Trip to Ireland?

Question

Hi guys! I want to take my daughter to Ireland this coming February/March. (I know the weather won't be great - but we don't care! lol!) My daughter is 12 (and will be almost 13 by then) and I want to find the best prices on airfare and accomdations. I don't really want to be on an organized tour - because we are not all about structure - but we want to see lots of the "tourist" attractions - as well as being able to shop and just meet people. Any suggestions- are there family tours? Where are there family friendly places to stay? What should be NOT miss?! Thanks for all of your help! Blessings!

Answer 1

The National Museum of Ireland

Dublin

The passage graves at Newgrange

Kinsale

and get a good map

Answer 2

try Ryanair and Aer Lingus for flights into Shannon, Cork, Dublin and Belfast. Google search B+ B's for yourself when you know what airport you are arriving into. I would recommend The West Coast trip just for sheer rugged beauty.If you arrive in Cork for instance then your best route would be SW to Kerry and then North to Donegal. If you took a week doing that trip , and then headed East to Belfast, from there South all the way back to Cork for your return home.Give me more details when you are arriving in Kerry and we will be more than happy to help you and guide you and introduce you to some local people, culture and sights.

Answer 3

Day 1

Shannon-> Liscannor -> Lahinch Links Golf Course -> St. Bridget’s Well -> Memorial to O’Brien -> Cliffs of Moher / O’Brien’s Tower -> Aran Islands -> The Burrens -> Fanore Beach-> Bally Vaughn -> Galaway City -> Galway Cathedral -> St. Nicholas’ Church -> G Hotel -> Glenlo Abbey Hotel

SHANNON, Co. Clare

· Has Park Inn right on the grounds of the airport. Great for early departures next morning as it is only a 2 minute walk.  Not suggested for much else since it is right on the airport and would be loud and visitors would not be able to walk into town.    

LISCANNOR, Co. Clare

· Drive through it on the way to Cliffs of Moher.  Home of John Holland, inventor of submarine.

LAHINCH, Co. Clare

· About 10 minutes from Cliffs of Moher.  Small town.  Has famous links golf course just outside of town.  The Lahinch Golf Course actually has two courses, one on each side of the road.  The Old Course (between the ocean and the road) is world renowned; the Castle Course is on the other side of the road and is much flatter.    

ST. BRIDGET’S WELL, Co. Clare

· On the western side of the road just south of Cliffs of Moher.  A little cavern in the hillside is filled with offerings and pictures and other odds and ends for St. Bridget.    

MEMORIAL TO O’BRIEN, Co. Clare

· Just North of St. Bridget’s well you can see a limestone memorial built for O’Brien.  Legend has it he was not a kindly landlord and he demanded the memorial be built before his death because he knew no one would build it after.  

CLIFFS OF MOHER/O’BRIENS TOWER, Co. Clare

· Has a new award winning interpretive center built into the hillside. Inside the interpretive center are interactive programs and a film in case of bad weather along with a gift shop and restaurant.  

· Approximately 5 minute walk from interpretive center to O’Brien’s Tower.    

ARAN ISLANDS, Co. Galway

· These 3 islands are located off western coast, at the mouth of Galway Bay.  Tourists can reach the islands via ferry from Rossaveal, Co. Galway (just west of Galway City).      

THE BURRENS, Co. Clare

· The Burrens is approximately 25x25 miles and is a barren landscape spotted with glacial erratics.  Sparsely populated, those that do live in this region have to drill wells into the underground cave system for fresh water.

· Has had inhabitants since 3000 BC.

· Along the road, visitors will see troughs of water for the numerous cattle.  Farmers set up a series of pipes that funnel the rain water from the roads into these troughs so the cattle will have fresh water.  Unlike other areas, the cattle can be left out year round here because of the rocks heating up the grass.

· Nature lovers will be thrilled with the rare wildflowers that grow in abundance here.

· Caves and dolman can also be found in this region.  There are walking tours for those wanting to explore the Burrens thoroughly.      

FANORE BEACH, Co. Clare

· Popular beach for surfing along the way to Bally Vaughn.  

· Located in the Burrens.  

BALLY VAUGHN, Co. Clare

· Great cottages to rent right on the water

· Monk’s Pub in town has great seafood

GALWAY CITY, Co. Galway

· Church of St. Nicholas- Christopher Columbus was said to have visited this church before setting sail for America.  Built in 1320.  

