No worries - you wouldn’t be the first Dopers I’ve extended the offer to 
In terms of places to stay there are plenty of cheap hotels in the Victoria/Earls court area. If you use late rooms you can find some places for around £30-50 a night, you’re not going to get cheaper than that without staying at a hostel.
This search came up with plenty of examples.
Takes its sweet time though! 
Keep the suggestions coming! You can’t imagine how helpful this is. I have been to England before, but my late husband did most of the planning, since it was going home for him. This is my first time to plan such an involved trip, and I was feeling overwhelmed. I am reading Rick Steve’s Ireland guide, but you guys are much better.
An Gadai, was it aircoach specifically that was slow or the bus in general? I noticed you linked to a different company. Thanks, Tayto, for the link to aircoach.
I love LateRooms! Teacake, I owe you one for suggesting it! I like it better than smoothound. Thanks to you and Illuminatiprimus for suggesting neighborhoods, too.
I heard about RyanAir charging a quid for the bathroom. Seriously, they don’t deserve my business.
Aircoach was slow but I don’t think the other operators are much quicker. You have to find a Cork-Dublin express bus, maybe Bus Eireann do them or some private operator.
Good point about finding an express coach. Putting that on my list.
Don’t feel overwhelmed. There are plenty of us here who’ll help you - plan to have a wonderful time, of course, but you know that if anything does go amiss you just have to find a computer. (Incidentally, I went and read some reviews of that hotel I suggested. It’s a mixed bag, but the biggest gripe seems to be the breakfast. No worries: I live about ten minutes away!)
I dont know if there is an express coach, I’ve heard plenty of people complaining about stopping at all these newly bypassed towns.
The Cork-Dublin motorway is finished (about a week ago in fact) so if you do rent a car its about 2.5 hours from the edge of Cork to the edge of Dublin.
If you’re looking for accomadation in Cork, then Jurys hotel (Not Jurys Inn for the love of God!) if your feeling rich and want some place close to the city centre. Its actually called the River Lee hotel apparently but every local calls it Jurys.
On the cheaper side Bru Hostel is very central and has a pretty cool bar thats great craic even for the locals.
Thanks for the hotel suggestions, but I think we are looking for something between a splashout and a hostel. Maybe a minor splash.
You can try the Lancaster Lodge, Jurys Inn (despite what I said in my previous post) or the Metropole. I think they are all pretty reasonable, although asking a local for Hotel advice is always a bad idea.
Whatever hotel you pick just bear in mind that Cork has even worse public transport then Dublin, so a central location is vital to avoid getting a Taxi everywhere.
Other than that Cork is a great city, completely underestimated, despite what those weirdos from Dublin might say. Especially if you mix it up with day trips to Kinsale, Crosshaven and such.
If you are stuck for things to do, a walk around UCCs campus is always good. Not many universities are former prisons. You can even see see where the British used to hang Irish rebels if your so inclined!
Also there’s the English Market which I dare you to walk through without eating anything.
If you’re interested in knowing anything about Corks nightlife then give me a shout. I’ve been thrown out of most of it…
I have been reading about the English Market and have it on my “must do” list.
I would love nightlife suggestions! We want to hit some pubs and hear some music.
You are right about asking locals about hotels, but I appreciate the suggestion about staying in the center of town. We plan to do at least one day trip, to the Ring of Kerry. I would like to do Dingle, too, if we can get a bus from Cork. Cobh sounds like a “must do” as well.
Cork is class, was down there the other week had a lovely time.
I just got this in my email:
LONDON–4 JUNE, 2010–East Coast has just cut train fares
between London and Yorkshire to £5 each way for travel this
summer. That’s at least 50% OFF regular rates.
Tickets must be booked by 6pm, 7 June.
Trains depart from London Kings Cross, Leeds and Wakefield.
Fares are valid for midweek off-peak travel between 24 June
and 26 August, plus all departures on Saturdays.
We found excellent availability at the time of publish but
anticipate that the £5 fares will sell out quickly.
For more information and to book this offer online with
East Coast, click the link below:
I’d go from Cork to Dublin by train. You can check out times and fairs here:
www.irishrail.ie
The last time I was in London I stayed in a Premier Inn in City Tower Hill. It cost £96 for the room for the night, that was between 2 of us. You can look at their website. Different hotels have different rates depending on the day. But I couldn’t recommend it enough. Budget hotel but big clean room with all new furniture. And it was about 5 minutes walk from the tube that brought you right into Embankment, which is about 5 minutes walk from Trafalgar Square.
You guys are great! Thanks! More questions to come as I do more planning!