| Ireland?
Posted: 2/3/2009 11:54:20 AM | | My best friend and I are heading to Dublin for about 9 days for St. Patricks say in 2010. This is going to be my first "big" travel. Can anyone recommended places to see, stay and visit? I heard that the Brewery isn't that great, but I'll never get to this again so i want to see as much as possible. what about cabs/taxi's are they easy to get?. Anything would be much appreciated and helpful for me :) | |
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Gaz_J
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Joined: 1/31/2009
Msg: 2 | |
| Ireland?
Posted: 2/3/2009 12:50:42 PM | I dont want to be disrespectful in any way, shape, or form to Dublin or it's great people, but if you want to see the real Ireland, go to Busaras and get a bus to Cork, Galway or Derry or somewhere - or fly if you have loads of money!  Take in Connemara on the West coast if you can. Or enjoy the beauty of Kerry or Donegal.
Dublin is just like any other large cosmopolitan city anywhere else in Europe to be honest.
In my own humble opinion of course... | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/3/2009 1:08:22 PM | | I lived in Cork and, although biased, loved it a lot more than Dublin! The Irish are really great people and have some of the greatest stories! Great Craic!! You shouldn't have any problems getting a cab or getting around. The castles are amazing and if you have a chance you should do the ring of Kerry! Great way to see the Irish landscape!! | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/4/2009 5:45:12 AM | I agree with Gaz J. Connermara is the best!
I dont want to be disrespectful in any way, shape, or form to Dublin or it's great people, but if you want to see the real Ireland, go to Busaras and get a bus to Cork, Galway or Derry or somewhere - or fly if you have loads of money! Take in Connemara on the West coast if you can. Or enjoy the beauty of Kerry or Donegal.
Dublin is just like any other large cosmopolitan city anywhere else in Europe to be honest. My favorite picture of me is on the west coast, dispite the fact it was VERY windy and my hair looked like a brilo pad.....  | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/5/2009 5:17:30 AM | i agree . Dublin is a lovely city and Temple Bar is a great night out but its like pretty much most european capitals . Cosmopolitian and not the real country .
Given chance in Ireland i`d head for Craggy Island  | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/5/2009 6:36:47 AM | Dublin is a place that has most of the main historical events that have formed the fabric of Ireland as it is today, there is a lot to see in Dublin. Kilmainham Jail Museum is probably one of the best tourist attractions and because of it's significance in Irish history it is a good place to start as it leads to many other area of interest.
Try and tatse the atmosphere of a six nations rugby game when you are the, it is scotland/ireland at murryfield around the time your there, so go to temple bar area and sample the atmosphere, it's electric.
Great nightlife in dublin, you certainly won't be going short of a drink, thats for sure.
As the previous peeps have siad, go out and about away from Dublin, such a beautiful surrounding area.
good luck | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/7/2009 6:01:58 AM | | Dublins good for a couple of days but you will want to head west. Its only a cuople of hours to Galway, which is a great party town with a medevil atmosphere. From there it is easy to get to Aran Islands, Connemera and the Clare coast which are all great. Killarny is very scenic but touristy. Cahir catle (middle of the country) is great too. | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/7/2009 8:41:36 PM | The Aran Islands are just stunningly unique and beautiful. By far, my most favorite part of a very lovely culture. The Irish people are kind and generous. I learned how to play the game, Hurling - killed on the field by the young kids, and taught how to play the ten penny whistle (still not too good at it.) Counties Cork and Limerick were great. The Cliffs of Moore were breathtaking! I think that's on the 300 Places to See Before You Die list.
