Best Places in Ireland

In My Humble Opinion
1

OK, I’ve narrowed it down now. I first asked the best places in Europe to go, but now that there is so much to see. I think I’m going to take it one coutry at a time. So, my new questions are: what are the necessary counties to see in Ireland? I want to spend a good amount of time there (anywhere from two weeks to a month), and I already know that I want to go to Fermanagh to see the Maguire Castle (being as that’s my family, I’d like to see it).

Also, I’m a poor college student in the states and will be funding this myself. So, I was wondering what is the cheapest way to do this. Getting there from the Southeast? Travelling there? etc. I don’t want to get a car. I’d really rather kind of haphazardly(sp?) make my way through. Is that possible? Can one hitch-hike in Ireland? Are there any web-sites that people would recommend (I’m a neophyte to the whole travelling thing.

I would appreciate any help I could get. Thanks

2

Dingle, on the far Western coast of Ireland, is a must see. I had a huge Irish vacation planned, but my friend and I ended up staying in Dingle the whole time! I’ve never regretted it and can’t wait to go back. There a few webpages devoted to the town, and I would recommend it very, very highly.

3

If you’re a history buff ( like me) I would highly suggest County Wexford in “the Sunny Southeast” of Ireland. It is easily accessible by boat (Rosslare Harbour), rail, bus or car. It’s about 1.5 hrs from Dublin and about 4(?)hrs. from Shannon. Wexford town was a port of call for Vikings, Normans, English, etc. for centuries.
I really enjoy:
Selskar Abbey- Henry II came here to atone for killing Thomas Becket.
Curracloe-Is/was a Blue Flag beach, meaning it is one of the outstanding Euro beaches. Saving Private Ryan was filmed here.
Wexford town-World famous opera festival, fun race track, The Bullring has monuments to those murdered by Cromwell as well as the patriots of the 1798 Rebellion (considered to be the first organized attempt by the Irish to expel a foriegn govt.)
Outside Wexford town- Heritage Centre. See examples of Irish life from the Stone age on.Great for hiking. JFK Arboretum (sp?). JFK’s ancestral farm. It’s run by his exceedingly attractive cousin Patrick.:slight_smile:
Enniscorthy-1798 Centre. Award winning interactive museum about the causes, battles and aftermath of the aforementioned rebellion.
Hook Head-the oldest functioning lighthouse in the world. Beautiful views and scenery. Plus, my husband used to work there as a lighthouse keeper and assures me that the building is haunted!
Loftus House-Creepy old private house near the Hook. Legend has it that the Devil flew up through the roof leaving a hole that cannot be fixed to this day.
Our Ladys Island- The Real Zorro (William Lampert) was born here.
I spend a lot of time in Ireland and particularly Wexford and would be happy to answer any questions.
G.

4

As to Hitch-hiking:
It is still an accepted form of transport but is getting scarier every year. Male or Female I would strongly suggest travelling with a friend if you are going to hitch as well as telling parents/SO’s/interested parties where you will be going and approx. when you will be there.
G.

5

Ireland on a budget is best done (imho) with An Óige.’
This is the Irish youth hostel foundation http://www.irelandyha.org/

As for where to go? Kerry Kerry Kerry and Dublin Dublin Dublin :slight_smile:
Actually I probably have to throw in a Galway Galway Galway there too.

Get one of the rambler packages from An Óige, it combines a buss/train-pass with sleepovers in the hostels. Promise me (and yourself) that you will go to the Black Valley in Kerry (its in the whole Dingle area) and also you should check out Valentia Island, site of the first ever transatlantic cable! grin It really is beautiful, there is a lot to see, and the hostel is actually old coastguard houses.

I could babbel on forever, but my own suggestions would be to go for the following things in the following regions, disclaimer, I am not saying that the other areas do not also have these qualities in abundance!

In kerry, do the nature thang, walk on the cliffs, swim in the atlantic with the dolfins, put yourself in perspective with the world. Eat and drink well.

In galway do the whole pub scene, it is a young and vibrant town, but obviously with its history intact and everywhere, this is the place to go to Irish bars and have a jar and hear some real irish music, as opposed to the Oirish tourist traps in Dublin. Eat and drink well here too. If the timing is right, enjoy the Guiness Oyster Festival, gDAMN :smiley:

Dublin is a major european city, just on a small scale :slight_smile: Skip the “irish” pubs here, and experience some of the nicer upscale bars to balance out your experiences with the culchies grin…
I am gonna hang for that… Uh, anyway, em… yeah where was I …

In Dublin you should shop and party, but also do the “historical education” thing. You can do this with a minimum of effort as Dublin itsself is so small. Do check out the tourist standards, they are famous for a reason, the GPO, Trinity College, the Book of Kells. A slightly less famous suggestion, but not without entertainment or educational value is to visit Glasnevin Cemetary. There are buried some of the most famous people in Irish history and you can also see one of the old “monk towers” from when the Vikings used to attack (large tower, door half way up, bring the ladder with you on the way in, frustrated Vikings).
Its a bit of a cliche but you really should check out The Brazen Head. It is the oldest pub in Ireland, if not the whole of europe. Just take the one, and then shag off to the other side of the river to the Morrison hotel and have a civilised drink there :wink:

