Travelling to Ireland - where to stay

[LittleLamp]

Hi everyone, I hope this is the right place to post this.

I'm bringing my family to Ireland and we're travelling around the coastal areas (mostly). I was born in Ireland but haven't been back for a very long time and my family are desperate to see it (3 adults and a dog).

We'll stay in Dublin for a few nights and plan to travel down to stay in possibly Cork, then Galway, then back to Dublin, each for 3/4 nights to give us time to explore. Does that sound doable?

If there's a better way to do it I'd be grateful for any advice, TIA.

Are you driving over?

Yes it sounds very do-able. I suppose depending on what you would like to see would depend on where you should spend the most time.

Dublin - Guinness Store house, The GPO, Kilmainham Gaol, Trinity college/ book of Kells. Take a day trip up to Newgrange and Trim Castle

Driving to Cork, the Rock of Cashel in Tipperary is well worth stopping off to see. Also maybe Cahir Castle. Maybe don't take the motorway and go via Templemore to see the Devils bit and climb it. The story goes that the devil was took a bit out of the hill and spat it out at the rock of Cashel.

Cork - I stayed in Fota Island resort recently it was lovely but it is a good spin out of the city, we had dinner in their restaurant one night it was OK. We went to the Elm Tree the 2nd night it was excellent, I had never heard of a beef feather blade before and it was amazing.
Cobh is nice to see, it's where the Titanic left from. Cork city has a nice feel to it

Galway - another lovely city but I don't know much about it. You can certainly have day trips to the Cliffs of Moher from there and maybe even one of the Aran Islands if you felt up to it.

Do you have family here that you will be visiting?

The Office of Public works maintain most of the historical sites around the country their website https://heritageireland.ie/ will have a lot of info this is another good one https://www.discoverireland.ie/

There are loads of free things to see in Ireland

Thanks @pontipinemum, that's really helpful.
I'm not planning on seeing family this time round so our time is our own!

Somewhere like The Twelve hotel in Barna (outside Galway) would be a lovely spot to stay outside Galway itself. Galway city is lovely, but Connemara is so wild and lovely. Depending on how much driving you want to do you could spend your days just driving. I love north Clare also - head to Linnane's in New Quay if you like seafood. Food (and pints) are excellent. I am not sure I'd bother with the Cliffs of Moher tbh. They're big cliffs and the walk is fine but maybe over-rated.

You can drive the triangle Dublin Cork Galway on a lot of motorway and it'll be quick but you'll see nothing. I'm not suggesting you avoid the motorway just consider if there are places you'd like to visit on the way. If you are coming off the motorway it really adds to the journey - but if you want to eat en route you will as the service station never arrived in Ireland (for better or worse).

When it comes to accommodation do book in advance.

Enjoy your trip. Sounds lovely.

Peacemaking, as also considering holiday to Ireland. Want to spend a couple of says in Ireland, and then a week elsewhere.

Check out hotels in Dun laoghaire and get train into city. Avoid o connell st, avoid Temple Bar- apparantly lots of anti social behaviour goin on.i dont rate Dublin at all and im irish . Dirty and stupid expeensive.Dun laoghaire- lovely Dublin coastal suburb with v nice restaurants.
Coastal areas esp down west are fab. Barna is lovely as is the 12 hotel. Barba is a Lovely small village just outside Galway with locals drinking in the pubs. Next stop Spiddal and views on a sunny day out to the Aran Islands. Onward to Connemara. Just fab scenery. Galway - Mayo - Cork lovely places to see. You will have a lovely time BUT spend the minimum time in Dublin. Thats my advice

We did a trip a few years ago and we went to Killarney first, drove around the ring of Kerry and enjoyed Killarney town. Then we drove over to the ferry and went to Clare and visited the cliffs of Moher, you could also spend some time there I think Ennis is good. The Burren region is wonderful and then head to Galway city. We stayed in Salthill and I don’t recommend that! If I did this again, I’d stay in Galway city.

