Tyler -
My parents are going to Ireland this September, as a present to my mom from us.
(She is of Irish descent.)
They are flying into Dublin and then renting a car and spending a week touring.
Can you refer me to any good places or good hotels or unique things?
Peter
And this is what i had to say-
This is awesome gift. Very nice of you to send them to the land of Ire. It’s a beautiful place full of ancient stones, loads of history, beer, beautiful rolling green hills forever, pubs that are really the gathering halls/grandmas home, the most slang of any European country, real redheads, if your lucky a leprechauns, Irish songs for days, stone walls, 1000’s of years of oppression, and beer served in pubs... Did I mention that they really like there pubs in Ireland...
Driving is def. the best way to see the island.
But tell em to get mentally prepared, cause it can be challenging, but nothing they can’t do-
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/ireland/iredriving.htm
Dublin is a tourist trap with loads of shopping, great old buildings, and tons Euro trash, it’s safe
clean easy to sight see and expensive. For me it is pretty boring as far as European cities go. The real story is out in the country, it’s in the shires and villages that are all so rich in their own history language story. There is really sooooo much to see on the island and it all varies from E side to W side N to S town to village to shire. And that is what Ireland is about if you are not from there, seeing stuff and meeting the people. And boy do they love to talk them Irish. The people will always be super friendly, say great funny Irish things and if you buy them a beer they will cook ya diner, or make you an honorary Irishman/woman for the evening, or ask you to come back to their house ;)
What I know about the island is that I love Cork! (the S.F. of Ireland) And West Cork is gorgeous.
One idea I would say is to get out of Dublin ASAP, head south to Cork where there tons of great places to stay and loads to sight see, Hang there for a night and a day and then I would head west along the bottom of Ireland and then head up North and make a loop back to Dublin. There are some amazing ancient leftovers (predate Egyptian times) and the coast is spectacular, and the strands (beaches) are so picturesque, ad if it’s “summer” there will be people swimming in the Atlantic, no shit!
So Here is an itinerary I found for driving from Cork west-
http://www.discoverireland.ie/southwest/cork/where-to-go/driving-routes/west-cork-coastal.aspx
But that’s is just one direction, and you really cant’ go wrong any direction you go.
My advice is to read up about all that there is to see- like reading Frodo's travel or Lonely Planet websites would be a good start-
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/ireland/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ireland
Set the trip based on things that sound interesting to them, but don’t make a rigid schedule, cause you should talk to as many locals as possible, cause they are always up for telling you about a little magic place they know about. And when they do, you should follow their advise and go see it for yourself.
Finally, and this should be the first thing that they read, they are going to have to learn about the Craic (Crack). Say it your head with an Irish accent “What’s the Craic there Peter.”
Cause in Ireland it is all about the Craic- http://www.ireland-fun-facts.com/craic.html
You need to read this for your own general world knowledge...
Ok That is what I know- this is also going up on my bog, cause I am trying to write more. So thank you for giving me an excuse to write about Ireland.
Love Ya
Happy no babies day
Tyler
On 6/16/09 8:09 AM, "Peter Vitale"
Tyler -
My parents are going to Ireland this September, as a present to my mom from us.
(She is of Irish descent.)
They are flying into Dublin and then renting a car and spending a week touring.
Can you refer me to any good places or good hotels or unique things?
Peter
