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Ireland?

Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:56 am
by Gigi
We are canceling our trip to Greece in Sept due to the some of the issues going on in that region of the world :( . I am looking for an alternative and Ireland has been on my list for years.

Can anybody offer any travel advice for seeing this beautiful country? We are just starting to research - we are more interested in seeing the country, small villages, etc. rather than the big cities.

Thanks for your help!

Re: Ireland?

Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:20 am
by STTlover
I've been twice. If you are looking to do more rural Ireland I suggest the West coast and South. Fly in to Shannon, rent a car and drive. Ring of Kerry, Killarney, Cork, Dingle Peninsula, Cliffs of Moor and Galway are some of my favorites. We ended both trips with a train ride from the West to Dublin. Site see for a day or two and then flew home from there.

Re: Ireland?

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 9:07 pm
by Kathyzhere
Lucky you! I had the pleasure of visiting once and flew into Shannon. Our base was Killarney and visited the Ring of Kerry and surrounding areas. Ireland is beautiful and truly has every shade of green on display! I went in July and it was a perfect time of year with a lot of daylight, up til about 10PM.

Some of my faves are the same as STTlover, but would like to add a beautiful area called the Gap of Dunloe. You can ride in a pony driven cart or hike the one lane path, the views are beautiful! A few castles I visited worth mentioning are Blarney, Ross and Bunratty. The Dingle peninsula is a wonderful seaside area worth visiting too. You will be pleased with the SW of Ireland!

Enjoy your research and planning.

Kathy

Re: Ireland?

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 9:44 pm
by martini girl
I took my daughter for a week in June 2013 for her high school graduation trip. We flew into Shannon, rented a car and drove all around the country. Saw a lot, stayed in a different place every night, mostly bed and breakfasts. Loved Doolin, a great little town on the west coast, Wicklow mountains and Sally Gap in the east were beautiful. Also stayed in Kinsale and Kenmare, Dublin, and a little town near Blarney, can't recall the name. It was the kind of trip where we just stopped wherever we wanted to explore ruins, towns, castles, etc. I didn't particularly care for the driving in Ireland, while the highways were normal by our standards, the smaller back roads were really narrow and difficult to maneuver. It was a whirlwind trip, but a great memory for me and my daughter.

Re: Ireland?

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 6:10 pm
by david@va.beach
Went to Ireland in the summer for a wedding in co.Mayo(west coast)..Absoutly beautiful!!! visitted Cong where Quiet man was filmed--john wayne -catherine hepburn and surrounding areas..beyond words!!! Rented a house across from Clew Bay....you'll love this country..I suggest you fly in to shannon.