[LargoRon]

I am turning 50 next spring (ugh) and to "celebrate" I am starting to plan a trip to Ireland. Thinking of going in either April or May. Just thought I would ask the folks here who have been to Ireland or perhaps live there for advice - must sees, best places to stay etc. I am planning a 10-14 day visit.

Regards
Ron

[Keith]

Good choice and with 14 days you will probably be able to visit every town and speak to every inhabitant of the island

It depends what you want really, my advice would be to avoid the obvious 'touristy' things and just drive from place to place exploring it yourself.

2 places I can definitely recommend are Killiney in south Dublin (pic below - although I'm biased as it's where I'm from) and Kilkenny further south which is a lovely place to spend a couple of nights.

Oh and definitely avoid the 'traditional Irish bars' in Dublin's Templebar....you'll find the real ones hidden away in back streets where you will get a proper pint of Guinness and a good feed.

[Ace917]

Originally Posted by Keith

2 places I can definitely recommend are Killiney in south Dublin (pic below - although I'm biased as it's where I'm from) and Kilkenny further south which is a lovely place to spend a couple of nights.

My mother's family came from Kilkenny, and I strongly recommend a visit! The caves, the churches, the tower, the Celtic ruins, and a proper working castle... not to mention a Guinness brewery where you'll get the freshest pint of stout in the civilized world.

St. Canice's Church has an old stone tower that dates to the 9th century. You can climb to the top on the inside (it's over 100 ft high) going up a series of steps, then ladders. Only one person at a time, tho, as it gets very narrow at the top, just enough room to poke your head and shoulders out.



We went in September, and the weather was perfect.

[LargoRon]

Thanks for your suggestions Ace and Keith - I am leaning towards renting a car and going on a sort of self-guide tour and your recommendations will be helpful

Ron

[Ace917]

Originally Posted by LargoRon

I am leaning towards renting a car and going on a sort of self-guide tour....

That's what we did. My daughter kept me on the left (right) side of the road, and we did just fine. Roundabouts got our attention, tho. We stayed at bed-and-breakfast inns for the most part, not a bad one in the bunch.

We took a tour bus trip around the Ring of Kerry. I was seated next to the archetypal Irish Catholic priest. He taught me some phrases in Gaelic, including "thank you."

As we were getting off the bus at the end of the trip, I said "thank you" to the driver in the best Gaelic I could muster. The driver asked his narrator, "What'd he say?" Without missing a beat, the narrator told him, "He said you drive like sh*t!"

[marydaly]

I enjoy the Wicklow Mountain National Park and the area around it. Beautiful trails with lots of flora and fauna to see. Within the park is Glendalough, site of an old monastic settlement. Some very interesting ruins and an old burial ground. The upper lake area is less visited than the lower lake area and had more challenging trails. The park is about an hours drive from Dublin.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Ace917

As we were getting off the bus at the end of the trip, I said "thank you" to the driver in the best Gaelic I could muster. The driver asked his narrator, "What'd he say?" Without missing a beat, the narrator told him, "He said you drive like sh*t!"

that sounds about right.

If you are driving I would definitely recommend a sat-nav as I wouldn't like to rely on sign posts in Ireland...they are not too bad in cities but in rural areas if you do find one it is likely to be pointing in the wrong direction (and intentionally so!)

[Gregory]

We took the bus ride on the Ring of Kerry too. It's beautiful, just beautiful. You must see The Cliffs of Moher.

[sschweiger]

We should live & be well...next year's trip will be Dublin, London, & Paris!

[MDH-IV]

I found the Guiness factory to be magnificent.

[Ace917]

Originally Posted by Keith

If you are driving I would definitely recommend a sat-nav as I wouldn't like to rely on sign posts in Ireland...they are not too bad in cities but in rural areas if you do find one it is likely to be pointing in the wrong direction (and intentionally so!)

A question for Keith.... I've been trying to recall these terms for years. The small rural roads are sometimes called cowpers (?) because they're one cow wide. Is that the right term? And what is the term for roads that are two cows wide?

[Keith]

I'd love to say I know the answer Ace but being a city boy from Dublin I've never even heard the word 'cowper'...you have me interested though so I will have to look it up!

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Ace917

The small rural roads are sometimes called cowpers (?) because they're one cow wide. Is that the right term? And what is the term for roads that are two cows wide?

Did some Googling:

Early medieval law-tracts set out five types of road:

the 'highway', slige, on which two carpait/carpenta [chariots] could pass without one having to give way to the other, the 'local road', rout [or ród], on which at least one carpat/carpentum and two riders can pass side by side as a regional main road, the 'connecting road', lámraite, a minor road connecting two major roads, the 'side road', tógraite, leading to a forest or a river, which private persons could rent, for which they then could extract tolls from people driving cattle on them , and finally the 'cow road', bóthar, which still had to be as wide as two cows, one standing parallel and one normal to the road.

Learning Irish was compulsory in school (not sure if it still is now) and I remember bóthar meant a road but didn't know the literal translation - I do now thanks Ace!

[Dina]

I'm very envious, Ron. It sounds like a wonderful trip. I hope you'll have lots of photos to share with us when you return.