cliffs of Moher at sunset are nice. It's usually just you and about a dozen photographers.

O'Sullivan's pub in Crookhaven, especially if Billy is there.

Best adventure: Without a doubt, piloting a river cruiser down the Shannon River from Carrick on Shannon to Banagher.

Have fun.

Bill

Jun04ItalyHoneymoon

Glendalough was my most favorite site. So beautiful and serene. I also loved the Rock of Cashel, Monasterboice, the entire Ring of Kerry, Newgrange, Galway Bay, Muckross House/Abbey, the Aran Islands, Bunratty Folk Village, and even the often-maligned Blarney Castle. Even without kissing the slimy rock, the grounds were still lovely, and I enjoyed shopping at the Woolen Mills. It will be a delightful trip for you, and I believe two weeks to be a perfect trip to Ireland. My trip was in 1998 (longing to return!) so I don't remember any of the names of the B&Bs, but I do very fondly remember the village of Adare and thinking that I would love to stay at a B&B there.