Archive

Ireland Travel

  • gorocks99
    Just booked my tickets to head to Ireland at the beginning of May for a week. We're flying into Dublin and probably want to spend a couple days there, but outside of that we're totally open.

    I've been to Ireland before, although it was when I was around 13 (or 13 years ago). We did Dublin, Galway, and the Aran Islands. I'm leaning toward doing Galway and the West regions again this time (although maybe Dingle instead of Aran Islands) but was wondering if anyone had any off-the-beat suggestions for places to go and things to do. We'll have a car once we leave Dublin so getting around to places shouldn't be an issue.

    Also, I do plan to drink my share of Guinness and whiskey.
  • Steel Valley Football
    Can you post some pictures from when you were 13? I am a teacher.
  • OSH
    Not going to venture to Northern?
  • gorocks99
    OSH;1093483 wrote:Not going to venture to Northern?
    Hadn't thought about it. Is it a hassle to get from the Republic to Belfast?
  • se-alum
    Never been, but Ireland and New Zealand are the only places overseas I would like to visit.
  • gorocks99
    I was surprised at how affordable the flights were. RT from Chicago to Dublin non-stop was $575 w/ taxes and fees.
  • baseballstud24
    se-alum;1093489 wrote:Never been, but Ireland and New Zealand are the only places overseas I would like to visit.
    I believe Ireland and New Zealand are the only 2 countries without a species (other than humans) that are killer.
  • SnotBubbles
    Why would you go to Ireland to drink Guiness? C'mon man! You can buy that at any 7-11 in the US!

    Drink lots and lots of Irish beer....the kind you can't buy in USA America.

    And go on a leprechaun hunt. That's on my bucket list.
  • OSH
    gorocks99;1093486 wrote:Hadn't thought about it. Is it a hassle to get from the Republic to Belfast?
    I had no problems. I don't know if they even do checks at all. I was there in September 2010 and don't remember ever having to show a thing. To me, it's worth it. I plan on going back next summer (financials didn't work out for this summer) and hopefully seeing more of Ireland while also spending most of my time in Northern Ireland.
    SnotBubbles;1093555 wrote:Why would you go to Ireland to drink Guiness? C'mon man! You can buy that at any 7-11 in the US!
    There was an independent study that said that Guinness tastes better in Ireland than it does anywhere else. It's also surprising at how much the Irish like American beers.
  • queencitybuckeye
    OSH;1093754 wrote:It's also surprising at how much the Irish like American beers.
    Good ones or the refinery crap?
  • Raw Dawgin' it
    Went during St. Patricks day a few years ago and stayed in Dublin. Bars open at 10:30am - except on St. Patricks day, they open after the parade.

    We toured Dublin one day and took a train out to the country one day too. The dublin city tour where you can jump on and off a bus is sweet. Guinness factory was amazing. We mostly bar hopped in Dublin and got shit faced at night since our hotel was above a sweet bar.

    All in all it was drunkfest - the girls were pretty friendly too, they liked our new england accents.
  • iclfan2
    We were in Dublin one night, and then took a 5 night tour with Vegabond tours. Went the Southern route to Dingle and some other places. Pretty neat. I ended up drinking Beamish more than Guinness because it was cheaper and I thought it tasted better.

    Snotbubbles - literally most bars has only 3 (Irish) beers on tap and Guinness was always one. It is THEE Irish beer, at least from what I saw. Scotland had a lot more variety than Ireland.
  • OSH
    queencitybuckeye;1093759 wrote:Good ones or the refinery crap?
    Budweiser and the normal choices. I talked to them about it and it's rather popular to drink the American brews there. I was shocked. I told them that there's many Americans who don't even like our own beer.

    I think Kilkenny is one of the most popular Irish beers that is HARD to find in the US. I think there's a pub in Atlanta that carries it...and that's about it. That's what I have heard. I could be wrong, I can't really say I know the truth or not.