# Going to Ireland! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 26, 2012, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040 "2012-02-26T05:22:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/21 "2012-02-27T17:36:53Z")
> [@caused\_two](#): > > Thanks for the advice, everyone! > I’ve heard the pubs close early during the week. Is that universal? And what time is early? Jjimm has this mostly covered but I can pm you a list of places in Dublin open late seven nights if you like. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/22 "2012-02-27T20:40:35Z")
More suggestions for Dublin and environs: A trip out to [Howth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howth) if the weather is dry is always nice, a wee seaside village with some great restaurants typically specialising in seafood, a few miles north of Dublin city centre. I believe you can take a train. [Glendalough](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glendalough) in Co. Wicklow is about 30 miles from Dublin City Centre and one of the more famous tourist destinations on this island. If you’re visiting Newgrange (which I recommend) you should also stop for a while at [Monasterboice](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasterboice) which is a short hop off the M1 that brings you to Newgrange. A bit further way but I really like [Carlingford](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlingford,_County_Louth), about 60 miles north of Dublin on the m1, an old town with a castle and some picturesque buildings set amongst scenic mountains and Carlingford lough. It’s got some great seafood restaurants too. **caused two** , what stuff are you into seeing? Into drinking? historical stuff? nature? people watching? literature? With regard to finding pubs with music (if that’s your bag) [Dublin Sessions](http://www.dublinsessions.ie/home.html) can help. I second The Cobblestone for trad music. I also hear the nearby M. Hughes’ on Chancery St is pretty great too. Another possibility if you’re into such things is the [Ghost Bus Tour](http://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/ghostbus/index.aspx). I did it a couple of years ago with my girlfriend and it was good but a tad expensive. For a pint, Grogan’s pub I mentioned earlier is on South William St. Mulligan’s that Jjimm suggested is also pretty good. [O’Neill](http://www.oneillsbar.com/)’s is good for food and has live music and a good drinks selection. ---
**Author:** ![caused\_two](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@caused\_two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caused_two)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/23 "2012-02-28T04:02:18Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > \ > **caused two** , what stuff are you into seeing? Into drinking? historical stuff? nature? people watching? literature? It is sort of a last minute trip and it is four siblings with different interests! But drinking and people watching is a definite. I’m going to make sure we get away from the cities and get in some nature! And another of my group is going to make sure we hit some historical sights. We would like to hit Knappogue Castle, as we have some vague ancestral ties. So if there is anything else in the area worth hitting, please let me know. Oh, and **An Gadaí** , a PM of some late night pubs would be great! ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/24 "2012-02-28T04:09:57Z")
I miss Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/25 "2012-02-28T04:30:32Z")
If you haven’t rented a car yet, Enterprise was (by far) the cheapest option when I went several years ago. Also - assuming you can drive stick, the adjustment to shifting with your left hand is not insurmountable - particularly as the gear locations and pedal positions are not reversed. It really was not a big deal after awhile (although I did yell “LEFT!!!” to myself every time I got on the road). The advantage is a manual transmission was much cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/26 "2012-02-28T04:45:15Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > 11.30pm they stop serving (‘last orders’) and by 12.00am you’re meant to be out. Last orders is at 12.30 on the weekends. However Ireland is often deliciously flexible with its enforcement of various rules, and many pubs that are away from the city centre are quite lenient in their application of the law - and out in the countryside it’s often down to the preference of the landlord\*, no matter what the law says. > > There are nightclubs and late bar/restaurants too which stay open until 2/3 (not sure of the rules there myself), but they’re not the default. And in most hotels with a bar, the bar will stay open for residents all night long. > > IIRC they’ve just introduced a ridiculous rule that ‘off licenses’ (liquor stores), supermarkets, and convenience stores, can’t sell any alcohol after 10pm. > > _Anecdote: at 3am, January 1st 1990, in a pub on a wild windy hillside in Co. Wicklow, the