Have a great time! (The brewery is fun - the view from the top is even better.) | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/8/2009 11:57:13 PM | | I went to Dublin before studying in Italy last year. We stayed in a hostel within Templet Bar, which is lined with pubs in its webwork of streets. Cool party city. We were walking distance to Trinity College, where the oldest bible is. We were also walking distance to the Guiness Factory, which is huge - 7 stories. You get a free Guiness and they teach you how to pour it correctly and you even get a certificate. Guiness tastes way better in Ireland, it is nasty in the States. I thought it tasted like something from Starbucks. We took one of those bus trips to the Cliffs of Moher, it was beautiful. If I were to go again, I would rather see more of Ireland's landscapes. | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/10/2009 7:51:02 AM | | On my three week tour of Ireland I spent my first four nights in Dublin. In general I found it a dirty, noisy city, just like any other big city. It has some interesting things to see and do, though, such as the Book of Kells at the university, Kilmainham jail, Grafton St, and the Temple bar area. I would recommend a musical pub tour for a good evening of entertainment. I would also recommend grabbing a day trip up to NewGrange and the passage tombs (it will also make other stops at the Hill of Tara, Monasterboice etc.). Otherwise, of all the places I stayed Galway was my favourite. It's a short train ride from Dublin, and from Galway you can do day trips to the Cliffs of Moher, the Connemara region or the Aran Islands. | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/10/2009 4:40:01 PM | OP:
I spent a week in Dublin last May and had a fantastic time! I stayed at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire, which is a 10 minute ride outside the city by DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit). If you have the cash I would probably recommend staying in downtown Dublin, but keep in mind it can cost a lot. I booked through Expedia and stayed at the Roayal Marine for $100 CDN a night (4 Star accomodations).
Remember that Dublin is a rather small city and can easily be navigated by foot. I had no problems finding my way around within the first day of being there.
As for things to see.... Newgrange is an absolute must. It is a neolithic passage tomb and the oldest building in Europe. The best way to see it is through Mary Gibbons Tours (http://www.newgrangetours.com/). The tour will pick you up outside any number of hotels in downtown Dublin in the morning and return you by 4:30. It includes the Hill of Tara as well as entrance to Newgrange. Well worth the money! I also recommend Trinity College to see The Book of Kells, Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Castle and the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology. The museum is free and has a huge collection of neolithic and Celtic gold, various artifacts from prehistoric to medieval times, and the mummified bog men of Ireland. If you are a fan of Guinness, the brewery tour is interesting. However, I can see how some people may become bored and think it is not worth it.
Now for pubs.... I highly recommend the Temple Bar, The Brazen Head, The Stag's Head and the Old Stand. However, there are pubs to be seen everywhere. The Brazen Head (20 Lower Bridge Street) is Ireland's oldest pub. The site has held a license since 1198. The Temple Bar is the pub I spent most of my time drinking in, however there are plenty of great pubs all over Dublin so try not to limit yourself to just a few! :)
I hope this helps you out. I took Fodor's Ireland with me and fond it to be very helpful with finding a lot of the attractions. Have fun! | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/14/2009 8:39:37 AM | hope you have a super time in Dublin. As a true Dub i love it. I would recommend that you spend 3 days in Dublin - shop in Grafton Street, drink/dine - shelborne Hotel, recommend you get train from town to Howth (only 15mins) - gorgeous fishing village with the most amazing resteraunts/pubs, very touristy, please avoid Temple Bar area, whilst its advertised in nearly every tourist mag, the place is a real dump,quite unsafe too, i would never frequent temple bar area at nite, full of drunken groups stags. Id definitely recmomend you spend wk in galway/Kerry to experience landscape, fields, real Guinness etc , enjoy babes
Slainte | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/15/2009 7:12:04 AM | | Wow, great info on Ireland...I very much would love to visit but I've heared that locals are quite racist towards non-caucasian foreigners. Is this true? If I (filipina) went there with my Pakistani friend, would he and I be treated poorly? He's told me on a handful of occasions having been verbally and physically harassed walking past irish pubs in his hometown of Manchester. Not that it would deter me, it just has me slightly worried. | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 2/15/2009 5:17:23 PM | I was just in Ireland last May with my cousin. cabs and taxi are very easy to get; should have no problems there. I would recomend trying a hostle if your planning this far ahead you can get a private bedroom for 2 for you and your bf for 30-50 euro each which is much cheeper than the hotels and it includes breakfast. (cereal, toast, coffee, tea, juice, milk) The one we stayed in was very clean; it a last minute decision and we shared a room with 10 other people for 20 euro each. It had a good loaction too. Towels were 2 euro rented.
If you rent a car and drive map it out ahead of time. We seem to waist time trying to cover as mch land as possable instead of staying put and seeing what the smaller towns had to offer.