· Galway Cathedral- Built in 1960s.  Famous rose petal windows.  Mosaic of JFK in cathedral.  Ceiling made of wood from California, pews made of wood from Western Africa.  Life-size Stations of the Cross.  Floor is Connemara marble.  Organ has pipes ranging from 6 inches to 21 feet.    

· National University of Ireland- The stone quadrangle is a famous landmark, about a 10 minute walk from the city center.

· The Spanish Arch- Extension of the former city walls, now lies adjacent to the Galway City Museum.

· Eyre Square shopping center- Bustling walkway filled with shops in the center of town.  Church of St. Nicholas located along it, the Spanish Arch and Kennedy Memorial Park are at each end.  

· Walled city- Visitors are able to see remnants of the old city walls throughout the town.

· Kennedy Memorial Park- Previously named Eyre Square, town center located next to Eyre Square shopping center.

G HOTEL, Co. Galway

· Very modern hotel overlooking Galway Bay.  Bold, bright interior in the main areas, neutral colors in the bedrooms.  Theme of the sea carries throughout the hotel.

· 5 star hotel, voted one of Best New Hotels by Conde Nast Traveller.  

· Designed by Phillip Traecy, hat designer.

· Spa area (ESPA) is very quiet and relaxing, subtle lighting.  Massage area looks out on Zen garden complete with bamboo garden and a 50 year old bonsai tree.

GLENLO ABBEY, Co. Galway

· Free wifi in rooms, although reception was low in my room and I could not get it.

· We ate at the River Room Restaurant overlooking the golf course and river in the distance.  

· The Pullman Restaurant has 2 cars from the original Orient Express.  It is situated just outside the hotel and overlooks the golf course.  

· Private golf course on property

· Has a walking path (15 min. walk) to the river where guests can take a boat tour of the river.  

Day 2

Connemara Marble Factory-> Connemara Region -> Kylemore Abbey & Garden -> City of Cong / The Quiet Man Tour -> Ashford Castle-> Knockranny House Hotel & Spa -> The Quay of Westport -> The Sheeban Restaurant -> Westport ->  Matt Molloy’s Pub

CONNEMARA MARBLE FACTORY, Moycullen, Co. Galway

· Visitors can have brief (5-10 minute) overview of family owned business and the history of Connemara marble and then enter the gift shop to buy marble gifts.  

· 8 miles west of Galway City.

· Famous for their 5 types of marble: Green, white, red, rose, and jet black w/fossils.

CONNEMARA REGION, Co. Galaway

· Western portion of Co. Galway between Lough Corrib and the Atlantic Ocean.

· Dominated by the 12 Bens mountain range, Connemara is known for its wide open spaces, sheeps, lakes, mountains (tallest is approximately 2,500 feet), fishing, and Connemara ponies.

KYLEMORE ABBEY & GARDENS, Co. Galway

· Amazing castle finished in 1871 that was converted to a Benedictine abbey 1920.

· Visitors can self-tour some of the rooms on the ground floor, the Gothic chapel and mausoleum, and the famous Victorian gardens.

· Shuttle provide transportation every 10 minutes to/from the gardens.

· Allow 2-3 hours to see the whole property.

· Garden is closed October-March.

· Gift shop and restaurant are also on the grounds next to the car park.  Gift shop has famous Kylemore Abbey Pottery available for purchase.    

CITY OF CONG / THE QUIET MAN TOUR, Co. Mayo

· Cong is the small town Oscar winning 1952, “The Quiet Man” was filmed in.  

· Visitors can sign up to have a walking tour visiting scenes from the movie.

ASHFORD CASTLE, Co. Mayo

· Former home to the Guinness Family, this 13th century castle was converted to a hotel in the 1920s.

· Activities for guest include fishing with a ghilley on Lough Corrib, the falconry, complimentary golf, archery, equestrian, and clay shooting, and boat rides on the lake.

· Voted one of the top European Castle Hotels.  

· Pierce Brosnan was married here.  *sigh*    

KNOCKRANNY HOUSE HOTEL & SPA, Westport, Co. Mayo

· 4 star property built on hill above town of Westport.  

· Has a great view of the city, Clew Bay, and Croagh Patrick (said to be where St. Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland).  