place is heaving to the rafters with drunk happy people, the musicians are playing like mad in the corner, my fellow English friend is shouting “now I understand what the craic is! Quick, take a picture of it!” when suddenly the door bursts open with a bang and standing lit up by the cheery interior of the pub, drenched in the horizontal rain, are two gardai_\* in sodden greatcoats. The pub falls instantly silent. > > “Come on now lads,” one of them says. “Let’s not be ridiculous.” > > “Have yez no homes to go to?” says the other one. > > Slowly the patrons get their coats on and file out into the howling night. We, however, are waiting for a minibus to pick us up. My then-girlfriend explains this and the cop says “well don’t be going outside until it arrives, you’ll catch your death.” So we waited at the bar with the cops, having another round and chatting with them as they dried their coats by the fire and drank their complimentary whiskeys. > > \*\*Cops. “Craic!” I haven’t heard that word in years, up in East Tennessee. I didn’t know how to spell it. Another word used was (I’ll have to spell it phonetically) kee-arn. Means “greasy dirt.” Familiar? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/27 "2012-02-28T10:19:38Z")
> [@fisha](#): > > I miss Ireland. It was really nice meeting you that time. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/28 "2012-02-28T11:08:51Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > It was really nice meeting you that time. You, too. I was pretty sure Grogans was where we all met, and was going to tell **caused** **two** what a great pub it was, what great Irish dopers we have, what fun an IrishDope would be, but just said how much I miss Ireland, instead. Strong possibility I’m going to Italy this summer, might just have to take a detour… ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/29 "2012-02-28T11:15:18Z")
> [@Doctor\_Who](#): > > If you haven’t rented a car yet, Enterprise was (by far) the cheapest option when I went several years ago. If you’re coming from overseas, a reselling service is usually the cheapest option.There was someone talking about going to the Italy a few weeks ago who got an _unbelievable_ deal via [this crowd](http://www.autoeurope.com/). FWIW they got a better deal via phone than online. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/30 "2012-02-28T11:20:05Z")
> [@caused\_two](#): > > It is sort of a last minute trip and it is four siblings with different interests! But drinking and people watching is a definite. I’m going to make sure we get away from the cities and get in some nature! And another of my group is going to make sure we hit some historical sights. > > We would like to hit Knappogue Castle, as we have some vague ancestral ties. So if there is anything else in the area worth hitting, please let me know. > > Oh, and **An Gadaí** , a PM of some late night pubs would be great! Last minute trips are the best! I’ve been to Ireland now 5 times, and each time I have had no destinations set or anything, just a rental car and my GPS and travel map. It’s a really easy place to get around and switching to driving on the left is simple (I got behind someone leaving the airport and just followed them for a bit until I felt comfortable). What I love most is seeing something interesting on a map, inputting it into my GPS and meandering my way there, detouring down any road that looks interesting as I come to it. I’ve gotten some great photos that way, as well as finding nice hotels/inns/restaurants. I hope to get a trip back this spring, but we’ll see. It is my favorite place. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/31 "2012-02-28T11:26:10Z")
> [@Doctor\_Who](#): > > If you haven’t rented a car yet, Enterprise was (by far) the cheapest option when I went several years ago. > > Also - assuming you can drive stick, the adjustment to shifting with your left hand is not insurmountable - particularly as the gear locations and pedal positions are not reversed. It really was not a big deal after awhile (although I did yell “LEFT!!!” to myself every time I got on the road). The advantage is a manual transmission was much cheaper. I used Enterprise last time and the price was excellent and the car very nice (new VW Passat diesel with 6 speed). I rented this back in 2010: [911](http://dmf109.smugmug.com/Travel/Ireland-2010/1001597/1009909441_g262b-XL-1.jpg). A _lot_ of fun! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/32 "2012-02-28T12:52:08Z")
> [@fisha](#): > > You, too. I was pretty sure Grogans was where we all met, and was going to tell **caused** **two** what a great pub it was, what great Irish dopers we have, what fun an IrishDope would be, but just said how much I miss Ireland, instead. > > Strong possibility I’m going to Italy this summer, might just have to take a detour… I’ve offered a few times to meet up for a pint in threads like these but you were the only person who ever wasn’t weirded out, so I’ve stopped doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/33 "2012-02-28T13:13:03Z")