My personal favorite though is Donegal. Go from Donegal town through Killybegs and into Sliabh Liag and have dinner at the Rusty Mackerel! Then into the Folk Village in Glencolmcille. The scenery is spectacular.

Reading the list of gorgeous places (and they are) just be wary of spending your whole time driving. Also on the lovely scenic parts roads are small and driving is slower than you might expect. Dh has American relatives who visited with mad notions based purely on the distance and not the driving speeds.

I live in Dublin and agree about minimum time here. Wander round Trinity, any museums that float your boat, maybe walk Howth head if you want out of the city. And if you want a pint try the Stags Head, the Long Hall, Grogans. Avoid Temple Bar. Manky tourist trap.

@3timeslucky The service stations have arrived. The massive applegreen/ cickle k are on most motorways. Not M3 but that's a short motorway. You're so right about the small roads though. I'm in rural North Meath most of the roads around here have stone walls. But when we went to Kerry I couldn't believe how long going 30km could take!!

@LittleLamp just as well, with the dog. I don't know how many hotels take dogs. I wouldn't think that many. We are not anti dog in Ireland but they don't come into many places (like I hear they do in the UK now). You need a 'passport' to bring your dog here too, my SIL went to Wales for a dog and he needed it

@Riverlee If you only want a few days here then somewhere else in Europe I'm guessing, I would plan to fly in and out of different airports. The biggest ones are Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Belfast. But there are smaller ones in Kerry, Donegal possibly others.

I’m loving reading this and stealing some ideas. I’m from NI originally but left a long time ago. Both my dc are at uni in Galway ( they both wanted to go to Dublin but we couldn’t afford it, quite glad now). and this has made me want to explore so much more of the west of Ireland!
Sorry for the derailment- oh and yes Donegal is so special. The Rosses❤️

If you like fish, stop into Morans on the Weir in Galway or Monks in Ballyvaughan. Big plate of fish with a cold Guinness.

Can't believe no one's mentioned the Ring of Kerry and Dingle - both are must see (must drives?!) as is Fota Wildlife Park in Cobh.

I would venture further into West Cork: Skibbereen, Schull, Baltimore, Kinsale,...
In Galway, Clifden is a great town.
As mentioned, factor in loads of extra time to get from A to B.

On the topic of where to stay, guest houses/bed and breakfasts in Ireland are just the best. You won't find better hospitality. When I came back after years abroad alone and 7 months pregnant, I had to live in hotels/B&Bs, and I never had a warmer welcome than in guest houses while I was house hunting.

They just cannot do enough for you. They were much better than some of the budget hotels I had the misfortune of staying in.

Edited: Sorry I came back at 7 months and found a house at 8 months. 😅

Thinking of staying in a country cottage/lodge/air bnb if anyone can recommend any?

@pontipinemum you're right, there are service stations. I was thinking of the UK motorway services where you could get a full proper meal (and some iirc a shower). You won't starve on an Irish motorway these days but they're still pretty basic. Anyway, no-one's coming to Ireland (or the UK) for the motorway services 😆

Kerry has so much to offer, lots of beaches
Doolin in Clare is beautiful too,

Are you flying and hiring, or ferrying and driving?

I ask because if flying you could arrive in Dublin and return from Cork or Shannon or vice versa. I think you would be able to see a lot more for your time if you don't have to double back to Dublin.

Depends on where you are travelling from, but the ferry to Dublin is good, and you might think of going back via Rosslare to Fishguard. Although as I said that depends on how long a journey you would have to get home versus Dublin to Holyhead.

Compared to the UK, Ireland is a small country, but there is so much to see and it is a very special place. I can give some itineraries depending on your place of arrival and departure. I know you said Dublin/Dublin, but if you haven't booked flights, there are alternatives. Either way you can still see a lot without completely returning by the same route.