So I just got back from Ireland and I wanted to share some of the things I learned.
Before I left I had high hopes of seeing a LOT of Ireland because when you look at the map it’s about the size of Indiana and seeing all o Indiana could be done in 12 days, right? Uh, no.
The roads in Ireland can be a challenge, especially if you are not used to driving on the other side of the road. Driving in Ireland is not for the faint of heart.
And the size of the roads vary quickly.
This is a good road, even as blurry as it is. There is a lot of room to get off the road if you need to.
This is closer to most of the roads where there isn’t an edge. and it is usually a tall hedge on each side of the road as tall as the lorries that drive down the road
And when you get on the smaller roads this is what they are like.
And they aren’t straight for very long. They just roam around the countryside at will. And when you come the towns they really get interesting. The towns were built when they had horses and walking and the width of the roads haven’t changed.
They do have helpful signs though.
So... when you are looking at the map, double the amount of time you think it will take because there will also be something to see, from an old boat to some of the prettiest doors. And don’t forget the castles.
Bunratty Castle banquet.
(click on photo)
Also, they introduced The Wild Atlantic way a couple years ago and it is fabulous and definitely takes you into the country.
And one other random bit of information, on Sundays a lot of business are closed.
So if you don’t want to drive doing the bus tours is a great option.
While talking one of the bus drivers he said what he would do is make stay at one place and explore out from there on a tour bus. The drivers are knowledgeable about the history and have great information and stop often.
I would either stay around Limerick or Killarney. Limerick is very central and Killarney is close to the Ring of Bere, Ring of Kerry and The Dingle Peninsula, which are all beautiful.
If you do decide to drive then one bit of information, which is helpful, trust me. The tour buses drive clockwise on The Dingle peninsula and counter-clockwise on the Ring of Kerry. It can be nerve wracking when you come around a two lane road and come face to face with the big bus. They are also through most of the drive by 3pm.
The other option is hiking. This way you can experience Ireland in a way most don’t. Here are a couple resources:
where to stay
Then there is where to stay. Tourist housing in Ireland was pretty much just B&B’s and hostels before they started build hotels in the last years and there are plenty to choose from. B&B’s usually have bathrooms en suite (in the room), you can get a full Irish breakfast (I will talk about this later), Wifi and some interesting people. But, is you want to have time with your host I would suggest Airbnb. You can either rent a room for a night or they have places that you can rent the whole house for any length of time. It’s a great way to really get to know the people where you are going. The people you stay with are usually helpful and knowledgeable with the area or places to see or do.
One of my favorite places we stayed was a sheep farm on the Dingle Peninsula. Brigid invited us to roam the hills with the sheep and we fed them and she also has a pet sheep that is the sweetest thing ever!!!!
Airbnb can be less than a B&B, depending on what you want and most of the places do have breakfast and Wifi. And they are in most countries.
Here are a couple views from Airbnb’s we stayed in:
Music..... must have music. I was told before I left that to get the best music you have to be there late. We were usually so tired at the end of the day that we didn’t stay out late often. We did catch some music and the best we found was in the smaller villages, that is where I would stay close to. You might even get a random intoxicated man singing where ever he wants. (double-click picture)
Woolen MIlls: We stumbled across this one by chance and it was worth it. It is on the Ring of Kerry.
One the we did discover is that going late in the season is a great time to go if you are looking for a sale. Most of the places don’t want to have product sitting around for the winter, when there isn’t much tourism.
Food..... Try the Irish breakfast, at least once. it is quite yummy and filling. Don’t be afraid of the black and white pudding, it reminded me of sausage. It’s not the spoon eating pudding you are used to.
The beef that is used is local as is most everything else they use, which is fabulous.
The seafood is delicious.
And don’t forget to have scones and tea.
Also, don’t forget the Guiness, as if we could!!!
Keep your eye open for the next corner, you never know what you will see
A few resources:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-uk-ireland/ireland/best-way-to-travel-around-ireland-buses-trains-or-renting-a-car?page=1#post_19768654
