to ask for best holiday destination in Ireland?

[grecian100]

Spent easter in SW Donegal and fell in love. Amazing landscapes, scenery, mountains, rivers. Stayed in a lovely SC cottage with all the mod cons just outside a lovely village.

Would love to go back next easter or summer, but would like to go for longer therefore would like somewhere that has something for the dc. Obviously not on a theme park level, but something to do other than sight seeing. Three dc between 10 and 17. Any recommendations?

Noodle we well and truly saw the north/south price difference! We brought nearly all of our food with us, however dc ran out of crisps and chocolate which we bought in the village shop. €1.70 for a chocolate bar when we buy 4 for £1 usually and an eye watering €10 for a tub of Carte D'or

My DSis lives a five minute walk from Mulhuddart. Small world.
Wexford was always my favourite place to go. Lots to do and fabulous beaches.

I'm originally from Clonmany in Co Donegal. Its 12 miles from Buncrana and 25 miles from Derry. The whole area of inishowen and Derry is a great spot. From the most northerly point of Ireland Malin Head to lovely sandy beaches to numerous to count at least 5 in Clonmany. Plenty to do. Clonmany festival is on the first Sunday in August runs for a week, music in the street at night we bring our children, walking and car treasure hunts, family fun and sport days, the agricultural show, talent comps and much more. Check it out on Facebook. It just finished its 50th year last Sunday. If the weather is bad Derry is 40 mins up the road. Cinema, bowling etc. There are also various camps during the summer incl surfing, soccer and Gaelic. Loads of play parks, tennis courts in Buncrana. A very safe place for Children. The Irish open is taking place at the local golf club next year. A local chef just won the works chowder championship in the us.

Portrush. Northern Ireland's premier coastal resort. Close to the giants causeway, carrick a reed rope bridge, bushmills distillery, dark hedges where game of thrones is filmed, ballintoy harbour. Also just over an hour from Belfast, for good shops, restaurants and the titanic exhibition, crumlin road jail to name a few.

OP you can fly from cork-Belfast. There's also an airport in Donegal. If you have a bit of cash to spend on buying 'time' you could do many of the places mentioned on this thread. My recommendations?? If you have fallen in love with Donegal then it's a no brainer-there is such a variety of beaches, views and experiences on offer. Check out Innishcoo house for larger groups, wow!
Cork/dingle/kinsale, stunning. If you like pub/great food/boutique culture, kinsale's your place.
Antrim coast is stunning and the teens would have plenty to do, especially if they are into game of thrones, but book well in advance any experiences.
Belfast is a fab city break, loads to do, great food, friendly pubs, lots to visit. With a bit of research you can't go wrong wherever you pick in Ireland. Just pack for changeable weather and you'll have a ball.

To be fair op, what you are describing is not the north/south price divide. That's a small shop in a remote location v supermarket prices. You can get 4 packs of chocolate bars for 1.50 euro in supermarkets so not that much more than your pound. No idea whate carte dor costs in supermarkets bit it's nowhere near a tenner. I'm not saying it isn't a little more expensive, but it's not 5 times the price.

Buncrana is a bit shit to be honest. I live not far from there and we go in to play in the park/beach when the weather is ok. Nothing much to do there at all but younger kids like the park. My 15 year old would rather eat his own eyeballs than take the trip there. The beach is quite nice though (although lisfannon is nicer). Portrush is a better day out for kids.

Cork is lovely and Blarney Castle, (where you can kiss the Blarney Stone - I've done it twice ), is amazing. Busy though.

If you want a convenient journey from Belfast though, I'd either stick with Ulster (north coast or Newcastle, Tollymore etc), or maybe go to Galway and the area around Sligo, which is absolutely stunning.

Bangor and the Ards peninsula are also totally lovely, the coastal walk to Holywood is gorgeous and esp in August there are loads of things on.

Portrush/Portstewart also brilliant, and you have the Giants Causeway, the rope bridge, Bushmills distillery, there are lots of things to do.

Achill, fantastic for surfing, you can also kayak and I think pny riding. there's loads of bike hire to for cycling on the greenway.

I agree with NoodleNinja about Buncrana. I live near it and it's ok for a day out when the weathers nice but that's about it, there's much better places to go.

