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2 Weeks in Ireland in June

Posted on 5/10/18 at 12:28 pm
Posted by CountryVolFan
Knoxville, TN
Member since Dec 2008
2970 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 12:28 pm
Got the airfare booked cheap, now I'm wide open, just need to start and finish in Dublin. Give me you idea of an ideal schedule.
Posted by LSUBoo
Knoxville, TN
Member since Mar 2006
101919 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 1:29 pm to
I'd just make a ring around the island, I've been twice although the last time was 9 years ago, it's beautiful, people are friendly, and there is no shortage of beer.

If you're driving, just be ready for it to take much longer than you expect.

Westport and Galway were two of my favorite stops, other than Dublin.
Posted by hungryone
river parishes
Member since Sep 2010
11987 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 1:29 pm to
I'd have the Valley of the Boyne/Hill of Tara/Newgrange on the list, for sure.
Posted by FinebaumsHair
Monroe, La
Member since Aug 2017
3001 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 1:52 pm to
Don't miss the Dingle peninsula
Posted by Decker
Member since Nov 2015
3435 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 1:53 pm to
3 days in Dublin, 2 days in and around Sligo, 3 days in Galway and the Aran Islands, 2 days in the Ring of Kerry and Michael Skellig, back to Dublin for the rest.
Posted by Eighteen
Member since Dec 2006
33880 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 2:10 pm to
Galway
Ferry out to Innishmore
Stay in an actual Bed and Breakfast one night (book in advance...we did one in a small town of Doolin after Clifs of Moher)
Posted by BitBuster
Lafayette
Member since Dec 2017
1439 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 2:42 pm to
I've only been once but I can't wait to go back!
An important thing to bear in mind is that Ireland is about the size of Louisiana. You can drive from Dublin to Belfast in 2 hours, Dublin to Cork in about 3. Nothing is ever really that far away.

I would just take your time and be a little flexible with your schedule if that's possible. I don't know if it's changed since I"ve been but Skellig Michael tours would only run if the sea was calm and it wasn't raining too hard. That's not really something you can schedule too far in advance. Also, it was the island where Luke was in the new Star Wars films so it's become extremely popular.

I would also say to not exclude Northern Ireland. I hear the Giants Causeway is spectacular. (Led Zepplin's Houses of the Holy Cover) I also hear Belfast is pretty cool.

Posted by kciDAtaE
Member since Apr 2017
15761 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 4:23 pm to
Jameson distillery for 14 straight days sounds fun
Posted by AUFANATL
Member since Dec 2007
3888 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 7:05 pm to

I did a spoke and hub plan using Galway, Dublin and Killarney as bases.

My recs would be: Cliffs of Moher and Cong/Asheford/Connamara loop from Galway. Galway is cool town to hit the pubs in as well.

Dublin - you can do most of the city attractions (St Patricks, Book of Kells, Kilmanheim Gaol, etc.) in two days. Take an afternoon off and take the tram up to Howth, walk the cliffs and eat at one of the seafood restaurants. You can do day trips to Kilkenny, Glendolaugh, Trim Castle, and even Belfast (if you go to Belfast do the Titanic museum and a Black Taxi tour)

Killarney was my favorite. National Park is great. Cool town with plenty of BnBs and restaurants, and it's a good jumping off point for Ring of Kerry, Dingle, Blarney Castle, Kinsale, etc.
Posted by Lsupimp
Ersatz Amerika-97.6% phony & fake
Member since Nov 2003
78644 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 7:55 pm to
LINK I did a trip review from my trip there in June 2016. Ireland is such a wonderful place to wander and explore. It's rural and green, feels uncrowded, the people are engaging and fun and the food is surprisingly delicious. I was not expecting to be blown away by Ireland, but I enjoyed it so much more than a lot of the "sexier" places I have been.
Posted by TheIndulger
Member since Sep 2011
19239 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 10:06 pm to
I’m jealous. I had a total blast in my short trip there. It’s a great country and the people are a hoot.
Posted by Bill Parker?
Member since Jan 2013
4472 posts
Posted on 5/10/18 at 11:50 pm to
Good advice in previous posts. Pick your areas that you want to go to, and then start searching on the web for music festivals in those towns. Fleadh Nua in Ennis was in full swing when l was there, but it's in May. Hopefully you can catch something similar.

Sligo and Galway were two of my favorites, along with the Aran islands. Do yourself a favor and go to a pub every night in the towns you're staying at. That'll be the best interactions you'll have with people on your trip.
Posted by BitBuster
Lafayette
Member since Dec 2017
1439 posts
Posted on 5/11/18 at 8:22 am to
quote:

Killarney was my favorite. National Park is great. Cool town with plenty of BnBs and restaurants, and it's a good jumping off point for Ring of Kerry, Dingle, Blarney Castle, Kinsale, etc.



