# Need some info on the Dublin, Ireland area **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 30, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064 "2014-10-30T22:47:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/1 "2014-10-30T22:47:59Z")
Ms Hook and I will be spending a couple of months in Europe next summer. No tour involved, we want to do it all ourselves. Wanting to make the most of our time we’re already planning on what to see and do. We will be in Dublin May 20 - 25. We thought a train ride to some nearby (no more than 2 hours) town would make a good day. So, knowing nothing of Ireland ourselves but knowing The Dope is all knowing, we come to you. What would make an interesting and fun filled day trip from Dublin. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/2 "2014-10-31T00:33:28Z")
I recommend Belfast for a day trip. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/3 "2014-10-31T00:51:06Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > Ms Hook and I will be spending a couple of months in Europe next summer. No tour involved, we want to do it all ourselves. Wanting to make the most of our time we’re already planning on what to see and do. > > We will be in Dublin May 20 - 25. We thought a train ride to some nearby (no more than 2 hours) town would make a good day. So, knowing nothing of Ireland ourselves but knowing The Dope is all knowing, we come to you. > > What would make an interesting and fun filled day trip from Dublin. > > Thanks in advance. The Dublin-Wexford railway line is pretty scenic, especially the first half. Dublin-Wexford is about 2 hrs 20 minutes or a bit longer, depending on which train you take. This is over your limit, but Wexford is a pleasant town to wander in, and the food and wine festival should be running at the time you intend to visit. If you want to stick firmly to your two-hour max then you don’t need to go all the way to Wexford; you could get off at Enniscorthy or Arklow. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/4 "2014-10-31T01:16:46Z")
There are day trips to [Glendalough](http://www.glendalough.ie/) from Dublin. It’s a really lovely part of the country. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/5 "2014-10-31T01:52:25Z")
Thanks guys, I’ll check those towns out. The festival sounds good, just the sort of thing we’d like to see. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/6 "2014-10-31T04:01:01Z")
> [@hibernicus](#): > > I recommend Belfast for a day trip. Belfast’s a smaller, newer and generally less interesting city than Dublin. Not that it doesn’t have it’s charms, but if you have four days in Dublin and want to spend one of those not in Dublin, I would think somewhere more different from Dublin than Belfast is would be a better choice. Somewhere less urban. > [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > There are day trips to [Glendalough](http://www.glendalough.ie/) from Dublin. But not by train. > [@SandyHook](#): > > The festival sounds good, just the sort of thing we’d like to see. There’s a [website](http://www.wexfordfoodfestival.ie/), natch. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/7 "2014-10-31T04:09:27Z")
Since the OP is looking for advice, let’s move this to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**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:** [November 1, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/8 "2014-11-01T00:11:27Z")
Seconding Wexford Town sojourn. Also recommend a Glendalough tour but that is done by bus. Be worth enquiring if you can get a bus tour to Carlingford about 1hr 10minutes drive north of Dublin, it’s a picturesque seaside village with good sea food, castles, mountains and a lovely lough. Really nice for a day out, especially when it is sunny. The nearest train to Carlingford would leave you in Dundalk and not sure what transport links are like from there. ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/9 "2014-11-01T11:26:25Z")
Strongly recommend Leo Burdock fish & chips. > **[Leo Burdock - Famous Fish & Chips - Home](https://www.leoburdock.com/)** > > Leo Burdock, Dublin's Traditional Fish and Chips Since 1913. Over 100 years old, Burdocks has earned a unique place in Dublin’s Rich History, famous for our freshly cooked food and the deliciously tempting aroma drifting from Werburgh St. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/10 "2014-11-02T03:31:49Z")
> [@Fishtar](#): > > Strongly recommend Leo Burdock fish & chips. > [http://www.leoburdock.com](http://www.leoburdock.com) Looks like lunch for one day is taken care of. Thanks. ---
**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:** [November 2, 2014, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/11 "2014-11-02T09:59:26Z")
Different strokes I guess, but I found Wexford boring compared to the rest of Ireland. Brooks Hotel is a great and affordable place to stay in Dublin. You also have the Hairy Lemon and Peters Pub close by. You could probably do a bus trip to Blarney Castle - hardly exciting- but Bunratty Castle should also be reachable. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/12 "2014-11-02T20:41:47Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Belfast’s a smaller, newer and generally less interesting city than Dublin Seconded, citation is that I live in Belfast. As an aside/hijack, for a tourist, I’m guessing that UDS’ comparison could be generalised for all tourist attractions up north. Hills, lakes, settlements, all smaller and less interesting. Bushmills distillery is the oldest in Ireland, but I think you’d have a better time making your way to the Jameson distillery, even if it doesn’t taste as nice. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/13 "2014-11-02T21:19:58Z")
What is ‘UDS’? Excuse the ignorance but I’m guessing it’s something about Ulster. I’ll check out Bunratty Castle. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/14 "2014-11-02T22:25:27Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > What is ‘UDS’? Excuse the ignorance but I’m guessing it’s something about Ulster. Wild guess: the name of the poster who posted posts #3 and #6? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/15 "2014-11-02T22:56:14Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > What is ‘UDS’? Excuse the ignorance but I’m guessing it’s something about Ulster **U** lster **D** efence **S** ystems, they churn out big ass cyborgs and sell defence matrix software. Surprised you didn’t hear about them 😕 ---
**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:** [November 3, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/16 "2014-11-03T23:42:43Z")
As far as closest to Dublin while least like Dublin I think Glendalough wins. A tour encompassing Glendalough, the Sally, and Powerscourt Gardens is probably available and you could be back in Dublin for dinner time, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/17 "2014-11-04T05:12:28Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > As far as closest to Dublin while least like Dublin I think Glendalough wins. A tour encompassing Glendalough, the Sally, and Powerscourt Gardens is probably available and you could be back in Dublin for dinner time, maybe. This sounds good. I couldn’t turn up anything in Ireland for the Sally, what is it? Glendalough and Powerscourt sound like about what we had in mind. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-info-on-the-dublin-ireland-area/703064/18 "2014-11-04T12:55:32Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > I’ll check out Bunratty Castle. By American standards that is probably near Dublin, but to my European sensibilities it’s quite far. My tip is to catch some Irish traditional music. In Dublin a pub called The Cobblestone is a good place to go for that.