I'm flying in to Manchester in a week to stay with a friend for a few days then take the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin and fly out of Dublin at the end of my trip.

The majority of my stay (2+weeks) will be in Ireland and I will not be renting a car. So, I'll be exploring solo, am a middle aged woman who has traveled internationally, and after quitting my job has decided to take my dream trip. I'm on a limited budget and booked the trip using frequent flyer miles a week ago. I've done research and have some places in mind. Here are my questions

1. I've always had a great time talking to locals and getting the scoop as well as getting lost in wandering. Will this work for Ireland or must I excessively plan?
2. Since I'm traveling during off peak, in the rainy season, with an early sunset, are there hostel options in places like Galway?
3. Should I simply take day tripsfrom a hostel based in Dublin?
4. Are there any serious concerns as far as safety? I plan on hanging out in pubs and listening to live music?

snoozles is good in Galway

http://www.hostelworld.com/search?se...er_of_guests=2

My freind and I stayed there one year when we could not get a hotel due to two festivals going on. We had a private room with a bath. The bonus was that you got huge discounts for day tours leaving from the bus station close by. There was a kitchen and you could have a bit of frig space if needed. We took the gobus from Dublin.
Wild Rover does great trips from Dublin and I did this tour one time and it was a smaller bus.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...ty_Dublin.html

The dart is good for going to Howth, or south along the coast. You go to Connolly station to get the dart train. The Luas is a great way to get around the city.

Last trip we stayed in an apartment on Smithfield Sq. The Cobblestone is the place to go for local traditional music. Delaneys two doors down is a great local pub. Delaneys - Pubs - 83 North King Street, Smithfield, Dublin Very local and the drinks are much better priced.
A trip to Belfast for an overnight is well worth it also. I wish you would have warmer temps and longer days but enjoy.

Safety: Get your money from department store grocery stores, Dunnes has one or in a safe area like inside a bank. There is a lot of heroin use and homeless people in Dublin. They really don't bother you but hate when they camp out beside an atm. One guy told me they chase them away all day but they come back. I love that they have a no bucks cafe on wheels that helps them and there are people asking for donations from soup kitchens. I give to them. You will see them sleeping in odd places.
Do make reservations to go to Kilmainham jail. You can get there using the tram. The bus station on Connelly pass the GPO sells leap cards that you can buy and will save you some money. The museums are free and the one on Kildare st has the bog men and the most beautiful gold jewelry. Collin's Barracks is also interesting.Take away from Marks and Spencer food hall is good and Dunnes is a bit cheaper but still good. Howth has a great market on Saturday. Have you picked a hostel in Dublin yet?

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldet...sts=1&sc_pos=1

This was across the street from our apartment. Noisy on weekends because of stag and hen groups but great area. Smithfield has the tram right at your doorstep and there is a great grocery and Cobblestones pub is here. They are renovating Jameson so no foot traffic from there. Oscar's is a good place to eat and there are several other places in the square.

last post The top three of these are all good locations.

Thank you for the helpful and informative responses.

I was planning on the Cobblestone but will definitely add Delaneys to the list.

The tip about using banks and grocery store ATMs is great.

I lived in Boston for a bit so am somewhat accustomed to addiction evidenced publicly. I will check on volunteering with the no bucks cafe for a day.

I haven't booked a hostel yet but have checked on prices for Jacobs Inn and Paddys. Thank you and I will research the suggestions listed above.

I'm excited about a market such as Howth's and hadn't pondered Kilmainham jail.

Macross- don't stop posting! I'm sure adventure will keep me warm and pubs will stretch the days.

Thank you!

Forgot the link
http://www.hostelworld.com/search?se...er_of_guests=1

I am not so sure about Paddys. I used the bathroom at the Abby hostel while booking a tour. Very clean and good location.

Ha! Your response made me laugh out loud. Good information from a restroom break!

Thank you for the links. I will use this post as reference. Prices for hostels seem to almost double in Dublin on the weekends and I wonder if this occurs throughout the country. I'm not so sure I want to be in Dublin during rowdy weekend nights.

Hopefully I can make friends with a few locals and travelers who may provide further insights.

Has anyone used the Livetrekker app?

It is because of the hen and stag groups in Dublin. Galway might not be as bad. Did you check airbnb?

Just a note that I traveled to Ireland solo and felt it was about as safe a place for solo travel as one could find, big city problems aside (addiction/homelessness) which as you note we are quite familiar with in the US cities.

I didn't drive but took trains -- and the occasional taxi. Train from Dublin to Galway was 3 hours, for ex. Galway was lovely and the pubs were great; I was able to go to a number of them and enjoy the music, no problems. I took a day trip or two out of Galway -- Aran Islands, for ex.

On Eyre Square (Galway) is the train/bus station. though I stayed in a hotel nearby, there was a hostel right at the station.

Thank you Marcross and annw.

I really don't want to sign up for more than I have to (airbnb) and really want to try for under $20 a day for lodging.

Yes, Macross, I had my fill of hen and stag groups bartending in Boston. I'd rather sip a pint and listen to live music than party and be hung over for days. Ha!

I'm going to try to visit the Aran islands (on my list).

Thank you so much for your assistance. I'm feeling better with the loose agenda and your guidance.

I found this list I made three years ago. Sights correlate to Irish authors (hopefully).

The last names of writers to be studied are listed next to the related cities and towns.

*Dublin- Dublin Writers Museum- verify author list and locations/stops

*Kilkenny-Jerpoint Abbey

*Waterford-Waterford Museum of Treasure-Waterford Municipal Art Gallery- Reginald's Tower

*Wexford-Banville, Dunphy-Irish National Heritage Park

*Kinsale-Anne Bonny-Padriac and Connor Fallon-Gibbings-Higgins

*Kenmare-Ring of Kerry-Dunboy Castle- Sister Mary Frances Cusack/Convent of Poor Sisters Clare

* Killarney/Kerry- Walsh, McMhaon, Keane Kennely (screenplays)

*Dingle-Gallarus Oratory-Gaelic Irish-desolate mountains

*Limerick-Kate O'Brien, McCourt, Edna O'Brien, Autograph Tree

*Galway-Macken- O'Conaire-Renvyle House

*Aran Islands- Synge, O'Direain, O'Flaherty, Mullens, (plays)

*Connemara/Mayo-Murphy, C.S. Lewis, Moore, mythic natural beauty-mountans and heaths

*Sligo- Yeats country-Drumcliff cemetary-Neil Jordan

*Donnegal- Franciscan Monks 17th Century Annals of Four Masters

*Derry-Cary-Heaney-Deane

*Belfast-Ferguson-Hewitt-Mahon-Longley-McNiece-Morre

*Valley of Boyne-Neolithic mounds- Knowth and Dowth

*Dublin-Beckett, Joyce, Shaw, Swift, Wilde, Yeats- review itinerary and research

Additional days have been built into the itinerary for the allowance of an extended visit (more than one day) in such places as Dublin, Waterford, Kenmare, Galway, Sligo, Belfast, and the Valley of Boyne.