I agree 100%. This was also my favorite part of my trip.


I'd throw in a visit to the Rock of Caschel en-route between Dublin and Killarney.

Has anyone done the Dublin - Killarney route via the south coast.. i.e. Cork? Waterford, etc.
Posted by Lsupimp
Ersatz Amerika-97.6% phony & fake
Member since Nov 2003
78644 posts
Posted on 5/11/18 at 8:58 am to
A highlight of my trip was watching Ireland win a game at The World Cup at Durty Nelly’s in Bunratty, County Clare. Beautiful spot on the river , next to a castle , with great food and drinks. If you are in County Clare you should stop in.
Posted by RonFNSwanson
University of LSU
Member since Mar 2012
23170 posts
Posted on 5/11/18 at 10:18 am to
quote:


I would also say to not exclude Northern Ireland. I hear the Giants Causeway is spectacular. (Led Zepplin's Houses of the Holy Cover) I also hear Belfast is pretty cool.


Northern Ireland was the highlight of my trip. I recommend it to anyone who travels to Ireland. Belfast is a beautiful city. And the north coast has some great scenery close together. Giants causeway, dunluce castle, bushmills, and the rope bridge (whatever it’s called) are a great way to spend a day.
Posted by Eighteen
Member since Dec 2006
33880 posts
Posted on 5/11/18 at 12:16 pm to
Oh, also we Airbnbd a castle because...well, why not?! The lady running it was a strange bird, but nice. Falling asleep by a peat fire with an Irish coffee in hand in a castle was pretty surreal experience.

The castle grounds also had a huge ruin mansion on it which was sweet as well. I can get the details of it all if you’re interested
Posted by LSUBoo
Knoxville, TN
Member since Mar 2006
101919 posts
Posted on 5/11/18 at 1:57 pm to
quote:

A highlight of my trip was watching Ireland win a game at The World Cup at Durty Nelly’s in Bunratty, County Clare. Beautiful spot on the river , next to a castle , with great food and drinks. If you are in County Clare you should stop in.


The first time I went was during the 2006 World Cup, and it was awesome to just drop in a pub when a match was on and hang out with the locals and drink a few pints.

The second time, we stayed the last few nights at the Bunratty Castle Hotel, because we were flying out of Shannon airport. The night before w flew home we toured the castle and the folk park which was pretty interesting, and then of course had plenty of rounds at Durty Nelly's. After walking back the hotel myself and couple other friends were hanging out in the lobby and started talking to some Irish guys and gals that were there for a wedding. They ended up inviting us into the wedding reception, which was a great time, Irish folk music, beer flowing, dancing, the works. One of the older ladies (probably bride's Mom, I dunno for sure) didn't really appreciate the Americans crashing the party so she said something to the groom. He didn't really give a shite that we were there since we weren't causing trouble, so he decided that it would be fun to challenge me to a chug off. He wins, we leave, we win, we get to stay... I assume he figured it would be a blowout. Well, it was, I destroyed him, and he thought it was the best thing ever, so we stayed for a while longer drinking and cutting up and having a great time. Once they started getting into the toasts and all that we peaced out, but also because we had a pretty early flight. That was one hell of a fun Ireland trip.

As for some other things mentioned... Giant's Causeway is really cool, worth a stop if you're going to be all the way to the north coast, and it's right by the Bushmills distillery.

The carrick-a-rede rope bridge is up there as well, but I didn't care for it much... basically wait in line to cross over a steel cable (not rope) bridge and take a few pictures.

Arran islands are really cool, we did that as a day trip on the ferry and had a great time. I thought some of the cliffs on the south side of the big island were just as cool as the Cliffs of Mohr.
Posted by CountryVolFan
Knoxville, TN
Member since Dec 2008
2970 posts
Posted on 5/11/18 at 6:30 pm to
Yes! Send me the castle info please!
Posted by Decker
Member since Nov 2015
3435 posts
Posted on 5/12/18 at 6:24 pm to
If you visit Sligo, you should stop by Michael Quirke's shop on Wine Street. He is a skilled woodcarver and storyteller. Great place for a souvenir.

Michael Quirke
Posted by anl4002
Member since Mar 2017
34 posts
Posted on 6/17/18 at 4:30 pm to
How was your Ireland trip? We are going for 8 days in July. From weather.com, it looks like 50/60/70's. Did it rain much while you were there? Any recommendations on clothing and shoes to bring? TIA
This post was edited on 6/17/18 at 4:34 pm
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