A trip to Ireland

Never been, but I sure am wishing you a wonderful trip and experience!

I've not been to Ireland, but sure and I would like to go..

I am biased re your question, Mrs. Cowdoc, as I have always preferred to research a place, find generally where I am interested in visiting, and then make my way (or our way, when I've gone with my husband) as we felt on any given day, though I/we would let the hotel know how many days we were staying when we got there.

As I started to take some trips for photography reasons and so to add more towns to my list, I began to make (hotel/inn) reservations far ahead. But even then, I've liked control over what I see and when. The few tours I've been on have left me wanting to stamp my feet, and those have only been short tours.

Caveat - most of my trips have been in Italy, and most towns have tourist information offices that can set you up with a hotel. I've stayed in villages, but just drove in and asked if there was an albergo (small hotel).
I don't know about tourist information offices in Ireland - I'm presuming they have something similar. Guide books and websites can have lots of good information for picking a place.

But, and a big but - - - I have a bunch of friends who delight in not having to plan everything, like the comfort and security that comes with a tour, like having some guide who is knowledgeable to be there when you are visiting a place. They like the companionship of their fellow tourers, and some continue in contact with some of those people long after the trip is over.

So, it depends on your own preferences for traveling - as part of a group, or individual exploring.

I think some tours let you be on your own for some of the time, so that may be a happy medium.

The most popular time to visit Ireland certainly is summer - but 'popular' means that everything is likely to be jam-packed.
Spring is perfect - only with a few showers now and then (okay, some may last longer).

It all depends on what you want to do and see.

Ceili had been there some time ago - here's her thread

Hi.. I'm no expert. I've been twice, mostly in the north. There are several people here that actually live there and others that have lived and loved there, I'm sure they will be a fount of information.
I wouldn't drive. Most of the roads are narrow and people drive at breakneck speeds, on the wrong side of the road... through a maze of high stone fences or ditches (as the Irish call them). I found traveling on the local double decker tour buses from town to town and cross cities easy, convenient and fairly inexpensive, but there are also cross country buses and in some places trains. The ferries are great and meet up with service on either side of the channel.
Definitely go in the summer. The weather is always iffy but it's a worth the wait for sunny days. Mind you, you can drop your camera and still get stunning shots on the worst of days.
You must visit the Antrim coast, Belfast has stunningly beautiful architecture and the "troubles" tours are fascinating. The Mourne mountains... I have a bunch of pictures under my profile.
I found the internet hard to find. Maybe I was just unlucky, I was staying with Relatives and due to a series of unfortunate circumstances I was unable to connect with any regularity, or maybe it really is that difficult..
Ryan air is cheap, but, BUT, they'll charge you for everything, last I heard, toilets were coin fed.. lol.. so it all works out even in the end. If your going to hop country for a few short day trips, it might be worth your while though.
Don't for the love of god, go to a bar, get drunk and start taking religion or politics. Just don't go there..
I've been to the south, Wicklow mostly. It's different than the north. Not as many stone walls, softer hills.. It's a beautiful country. I'll come back with some travel sites that I visit. They'll give you ideas on B&B's or hotels.
There are, as I've said, many experts on this site who hopefully will pop in and set my story right, .
I hope you have a great trip.

Expect rain whenever you go !
The roads in the south are abysmal, but the pubs and the locals are great !

SIGN AT CORK AIRPORT BETWEEN FLOWER TUBS 1 YARD APART
"Do not attempt to drive between these tubs"

Have fun !

Why not come with us???

I have looked over Ireland and some tours looked good but, there were some places they don't go to that look wounderful also. So thought I would ask & see if some locals hads ideas to help us plan our trip.

One tour was by limo...looked interesting?? Some tours stay at B & B's, some old castles & motels. One was just castles. One train trip looked interesting also but again, some places not covered by train.

Any one have any other suggestions?

If you haven't already, you might want to check out the Rick Steves site for suggestions about Ireland.

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/ireland/ire_menu.htm

Here's his travel guide for Ireland:

http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=156&id=50

He also has a DVD with six of his shows that focused on Ireland.

Here's his suggested sightseeing itinerary for a 3-week driving trip to Ireland:

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/ireland/ireitin.htm

My brother and father made a trip to Ireland and drove through large portions of the country. They were there mostly to visit distant relatives and do some sightseeing. It was more than 35 years ago though, and I'm sure the place has changed a great deal since then. I don't remember much about it other than they had a great time.

Thanks for all the info. I'll check them out soon.

Found some interesting things...thanks again

good Information.

I need one suggestion from every one which bag to take when we tour to other country

I would recommend that you visit Cobh (pronounced Cove....used to be Queenstown) on your holiday. It was the last stop for the Titanic before leaving for America.
Near to Cobh......

Fota Park....a brilliant little wildlife park.
Blarney Castle.....where you can kiss the blarney stone and be blessed with the gift of the gab.

And there was a very atmospheric little cemetery nearby (ask the locals) where most of the Lucitania victims were buried. It also had a crypt containing the bones of Napoleon's favourite surgeon, who was Irish, apparently.

There are loads of wonderful old guest houses fronting Cobh harbour (which is massive), most of which were once owned by various Sea Captains in Victorian times, and consequently have all manner of exotic trees and shrubs in their gardens.
We stayed in one of these fine villas and our window perfectly framed a monkey puzzle tree with the sea in the background. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and if it wasn't for the smell of the Irish breakfast being sizzled downstairs, we could have been mistaken for thinking we were in Madagascar.

Tip: Get into training re. The breakfasts. Superb, but need immense effort in order to clear the plate. I managed to succeed on one occasion, and received a round of applause.

I kissed the Blarney stone, at the request of my grandmother, who had been born in County Cork. What a horror--i don't deal well with heights, and to kiss that stone, you have to lay down and scoot your shoulders over a hole in the rampart wall, then lean back to kiss the stone, which is at the bottom of the outer wall. When i got back to ground level, an Australian who was there (and who had declined to kiss the stone) suggested that it wasn't so bad, that the guy who guides you when you lie down and lean back was very calm and matter of fact. I pointed out to him that that was reasonable enough, as he wouldn't be the one falling 50 or 60 feet, head first, if you slipped through that hole. I suggested that he go up there and try it, but first to get a good grip on that joker's coat and see how he reacted.

I know what you mean, as my better half is not only worried about heights, but wore a pair of slippy plastic sandals on the day, and discovered that the well worn castle steps were not only eroded to seemingly a 45 degree angle, but they were nicely damp, because the place was open to the weather.
Going up was bad enough, but going down was even more interesting, as she followed behind me and spent the entire descent hanging tightly onto the scruff of my sweatshirt. Damn near choked, I was.

I think they have improved the safety elements since then. Either that, or they keep the deaths quiet.

Yeah, it's just the shell of an old, square keep. With no curtain wall, calling it a castle is making a silk purse of a sow's ear.