Here is the link to the blog we kept while we were there: http://www.freewebs.com/ireland08/travellog.htm
ummm you may not think some of the things are funny that we thought were funny. Let me know if you have more questions. You wll have a great time....Oh FYI the Dublin doesn't wake up till 9 or 10 in the morning and the night life starts late 11 or midnight | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 3/29/2009 8:44:48 AM | The north is beautiful as well. Check out the Giant's Causeway!!
Slainte!! | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/5/2009 11:35:30 AM | Check out Monaghan, it's some spot!
Muineachán Abú! | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/5/2009 1:04:06 PM | Hi all,
I am going to Ireland this Friday. Staying with family at the outskirts of Dublin, then heading up north for a wee trip.
Besides Temple Bar and other touristy spots, what's a must-see on the Isle of Eire? | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/14/2009 9:49:22 PM | | Dublin's ok for a few days, but after that it's not really that entertaining I found. Londonderry was small, but quaint and interesting. Cork and Galaway always come recommended, and the drives there are gorgeous. | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/18/2009 5:20:15 AM | Get yourselves on the Paddy Wagon:
http://www.paddywagontours.com/
You'll have a ball and they'll bring you everywhere worth going. There's way more to Ireland than our fair capital - though the atmosphere in Dublin is great for Paddy's Day and I personally really liked the Guinness Brewery. Have fun! | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/20/2009 12:13:52 AM | A Texan on another site asked the same question. If you go here http://www.atheist.ie/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2159
there are suggestions and itineraries for Ireland all laid out for a short visit to Ireland. | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/20/2009 2:02:46 PM | Desykek,
I havent been to Ireland. I have wondered about that as I am filipina too and was planning on checking the more rural part of Ireland. It is more than likely that I will be traveling alone.
I have visited London and the surrounding 'burbs' and didnt find any negativity so to speak. Everyone was friendly and helpful when I needed directions or assistance.
Has anyone answered your question? I am curious as well.
Thanks,
Issy | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/20/2009 5:15:35 PM | I didn't think they celebrated St Patty day over there. Is it even a national holiday? Alot of those so called holidays are to sell alcohol over here.
Well I was posting because I was looking up last minute holidays and Ireland was really cheap. The airfare is anyhow. I'm sure the hotel and everything else would add up but it's cheaper then the carabean and even cheaper then flying east a few states.
I'm expecting all the girls to be petite pale red heads with freckles, will I be dissapointed?  | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/21/2009 8:09:16 AM | The bargains end as soon as the plane lands in Ireland. After that it's the Rip Off Republic.
But you won't be disappointed with the girls: they're all five foot high with sallow skin and so many freckles they look they've been sprayed with fly shit. All of them wear knitted woollen dresses and knee high white socks with silver buckle shoes. They can sing Danny Boy while simultaneously playing the tin whistle, dancing an Oirish jig and pulling a pint of Guinness. They think sex is a number between five and seven and they go to Mass eight days a week. If they go out with a male their mother and three of their aunts, clad in black ankle length dresses and thick woollen shawls, walk four paces behind. They work hard during the day drawing water from the local parish pump and cooking for their 28 siblings while tending the pigs in the parlour. Most of them die of TB before they get to 20 and the ones who survive often have rickets. The one dream they all have is to be married off to a big fat American and sail to the New World where they'll have a white house and a garden big enough for four milking cows and a few chickens.
They’re exactly like Oirish Americans think they are. | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/24/2009 1:45:54 PM | My father is Irish and lives in Wexford, Co Wexford which I'd definatly recommend, lovely town and county, there are plenty of walks and beaches, mainly one where the beginning of Saving Private Ryan was filmed, there is also the National Irish Heritage Centre which is a good way to spend a few hours.
If you are down in the east as well or even in Dublin, you can get a ferry from Dun Laoghaire over to England :)
Avoca is a lovely place as well, beautiful. | |
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| Ireland?
Posted: 4/25/2009 11:46:48 AM | How about if you fly into Dublin and you have children- 10 and 14 years of age?
I'm also curious about the ferry to Wales,if there is one. | |
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