I wouldn’t have been weirded out but the offer never came (that and I probably posted my thread too late). Anyway, you are now top of the list for next time I go. Probably a few years though. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/34 "2012-02-28T13:43:54Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I wouldn’t have been weirded out but the offer never came (that and I probably posted my thread too late). > > Anyway, you are now top of the list for next time I go. Probably a few years though. I may have given up by then, where’s the thread? 🙂 In a few years I probably won’t be able to live here anymore :mad: . ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/35 "2012-02-28T13:51:49Z")
Hell if I know- I went to Ireland in November 2010. It would have been nice to catch up with a local as I hadn’t been there for 11 years- and it is always fun to meet someone from the Dope. And if we can’t have a beer in Dublin, you’ll just have to haul your arse to Australia so we can catch up 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![caused\_two](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@caused\_two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caused_two)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/36 "2012-02-28T19:28:25Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I’ve offered a few times to meet up for a pint in threads like these but you were the only person who ever wasn’t weirded out, so I’ve stopped doing that. We would be happy to buy you a pint, if you are free while we are there! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/37 "2012-02-29T12:56:46Z")
> [@caused\_two](#): > > We would be happy to buy you a pint, if you are free while we are there! PM sent. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/38 "2012-02-29T13:16:34Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I’ve offered a few times to meet up for a pint in threads like these but you were the only person who ever wasn’t weirded out, so I’ve stopped doing that. Well, you are kind of weird, even for midget… I really like meeting Dopers from all over. If I have a spare couple of hours, I’ll post a thread. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Don’t take it personally; most Dopers shun actual human contact. **caused two,** you’ll find\*\* An Gadai\*\* a charming Irishman to BS with, and the odds of you ending up trussed in his trunk are very low. Car ownership is somewhat rare in Dublin. There’s a couple other IrishDopers around, they’re pretty good folks, too. Have fun. ---
**Author:** ![caused\_two](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@caused\_two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caused_two)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/39 "2012-03-01T00:58:30Z")
> [@fisha](#): > > Well, you are kind of weird, even for midget… > > I really like meeting Dopers from all over. If I have a spare couple of hours, I’ll post a thread. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Don’t take it personally; most Dopers shun actual human contact. > > **caused two,** you’ll find\*\* An Gadai\*\* a charming Irishman to BS with, and the odds of you ending up trussed in his trunk are very low. Car ownership is somewhat rare in Dublin. > > There’s a couple other IrishDopers around, they’re pretty good folks, too. > > Have fun. Well, there are more of us than him. So I think \*\* An Gadai\*\* may be the one in trouble! ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040/40 "2012-03-01T23:39:35Z")
God bless Ireland. What a wonderful country and a wonderful people, putting up with a clueless American like me. 😉 Not a dive site in sight (water’s WAY too cold), and I \*\*still \*\*had an awsome time. 😃 I pretty much pub-crawled my way from Shannon to Dublin and back and loved every minute of it. It’s been a decade, but Dublin DID have a bus service that looped throughout the city that you could buy into. You could either buy a quickie ticket for a single stop, or fork over a few more Euros and buy the whole hog, which would allow you to ride from site to site for the day. The bus service ran continually during the day so you could hop on and off at different sites to see lots of different things such as the Guiness Brewery. The service was great, assuming it still exists, because you eliminated the need to \*\*drive \*\*in Dublin. The lady that owned the B&B we stayed at recommended it to us, telling us that Americans DID NOT want to drive in the city. She was right. I thought New Yorkers were crazy drivers? At that point in my life I’d never been to Dublin! Definitely go see the Book of Kells at Trinity and also stop by Christ Church Cathedral to see the crazy leaning wall that’s been that way like forever - about 500 years - and the catacombs below the street level. Have fun and definitely find a pub or three. Slainte! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-ireland/614040.md?page=1)