Ireland 2022...tips needed

[Pokoloco 1282]

On 5/23/2022 at 10:32 AM, HookEm said:

Just went on a golf trip for a week to Ireland with friends.  Amazing trip.  I will say that the Dublin airport is an absolute shit shoe.  Took us 2 HOURS to get our luggage on arrival.  Then when we were leaving, they said "get to the airport 4 hours early".  Seemed absurd to me, but whatever.  It ended up taking every bit of the 4 hours.  I would estimate that the line to get through security was over a mile long. No exaggeration. It was the longest I have ever seen by a considerable stretch - and I travel all the time.

We ended up playing Old Head, Ballybunion, Tralee, Dooks, Heritage and Castlegregory - and drank in more pubs than I can remember.  Probably enjoyed Dingle the most of all the small towns.  Just one great pub after another.  Stayed at a decent hotel in Tralee and used it as our base.  Not the best town, but the location was great for our needs.

 

Can attest..We just got back on Friday, the Dublin airport was bad.. 3.5 hours to get through.  oof. 

Fecking amazing country, tho.  Loved every bit of it, got to visit where the family comes from. The people are friendly, weather was great, food was surprisingly good everywhere. Seafood chowder, full Irish breakfast, lamb stew, fish and chips of course. The Guinness is definitely better over there. "Ya's gotta find a pub that's wedged, for the best pour".  We did, it was.  I'm mostly Guinness and fish at this point. Wish we would've got to play some golf, but we had wives with us. 

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

Europe airports are a shitshow right now. Massively understaffed, more travelers, and tons of flights cancelled very day.

 

I leave for Croatia out of Gatwick a week from tomorrow and just hope the flight isn’t cancelled.

[Mo Horn 8855]

24 minutes ago, Doug E. Fresh said:

Europe airports are a shitshow right now. Massively understaffed, more travelers, and tons of flights cancelled very day.

 

I leave for Croatia out of Gatwick a week from tomorrow and just hope the flight isn’t cancelled.

Our son and DIL flew back from Dublin on Friday and it was indeed. Took forever to get through all the screenings, with a lot of it having to do with USA's idiotic rules and regs. They made all their flights, but only because everything was delayed everywhere. 

[ATXhorn17 1629]

My wife and I are headed to the Emerald Isle for the first time in a month... Know it's the off-season, but it worked with our schedules, so hoping it'll still be spectacular despite the rain. In all, we're planning to spend 2x nights in Dublin (book-ending our trip), 2x nights in Galway, 2x nights in Dingle, and 2x nights in Killarney. I've already absorbed a lot of Surly's past recos on places to stay, etc., but if anyone else has advice, I'm all ears!

Day 1 - Land early AM in Dublin (adjust to jet-lag, Kilmainham Goal, bog bodies, Guinness Storehouse, Gaelic Football / Hurling, Temple Bar)

Day 2 - Dublin to Galway (Book of Kells in the AM --> Galway --> Quay Street in the evening)

Day 3 - Galway (day trip to Connemara National Park, Kylemore Abbey)

Day 4 - Galway to Dingle (Stop at Cliffs of Moher & the Burren along the way)

Day 5 - Dingle (Slea Head Loop)

Day 6 - Dingle to Killarney (Ross Castle and Muckross Abbey)

Day 7 - Killarney (Ring of Kerry / Gap of Dunloe)

Day 8 - Killarney to Dublin (Make a detour to see Kilkenny)

Day 9 - Dublin (head back home early AM)

[6th Street 6508]

That's an incredible itinerary. We did a similar trip except clockwise from Dublin. Rain is no big deal - it's a steady shower, not the heavy stuff and usually runs only in fits and starts. Bring a shell.

Dublin - don't waste your time waiting on the Book of Kells, lots of other cool shit to see like Dublin Castle etc. 

Dingle - town is a bit kitschy but that loop is damn nice.

Galway - one of my fav parts of the trip, just a really cool town with lots of good pubs, missed the Connemara which should be nice

Ring of Kerry - drive slow, take in the sights, particularly on the water. There were some really cool beaches along the way and a tall cliff (forget what it was called)

[midtown 3348]

Looks compact but also a damn good iten.

If its not too late.  Why are you going all the way back to Dublin to fly out.?  You could spend a day in Shannon/Limerick and fly from there or make your way up to Westport or Kong

Do not worry about the rain.  Its part of the experience.  Just get a good rain jacket.   There is something about coming out of the rain and into a warm pub for some beer and a food that is just awesome.   My wife at the time and I spent 3 days riding bikes through the western part of Ireland in a constant drizzle.  Westport to Cong to Leenaun.  One of the best vacations I have ever had.

Edited September 28, 2022 by midtown

[squib 1127]

Did much of the Dublin to Galway to Limerick route this summer. Good times. Dublin was the least impressive part to me. So damn many tourists--perhaps that has settled down a bit.  That said, the Irish Immigration Museum in Dublin is really well done. I have never been in a museum like it. Mostly tells the story of how and why the Irish have settled all over the planet. Not a lot of artifacts to look out. Lots of really good story telling though.