· Twenty minute walk to town    

THE QUAY, Westport, Co. Mayo

· Area of town filled with restaurants on Clew bay.  

· Pronounced “key”

THE SHEEBAN RESTAURANT, Westport, Co. Mayo

· Located in Wesport’s Quay district, a seafood and steak restaurant right on the water.      

TOWN OF WESTPORT, Westport, Co. Mayo

· Won Ireland’s National Tidy Town Award.

· Flower lined streets, very beautiful and clean.

· One of the only planned cities in all of Ireland.

· At the foot of Croagh Patrick

CROAGH ST. PATRICK, Near Westport, Co. Mayo

· Mountain St. Patrick banished all snakes from Ireland.

· Chapel at top of mountain that people can make a pilgrimage to, some even do it barefoot to pay penance.

MATT MALLOY’S PUB, Westport, Co. Mayo

· Located downtown.

· A crowded pub with live traditional Irish Music.

· Filled with locals and tourists.

Day 3

Westport House-> Lough Rynn Castle Estate & House -> Farnham Estate Hotel

WESTPORT HOUSE, Westport, Co. Mayo

· Roof is being fixed so it does have a large scaffolding over it

· The house itself has a great tour, you can see nearly all the rooms

· Built off the base of Grace O’Malley’s castle.  Home of her ancestors.

· Just outside of Westport

· Lots of things for families to do: swan paddleboats on lake, flume ride, train ride, rock climbing, laser tag, animal and bird park….  

LOUGH RYNN CASTLE ESTATE & HOUSE, Mohill, Co. Leitrim

· 45 minutes from Knock Airport.

· Dublin airport has a better road but longer distance.

· Conference Center open Dec. 2007

· Golf Course done in end 2008

· Has Victorian gardens on the grounds… will have a nature walk in the future.

FARNHAM ESTATE HOTEL, Cavan, Co. Cavan

· 2 hour drive from Dublin

· Set on 1300 acres, owned by Ireland businessman who owns multiple pharmacies, the hotel concentrates on health and relaxation.

· Has a large Golf course opening end of 2008

· Miles of walking trails

· Spa services

· Conference center

· Contemporary rooms w/free wi-fi

· Rooms off entryway for reading, relaxing, playing games, talking

· Small town of Cavan a cab ride away

Day 4

Carton House Hotel & Spa

CARTON HOUSE HOTEL & SPA, Maynooth, Co. Kildare

· Conference center

· Contemporary, modern rooms

· President Bush stayed here… had his infamous picture snapped as he looked out over the grounds in his birthday suit.

Day 5

The K Club -> Hunt Museum-> Limerick City -> Adare Manor -> City of Adare -> Knappogue Castle -> Dromoland Castle Estate

THE K CLUB, Kildare, Co. Kildare

· Home of the 2006 Ryder Cup, has 2 course both designed by Jack Palmer

· 40 minutes from Dublin

· Extremely expensive and upper class

HUNT MUSEUM, Limerick City, Co. Limerick

· Artifacts collected by the Hunt family who owned an antique shop

· Had a Picasso hanging in their kitchen, used a 500 year old water pitcher for their water pitcher.

· Built off the base of Grace O’Malley’s castle.  Home of her ancestors.

· Located on O’Connell Street

LIMERICK CITY, Co. Limerick

· Has great examples of Georgian houses

· O’Connell Street is main street (also is Dublin’s main street)

· ‘Limericks’ were created by a man from Limerick who used to write 5 line poems on the “coffin ships” (ships used to transport the Irish to North America during the potato famine).

ADARE MANOR HOTEL & GOLF RESORT, Adare, Co. Limerick

· 40 minutes to Shannon airport

· Took 30 years to build, 52 chimneys (for every week of the year), 365 stained glass windows (for every day of the year)

· 20 minute walk to Adare where visitors can visit the thatch roofed cottage constructed for workers of the manor

· Golf Course and spa on site

· Townhomes available to rent for golfers, families, etc.

