Which area of Ireland would you recommend for a holiday in Ireland?

[Shamazing]

With a 16 and 13 year old? Would want to stay rurally but not too far from a town/city?

I'd base myself near Clonakilty or Galway with teens of that age.

@isabellerossignol I get what you mean. I'm from the west coast of Scotland and when you get the weather, it's so beautiful. Even when it's not, there's something lovely about watching nature in such a beautiful setting. 😊

@isabellerossignol yep definitely! If you get the weather it is honestly so stunning. But you just have to cross your fingers. Nobody bases their decision to go to Ireland on the excellent Irish weather!

I've always fancied Galway (and Clare Island)

Is it a week holiday or could it stretch to a fortnight

I'd agree with @isabellerossignol. Though not sure about Dublin, can't see how it would appeal at all for anything more than one or two days.

Have seen this said on here (MN, not this thread!) and this be the cause of great offence and anger. But I've now lived in Dublin for decades, I do like living here, but I love setting off to the West. Feels like my favourite place in the world when the sun is shining.

Should ask @Shamazing what would your boys like to do as activities?

Clare - surfing at Lahinch, good swimming and some kayaking at White Strand in Spanish Point (not the main beach in SP as it has some pretty serious rips for the lifeguards to manage!, but that’s great for walking and waves nonetheless). Great music in Milton Malbay and Doolin. Trip out to the Aran Islands or dolphin watching. See the Cliffs of Moher from the visitor centre, or walk them (turn off main Lahinch road at The Rock Shop - which is really interesting I itself). Drive and walk in the Burren, there’s a great food trail also, and the Ailwee Cave is cool (see where bears hibernated), there’s a Birds of prey centre on the grounds of Ailwee also. Visit Coole Park. And easy drive into Galway city for a day, or a couple of times.

Galway county also has good mountains to climb (walk), and lovely sandy beaches and a few islands to visit. I prefer Clare though.

Mayo and Sligo also have surfing and climbing (walking) etc but I haven’t stayed there with teens (or that recently) - I know a lot of things have opened up because of the Wild Atlantic Way initiative.

Cork is great too - also great sea stuff and heritage and music especially in West Cork. Connolly’s pub in Leap has great gigs. More islands to visit. Interesting city with foodie culture, historic gaol and Shannon Bells (that you can ring yourself), indoor climbing centre.

Dublin is great - although camping is not fantastic around it, you’re better going. Down into Wicklow and having a bit of a drive back into the city but that’s perfectly doable.

The North Coast is beautiful and NI is cheaper than ROI. Clare is also gorgeous though.

Kerry and cork 🙌

Galway coast - is stay in a thatched cottage out Spittal way

Oh yeah, for NI I would do the Antrim coats and enjoy things like The Gobbins

As lots have already said, most of Ireland is beautiful (particularly in the sun). Lots have suggested the West, which is very popular so I'm going to suggest somewhere different (although already mentioned) - Base yourself in Waterford. You can come by ferry to Rosslare in Co. Wexford. If you stayed in Dunmore East (cute Cornwall-ish fishing village with lovely restaurants/pubs and a brilliant water/activity centre- kayaking, inflatable obstacle course on the water, indoor caving, climbing walls, archery etc). Lovely cliff top walk to a 'hidden' cute cove - bring picnic. 20 min drive to small city -Waterford - with 2 cinemas, Velocity VR (v. Good for teens), bowling etc for rainy days, shopping is ok there but not like Dublin/Cork. Hire bikes and go on the fabulous Greenway. If not up to cycling full greenway, you can start at Kilmacthomas and cycle the prettiest half towards Dungarvan. There are shuttle buses in the summer. There's a great walk to Counshingaun Lake if you are reasonably fit and an easier one to Mahon Falls waterfall, both in the Comeragh Mountains. If you get more rain, you could go to the 'Viking Triangle' in the city - a collections of three museums - all interesting- and a VR Viking experience which is short but cheap. A visit to Waterford Crystal could be thrown in to that to. Hi for the first weekend in August (bank hol) and get a whole weekend of free street entertainment - Spraoi - it's wonderful. And it is not far from Kilkenny which is gorgeous. And finally you can get a short ferry from Passage East (10 mins outside Waterford) to Ballyhack and drive along the Wexford coast to visit Hook Head peninsula lighthouse and the haunted 'Loftus Hall' are worth a visit - there's a path to a little beach there which has lots of fossils if you look along the banks. That's my plug for Waterford over

Also as someone else mentioned Waterford also has Tramore- great long sandy beach, surfing with renting or lessons available, nice cafes etc and amusements/rides. And great fish and chips!