My one true tip to all visitors to Ireland, especially from the states is this. Please be careful of yourselves and your belongings. Try not to stick out as tourists (plaid trousers, kiss me Im irish t-shirts, flat cap and camera). We are not some race of benevolant little leprechauns as so many tourists seem to think, and if you leave yourself open to it you will get robbed, just as surely as in Paris, London or New York. Dublin has a fairly huge drug problem, and that video camera you have slung around your shoulder will really make somones week. Put it away till you are using it for gods sake. </endrant>
I only say it cos I want you to have fun, and take only good memories back with you :slight_smile: Be smart, be safe, have a fucking ball :slight_smile:

6

More discussion here.

Antrim coast is the only place worth seeing in the North. Giants’ Causeway and all that.
Have a great trip.

7

Hitch-hiking, if you’re male, is relatively safe. The problem is getting a lift. Standing on the roadside for hours at a time is not a fun way to spend your holiday. I pick up people occasionally and don’t discriminate but you may find it easier to get a lift if you don’t look like a tourist - not easy, I know. Hitch hiking is common enough in rural areas but it’s not easy getting out of the cities. You need to get yourself to some windswept set of traffic lights on a dual carriageway 5 miles from town - it’s a pain.

The rail network is not that extensive and doesn’t go to many of the places worth visiting, e.g Fermanagh and Dingle mentioned above. Try buses, both public and private operators. Bus Eireann offer a ticket for 8 days travel out of 15 consecutive days for €168 - might be worth considering if you’re planning to travel a lot. I’m sure they have a reciprocal arrangement with Ulsterbus, their counterparts north of the border (you knew Fermanagh’s in the North, right) and there are probably student discounts.

As to recommendations for places to visit, if your name is Maguire, you should go to Maguiresbridge in Fermanagh and have a brandy in a local pub, just for the sake of it.

Lisnaskea for drinking tea,
Maguiresbridge for brandy.

Have a drink in Blakes in Enniskillen - the best pub, bar none, in Fermanagh. If there are lads playing pool in the back bar, tell them I said Hi. Go to the Marble Arch caves and take the boat trip and go for a walk in Navar forest and enjoy the view over the lakes.

If you’re going as far as Fermanagh, it would be an absolute sin to miss the neighbouring county, Donegal. Highlights (you can do a search) -
[ol]
[li]Slieve League (highest sea cliffs in Europe with the precarious, yet exhilarating, One Man’s Pass). [/li]
[li]Tory Island - go for one night and stay in the cheap hostel, not the hotel. Far more remote and less ‘touristy’ than the Aran Islands. Hire a bicycle from the woman who runs the hostel and do the island circuit - it only takes a couple of hours. Dun Balor is spectacular and the pub and community centre stay open all night if there’s music on.[/li]
[li]Climb Mount Errigal and enjoy the view (if it’s not cloudy - some chance!)[/li]
[li]Go drinking in Bunbeg, Gweedore, Annagry etc. - the music is fantastic and the crusties are a laugh. Stay away from Leo’s pub in Crolly though, unless you’re into accordian music and stories about Enya and Clannad (their father owns it and provides the entertainment).[/li]
[li]The Poison Glen, the Shamrock Bar in Falcarragh, Inishowen Peninsula, Magharoarty beach, Kincasslagh Strand - the list is endless.[/li][/ol]

Overall, you should find Donegal a bit less packed than Galway, West Clare, West Kerry, Ring of Kerry, West Cork etc. It’s a bit out of the way so it’s left off many people’s itineraries. Most tourists in Donegal are Northern Catholics escaping the summer fun in some of the northern hot spots (that doesn’t include Fermanagh, BTW).

In any case, enjoy your trip.

8

Ditto on the Dingle Peninsula.

See here for som eideas.

9

As for web-pages, Lonely Planet is good for discussions.

The Irish Tourist Board is a good pointer too, for maps and distances.

10

Doh forgot to mention that the youth hostels are dirt cheap.
You fix your own food, and you might wanna have a sleeping bag with you (some of them are very basic, others are like hotels) but you stay for between 10 and 20 Euros a night.

I think the euro and the dollar are round about the same exchange rate, but I am too lazy to go check now. Either way, its cheap living.

11

Ooh, if you are going around Dublin, there are loads of great things to see. One recommendation is the highly praised Dublin Literary Pub Crawl.

It is incredible. Irelands too greatest exports, Alcohol and Writers, put together in possibly the best two hours you can have in Dublin, short of going up Benburb St.

There is lots to do in Dublin. Let me know nearer your time of travel and I can recommend more.

12

Thank you very much, TwistofFate. I will not be going over there until next summer (after another year of school). I will definitely make a post sooner to that time. It would be really nice to know what sort of local events are happening at that time. I would really appreciate your input. Thanks!