Holidays in Eire, where to go?

Bruce

Last year - for no particular reason - we plumped for Athlone, in County Westmeath. It's about 90 minutes from Dublin airport.

It's quite a pretty town, very vibrant, etc but it's also on the banks of the River Shannon and is right in the middle of the country. This means it's fantastic as a hub/base for exploring, etc - particularly by boat, if you're into that sort of thing.

For a town of under 20,000, it has a lot of amenities - three theatres,shopping centre, marina etc. Sean's Bar, on the river front, is supposed to be the oldest pub in Europe.

Hatters Lane Bistro has a great atmosphere and decent food and is worth a visit.

The castle is a big attraction - and from there you can book a cruise on a replica Viking ship down to Lough Ree or Clonmacnoise. It sounds a bit tacky but actually it's a great way to see the scenery along the river and is tremendous fun.

We stayed at the Wineport Lodge right by the rover - expensive but very good (there's also a Sheraton in town, which is supposed to be good, and plenty of nice-looking B&Bs). Make sure you get a waterfront room!

Any other questions, I'll try and answer them!



http://www.athlone.ie/

Kevin

That is helpful (and it looks nice) but we'd usually go for a more rural location. It is just us, no kids. We generally avoid contact with the human race on holiday as much as possible!

Bruce

Co Cork (arrive Rory Gallagher international airport).

Nice choice Bruce. But isn’t it a bit late to plan 2010 holidays. ( )
I have been all over Ireland for most of my working life, lived & worked there, holiday trips, long weekend add-ons, time out with & without 'erself & specific holiday trips. We have just got back from a weeks visit to some old buddies on the west coast.

Coming from North Yorks you have a choice of ferries in/out of Dublin or N.Ire
How long are you planning, an all around the coast trip with some stopovers at the local pace of life & to sample the pint & the craic etc takes at least 3 weeks. The middle bit is not as good as the coasts unless you are interested in specific places or have interests such as fishing, horses, a boat trip on the Shannon etc.
Don't avoid too many humans in Ireland, they are one of the countries best assets.

Driving from one place to another via by-roads can be rewarding & just stop wherever you fancy.
Small country pubs are heaven, everyone is friendly, it’s a pint & a glass (not a half pint), Smithwicks is pronounced Smid’iks.
B&B’s are all good, some outstanding, but as everywhere, some can be below par; I use trip advisor & preplan or just take a chance, but I would not do that in the very busy tourist areas like Killarny or Dublin. Ireland is expensive compared to UK.

The good bits starting from N.Ire going round anticlockwise
- Scenery & biking from the Mountains of Mourn to & around Strangford Lough
- Don't miss a night out & a day looking around Belfast
- North from Belfast all around the north Antrim coast is a must do - giant’s causeway etc..
- Derry (don't call it Londonderry) is a worthwhile day & night out
- Over the border into Donegal - The coastline all the way down the west is stunning, but you are spoilt for choice so be selective. - My choice is to cut down to Westport & south into & around Connemara as it is the best of the scenery locations. Also a great place for a longer stopover & cycling base as the going is flatter (but still challenging)
- A worthwhile day out boat trip to Inis Mor (Arran Islands) from the small harbour at Rossaveal
- Galway is another must do stopover. Very cosmopolitan & friendly with great pints, restaurants & real (not diddly-di) folk music.
- The coast road from Galway south around The Burren – a unique limestone pavement – Cliffs of Moher – highest cliffs in Ireland, but now a car park fee rip off.
- South of Limerick you are spoilt for choice with the Dingle, Kerry & Beara peninsulas’. Personally I would base in the much quieter Kenmare and avoid the tourist mayhem of Killarney. But nearby Killarney does have some must do’s, the house & park & the stunning National Park
- Ring of Kerry, make sure to go all the way to and onto Valentia Island
- Ring of Beara, Also a worthwhile diversion across the Healy Pass; & if you are brave - with the bikes
- Kinsale on a quiet sunny day is special
- Avoid Cork City (sorry Corkies) but go to Cohb (pron Cove) with its excellent heritage centre (maritine museum), Blarney Castle to kiss the stone (yes you must do it even if it is designed to rob Americans of tourist dollars)
- Wexford & Waterford – national Heritage Centre, Waterford Crystal.
- Wicklow Mountains - Glendalough (old monastic settlement), Powerscourt Waterfall (highest in Ireland)
- Dublin – too much to mention, but a night out around Temple Bar (not for teetotallers). A bike ride or better still a whole day on a slow ride around Phoenix Park. A tour of James Gate (Guinness)

I won’t say have fun, because you can’t avoid it.

