# So I'm going to Ireland. What should I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 14, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108 "2003-05-14T01:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/41 "2003-05-14T18:56:44Z")
The Cork City accent is hideous, but not particularly difficult to understand. Watch out for accents from West Cork. (You’ll recognise them by the fact that even other Irish people can’t understand them.) You could bring me a Mrs Fields cookie or two 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/42 "2003-05-14T20:34:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by quietman1920 \* > \*\* > > Your US cell phone is useless; Europe is on a different standard. Leave it home. > > \*\* My cell phone worked fine in Ireland (Motorola v66), if you have a tri-band it should work. Just switch bands when you land. I really liked these little things called Bewley’s Original Carmelised Biscuits, can’t find them here. ---
**Author:** ![bryanmaguire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bryanmaguire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bryanmaguire)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/43 "2003-05-14T21:57:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pergau \* > \*\*Have tea and ham sandwiches for lunch in “The Long Valley” pub in Cork City and then go back in the evening and drink as much Beamish as you can. \*\* Surely you mean a hang sangwich? ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/44 "2003-05-14T22:27:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*You could bring me a Mrs Fields cookie or two 🙂 \*\* I suppose I can toss a bag of cookies in along with a bag of peanut butter cups. You realize that if I don’t run into you people, I’m going to become horribly fat, right? I suppose that means I’m going to have to suggest a somewhere in Ireland Dopefest or something. Which wouldn’t be all bad anyway, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Honeydew\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@Honeydew\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honeydew_1)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/45 "2003-05-14T23:00:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Anahita \* > **Well…we don’t have them here. They probably have them there because that’s where all the posh D4 Yanks live.** I’ve gotten them in Tesco’s in Dun Laoghaire - didn’t like them though, way too sweet. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/46 "2003-05-15T08:07:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by irishgirl \* > \*\*MJ O’Neills on the corner of Suffolk St in Dublin (beside the Big Ulster bank, opposite the tourist centre, at the bottom of Grafton St) does a mean club sandwich. \*\* They also sell beer. They sold it to me last night. Ooh me head. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/47 "2003-05-15T12:55:47Z")
THe mrs and I went to Ireland for our honeymoon. Pics [here](http://home.revealed.net/ddwyer/Irish_Pics.html). If you’re looking for a good guide book that has honest suggestions…I liked “The Rough Guide” series. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/48 "2003-05-15T19:07:41Z")
I know you already have too many places to see, but [when I asked](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=115486) last year, I got tons of great suggestions. Two other points to make: First, the roads are narrow. No, not like that, I mean **narrow**. Next time you see cars on an American road, take note of just exactly how much space there is between the car and the edge of the lane. Because in Ireland, that space just isn’t there. We drove on two lane roads in Ireland which were about the same width as an average American bike trail. Second, about your power conversion concerns: Read the labels on your converter and your appliances _very_ carefully. When we went, we didn’t get to use the camcorder, because the converter Mom got wasn’t rated for use with battery chargers… But had we known, we _could_ have just used a straight-through adaptor, with that particular camcorder. If I recall correctly, the power in Ireland is 50 Hz, 240 V. Check to see if your appliances can handle that. And make sure that the converter you get can handle whatever you have: Many of them aren’t good for anything other than an ohmic load, which basically restricts you to light bulbs and irons. While you’re at it, also check the power requirements: Converters will often include a circuit breaker, so you can’t draw too much through them. ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/49 "2003-05-15T22:14:32Z")
I second Dingle. Take the Connor pass, preferably with a confident driver! Cork. Hmmm…seems like I spent most of my time drunk in Cork, but it seemed a nice enough place! The accent is tougher than anywhere else I went in Ireland. Lessee-if you have a car, drive over to Kilmore Quay, which I think is near Killarney. This is a great place; kind of an unspoiled, non-commercial, “Irish life contained” spot. Go by Kehoe’s pub. If Jimmy Kehoe there (he’d be about 28 years old-last I knew he was studying in Dublin 6 years ago-he could be anywhere by now!) tell him that Sally and Melissa from Charleston said “hi”, and see if he’ll take you out on his fishing boat to see the puffin-filled islands and experience some stomach-churning swells on the Irish Sea! ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/50 "2003-05-16T12:11:41Z")
If you have to rent a car, rent one woth a standard transmission. The ones with automatic run more than twice as much… ---
**Author:** ![guy\_from\_wpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5e9695/32.png) [@guy\_from\_wpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guy_from_wpa)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/51 "2003-05-17T23:36:52Z")
I’ve only been there three times, but here’s my 2 cents worth: 1. Accents aren’t too hard to follow. However, the further North you go, the thicker it gets. I ended telling my cousin more than once, “I know you spoke english to me, but I didn’t understand a word you said.” Also, there are words that mean different things there than in the States. The first time you hear about some “good crack” will perk up your ears. And I found out “The Bull” is not Schlitz malt liquor. 2. I really liked the Cliffs of Mohrer and New Grange. And definately go to Northern Ireland: check out the Giant’s Causway, the Rope Bridge, Dunluce Castle. And there is a place called the Ulster-American Folkpark. Think of Colonial Williamsburg. But it shows you a typical Irish village and way of life, then a recreation of a boat used to transport people to America, then a recreation of rural Pennsylvania (where most of them first went). I also found it very interesting just to see how Ulster life is like. One year there were armed British Patrol in the streets, the next it was just normal. AFAIK, it is still normal. 1. Smithwick’s ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/52 "2003-05-18T08:23:21Z")
… but don’t call it “Ulster” while you’re there, particularly if you don’t know what company you’re in. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/53 "2003-05-18T19:24:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*… but don’t call it “Ulster” while you’re there, particularly if you don’t know what company you’re in. \*\* Or is you find yourself on Falls Road… ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/54 "2003-05-18T19:48:54Z")
ruadh, all he has to do is check the paving stones and lamposts. They’re colour coded. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/55 "2003-05-18T19:52:23Z")
I’ve been there a few times, irishgirl 😃 But let’s face it, the average visitor to Belfast is more likely to end up having a pint in the Crown than in the Felons … ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/56 "2003-05-19T08:02:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sidle \* > \*\*Lessee-if you have a car, drive over to Kilmore Quay, which I think is near Killarney. This is a great place; kind of an unspoiled, non-commercial, “Irish life contained” spot. Go by Kehoe’s pub. If Jimmy Kehoe there (he’d be about 28 years old-last I knew he was studying in Dublin 6 years ago-he could be anywhere by now!) tell him that Sally and Melissa from Charleston said “hi”, and see if he’ll take you out on his fishing boat to see the puffin-filled islands and experience some stomach-churning swells on the Irish Sea! \*\* Sorry to be the “point of information” man in this thread but Kilmore Quay is in Wexford which is nowhere near Killarney (but accessible from Cork in the opposite direction). However, the advice is sound - Kehoe’s is a great spot for a pint and a bite of lunch - one of the best places to eat fish in the country. Various people have mentioned the Connor Pass - there’s a great view from the top but it’s not that difficult a drive, particularly in summer (although it might be if you’re driving a manual for the first time - lots of hill starts as you pull over to let traffic coming in the opposite direction by). The car park at the top is also a good starting point for your walk in the mountains. If you’re a nervous driver, take the Connor Pass on your way to Dingle and take the other road back. This means you will be on the inside as you wind your way up the cliff. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108/57 "2003-05-19T10:31:05Z")
I am NOT a confident driver, and I managed the Connor Pass, in the dark, when it was raining. You’ll be grand. Just remember that locals are used to the roads, and drive VERY fast. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-im-going-to-ireland-what-should-i-do/175108.md?page=2)