· Has ruins just across the property

CITY OF ADARE, Adare, Co. Limerick

· Many B&Bs in town

· Has thatch roofed cottage businesses along main street

· Adare Heritage Center

· Dunraven Arms is a 4* across the street from thatched cottages

KNAPPOGUE CASTLE, Quin, Co. Clare

· Old castle hosting renaissance banquets with live music

DROMOLAND CASTLE ESTATE, Co. Clare

· Can have bagpipe player greet groups

· Served Irish coffee upon arrival

OTHER INFORMATION and IRISH FACTOIDS

· Most Irish sheep have crosses on their back because sheep carried baby Jesus on their back

· Sheep also have a paint on their backs (washes off with mild detergent) so herders can tell their sheep apart

· St. Patrick came over in 400 AD and created Celtic cross to bridge Christian cross with the sun worshipping

· Trinity College is extremely busy between 11-2, get there before then

· Standing stones are prehistoric and found in fields.  Can be seen at Trinity College along with the Book of Kells

· Dublin

o National Museum in Dublin is free.  Allot about 2 hours

o National Art Gallery in Dublin created by writer of Pygmalion.  Promised to donate 1/3 of proceeds from play to museum!

o Four Seasons is out of town but has shuttles in and out of town

o Dublin Castle can be hired out

o Day trips for groups or individuals:

§ Golf (lynx courses like the K Club)

§ Irish National Stud- horses and Japanese gardens (Tully, Co. Kildare)

§ ½ day tour: Treasure hunt on farm and bake bread after (Pares? Courthouse and Garden… check with Liz, tour guide for more details)

· Tour Companies

o Brendan Tours has Irish national guides, stays in 5* hotels

o Tauck Tours has American guides

o CIE Tours

· Prefix of –balle means “town of” and –kil means “church of”

· Curvy roads because Irish believe ghosts can only travel in a straight line or go in circles

· Any type of umbrella topped tree is considered a fairy tree, although Hawthorne trees are the best

· Clew Bay is in Westport

· In Shannon-on-Carrick or Killaloo (Cty. Clare) visitors can rent cruise boat, bring bikes along and cruise for a week with them and bike into the small towns.  

· In Shannon-on-Carrick clients can also stop and have tea on the boat

· In approximately 10 years, all the power in Ireland will be wind generated

· Long ago make up was made of arsenic and wax and stands were set next to people with a heavy cloth to shield their faces from the fireplace so their makeup didn’t melt

· Flags toting the city colors are often flown from homes when big matches are coming up

· Killarney

o Great for incentive groups

· Fox Hunting

o Season is last weekend in October thru mid-March

o Usually hunting groups go out 2 times a week

o Pink coat= wearer is master of fox hound (MFH)

§ They’re actually red coats but long ago made by London tailor named Mr. Pink

o 11:30am leave the pub and start the hunt, ends 4:30ish

o If you see a fox you take off your hat and point in the direction of the fox and shout “tally ho”

o Term for professional fox hunter is “huntsmen”

· Ireland has lots of stud farms, very strong, world-renowned horses

· New Grange (Co. Meath, north of Dublin)

o Oldest building in the world

o Excavated in 1960

o Located in Boyne Valley

o Built in 3200 BC

o World Heritage Site

· Kells (city south of Kilkenny) is where the Books of Kells was found in a peat bog

· Some movies filmed in Ireland: Michael Collins, The Quiet Man, The Wind that Shakes the Barley

· The term “cold shoulder” comes from unwelcome guest in Ireland being given the cold shoulder of the lamb

· The term “upper crust” originates from if you were a welcome guest you’d be given the upper crust of the loaf of bread

Answer 4

Head west. You should see Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, it's very interesting. As is the Burren in County Clare, plus the caves there. Lahinch has a sea world or similar. Doolin has a family-oriented hostel. Limerick city has St John's Castle and a thriving arts scene in which children are made very welcome. An hour from Limerick are the castles of Caher and Cashel, also nice. Near Liscarroll, close to Mallow, County Cork, is a Donkey Sanctuary, and Liscarroll has a very interesting Norman castle that nothing has been done to!

I don't know if you've been here before, but you need to be aware that while distances in Ireland are not great, the roads are also not great and a journey that might take an hour in the US could easily take 3 hours in Ireland, so I would advise sticking to one area. Much easier to rent a car if you're going outside of Dublin, as parking in Dublin is h**l on Earth, I've heard (I live in the west and I always take the train, unless I'm just going to Dublin airport, but last time I flew out of Dublin I had to leave my car in longterm car park which was so far away fromt the terminal building that it was practically in Kildare .... to get this, look at a map).

Anyway, wherever you go, have a great time.