That is great Mike, thanks.

We plan our holidays well in advance; make that Spring 2011!

We will go for 2 weeks and usually stay in one spot and explore the area by bike (or car). A good day out for us is a 60 mile bike ride, a picnic on a clifftop and home to a quiet cottage. Cities/pubs and heritage centres are not generally on our list-hence our love of the West Highlands.

Bruce

PS I've realised that sounds a bit puritanical!

2 weeks in one place = easy
West Co Cork & Kerry based somewhere around Kenmare/Killarney.

Kenmare
Kerry

Bruce,

Read the late Pete McCarthy's 2 great books about his family ties to Ireland for inspiration, McCarthy's Bar and The Road To McCarthy.

He really captures the spirit of travelling in the countryside with truly funny and moving stories, which have become even more meaningful as he has gone.

Jono

Some friends of mine run this place - http://www.moanlaur-bnb.com/

Sadly circumstances have prevented me from visiting but I know you will be well looked after and the location should tick plenty of boxes for you.

I think this is the only place of interest you forgot Mike-B Glenveagh National Park

Just about anywhere will be enjoyable. Quite a few years ago I went with a couple of friends. We took the ferry from South Wales to near Waterford, toured round the South coast and up the West coast then back across country to Dublin for the ferry home. We stayed one or two days in places that took our fancy, had a fabulous time and drank waaayyyy too much of the black stuff.

Best wishes

Gavin

Hi Bruce,

May is a good time to come to Ireland as the schools aren't off so as well as having the place to yourself it will be much cheaper.

the West coast of Ireland is where it's at. Kerry as previously mentioned is exceptionally spectacularly beautiful but even off peak will tend to have a fair few tourists around (although the recession has limited the number of American's visiting) Kenmare is a good choice but for somewhere a little off the beaten track but still on the "ring of Kerry" I'd go for Ballinskelligs. The peninsulas above and below this are also wonderful and should certainly be worth a few days drive around.

Moving further north you have Galway and Mayo (I know I've skipped the Burren which would be worth a drive to from Kerry or Galway. Galway (Connemara) is much more desolate and bare but it does have a rugged beauty that I find breathtaking. Travel the road from Galway city via Spiddal and Clifden to Wesport and you will realise why Cromwell is quoted as saying "To Hell or to Commaught"


Oft overlooked is Sligo. I can recommend Greenfort Cottage where we've stayed for 3 years.. With a private bohereen to the beach, with ben Bulben to the east, the ox mountains to the south and the Derrynavagh mountains in Donegal to the north it's one magical place. It's Yeats country and he used many of the place-names in his early poetry which I find very evocatove of fairies and all that "Waterboyish " stuff. An excellent base also to travel north to Donegal and south to Mayo and Connemara.


Donegal doesn't really do it for me, although I'm in a minority here, not quite as rugged as Connemara or as picturesque as Kerry.


ribbon development has unfortunately made it very difficult to find a "middle of nowhere location". When I stayed in your part of the world I was so impressed by the way planing rules kept such a continuity in the character of buildings. In Ireland sadly the old farmhouse was left to decay as a new bungalow was built in front of it.


I don't know too much about cycling but a brother in law is a bit of a bike fanatic so I can glean some information from him if you wish.

my email address is in my profile if I can help you with anything.


regards

John


SJB

Totally agree with most of the comments above. The west coast is wonderful and I would definitely recommend heading to Achill Island from westport. The first time I went there there were more priests than policemen on the island! There is a road around the island called the Atlantic Drive - the water is very good if absolutely freezing


The best holiday I had there was when we made no plans of accommodation or route, we just knew we had to be in Galway for new years day. We found b&bs along the way