Depends what you're into OP- I've been dragged to the West Coast (Achill and Spanish Point/ Lahinch) with DH and the in laws and wasn't particularly impressed. It's beautiful but I'm not an outdoorsy person at all, so all the surf camps or hills to walk in the world wouldn't temp me back.

I'm from Belfast, but we live in Dublin and I love both cities, but I think Belfast has the edge.

It's really compact, but still has loads to do. Fab museums, country houses etc nearby and loads for kids (Titanic exhibition, Ulster museum and Ulster Folk and Transport museum are all within 20 mins of the city centre).

Things are much much cheaper than they are in Dublin, but you still have the option of the fantastic scenery etc up on the North coast

Thanks a lot for the replies. I am compiling a list and checking each one out. Good to know Buncrana isn't really worth going to. We have been to Belfast, but not done the gaol or Titanic (very mixed reviews about whether Titanic is worth it or not?) Last year we went to Portrush after family raved about it. My dc thought it was crap (Barry's in particular) Maybe we went on the wrong day, there were lots of teens in football tops making a lot of noise....

Yeah if your used to places like Alton towers Barry's is a bit crap lol, but it's good for an old fashioned seaside holiday. There are a couple of days like Easter Sunday/ Monday and the 13th July where traditionally everyone goes to 'The Port' and it can be overrun with young people drinking but the locals just stay out it on those days! When the weather is good the beaches are some of the best in the world!

Go to Mayo - Achill, Westport, climb Croagh Patrick, Kilalla Bay, up near Bally castle there is Downpatrick Head and Ceide Fields (spelling?) which I remember being a pretty cool archeological museum, that area is amazing for that.

Depending on where you are staying you can also get down to Galway and back easily in a day trip, either the city which is awesome or Connemara etc.

Cong is where they filmed 'The Quiet Man' woth John Wayne and has been dining out on that ever since but it is really pretty.

I kind of think Knock is also worth a visit - if you are religious then obviously it's a pilgrimage but if you are not it's kind of worth it to be amazed at the power religion has over people!

When we were at Achill Island my DH said 'Wow, it's just like Cornwall with no tourists!'

I was going to say the same about Portrush - avoid like the plague on 13th July and Easter Monday. The streets are flowing with Buckfast and blood on those days. The other 363 days a year it's a really family friendly place though!

Roundstone and Clifden #homesick

Galway is lovely. Take a day trip to the Aran Islands while you're there.

Dingle's also lovely. I don't know if he's still there but Funghi the dolphin was (is?) a star attraction, particularly if you have kids.

And don't rule out the North-the Antrim coast's stunning, especially the Giant's Causeway. Belfast is rocking these days as well.

Another vote for Westport and surrounds here. Totally beautiful and plenty to do locally and beyond. Westport House, Croagh Patrick, the Doolough Pass, Leenane (where The Field was filmed), easy access to Connemara National Park and - in the other direction, Achill Island. Regular ferries out to Clare Island, with the chance of dolphin-spotting. Only 20 miles or so to Castlebar, the county town, where there are the usual shops and cinemas etc (though there is a cinema in Westport, too). I liked the area so much, I moved there 19 years ago - and have never regretted it!

We've just come back from an amazing holiday in Connemara. Beautiful beaches, landscape, great food, lovely people, shops and galleries, wilidlife, boat trips, cycling. Had everything!

@MegCleary don't be homesick today. It is absolutely pouring and has been all day. And did for most of yesterday. We went for a walk and got absolutely drowned but just couldn't take another day cooped up.

I would say dunfanaghy in co Donegal. Fab beaches like marble hill and surf schools that operate every day where kids can make friends. Also cheaper to hire holiday home there than more southern destinations like Westport or kinsale (both of which are gorg too).

Is Dunfanaghy a tourist hotspot in the same way that Westport etc is? I loved the empty beaches where we were and don't really want a Portstewart strand situation where you have to queue to get onto the beach.

Some nice pubs and restaurants in Dunfanaghy but definitely no way as touristy as Westport. Beautiful beaches that are pretty empty. Enjoy!

Thanks a lot, I've been checking out places and availability. There is a lovely cottage in Spanish Point, is anyone familiar with that area? Is it worth going to?