Another one for Co. Mayo here - look at Westport (voted as the best place to live in Ireland) as a base, then you have surfing beaches, mountains, horse riding, cycling, fishing etc., close proximity to Westport House, Clare Island, easy driving distance to the Connemara National Park, National Famine Memorial and Croagh Patrick, Museum of Country Life near Castlebar. Day trips to Galway, or Ashford Castle with the Falconry Centre, Foxford Woollen Mills, Achill Island, the Doolough Pass and Delphi, Delphi Adventure Centre, Kylemore Abbey - and more!

I live in Dublin but am from the West of Ireland. I'm taking a few teenagers to the West for a long weekend soon. We are staying in a house on hotel grounds so we have space, but access to a pool if the weather is awful. We are taking in archeology (Ceide Fields); history (Foxford Woolen Mills); Surfing; Culture (Yeat's Grave and Lissadel House) and lots of great food - there are some amazing local restaurants and gastropubs and cafes.

You should get a map and plan with your DC based on what they love - we love climbing and hiking and our DC love swimming and surfing. We always add in great food and cafes (for me) and cycling for DH.

Sligo town and Westport are two gorgeous places to visit if you want lots of music, great food and some interesting shops.

As you are from Scotland you won't be too disappointed if the weather is wet and like us you will be used to planning for the weather.

I'm sure you will have a wonderful time, really people are so welcoming, my mum had a friend who would invite people in to her house for a cup of tea if they stopped her to ask directions!!!!

My grandparents were from four different counties along the west coast of Ireland, we were travelling the Wild Atlantic Way long before it was the WAW and my vote goes to Donegal, it has everything - longest coastline of any county in Ireland, highest sea cliffs in Europe, watersports, fishing, golf, mountain/sea stack climbing. Grandparents are long gone now and we still spend most of our holidays in Donegal.

Depends on what you like, really.

Belfast is a very interesting city with lots to do for pretty much all age ranges, and Derry (or Londonderry to some, still) also has somegood stuff to do. I really like the North Coast (up around the Causeway - the people were so friendly and couldn't do enough for you), and it's so beautiful; Donegal (see same comments as Causeway - truly lovely, not crowded at all, great people and food), and in the other direction, down towards Galway.

Galway's also a lovely town though getting quite pricey the last time I was there and finding reasonably priced accommodation at short notice was really difficult. Great atmosphere and very much a university town these days.

I personally wasn't overly keen on Waterford and Wexford, but then I haven't visited that area since Foot & Mouth back in the early 2000s, when it was made very apparent they all thought we, as English folk, were personally to blame for the outbreak....waking up on our second day with a black mark on the back window of the hire car that hadn't been there the day before was a wee bit unsettling....

Oh, and definitely take layers. And wool. Lots of wool. And waterproofs. Several sets. I have photos from late May a few years ago at the Causeway. I think we all ended up wearing about 6 layers and we were still freezing. (And I'm from Newcastle originally so it's not like I'm not used to cold and wet!!)

Galway City is lovely and lively enough for your teenagers but is only a short drive out to some lovely countryside and beaches. There is nearly always something going on there especially during the summer months.

Haven't read all the thread so don't know if It's already been mentioned but my suggestion is Youghal in Cork.
Beautiful seaside town lots of eating places and pubs, not far from Cork City which is small but good for shopping with a great indoor market called the English market!
FOTA island and Trobolgan in Cork are fab not too far from each other, my kids loved it especially Trabalgon we have been many times.
Galway, Belfast and Waterford would be my other suggestions!