Going to Ireland next week
Moderator: Jim O'Bryan
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Joe McClain
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 1:02 pm
- Location: Williamsburg, VA
Going to Ireland next week
Wife and I are going to Ireland for a few days. Any suggestions from any of you? (Hints about getting a pint are entirely unnecessary will be considered superflous. ) We figure to spend a couple days in Dublin, take in Newgrange, journey into the North, then work our way back down the west side.
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Scott MacGregor
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 8:48 am
- Location: Lakewood, Ohio
- Contact:
Joe-I usually don't plug my website on this forum but since you said the magic word "Ireland" I invite you to take a virtual tour on my website at
http://www.irishphotos.com
I think that you are off to a good start with your choices but may I suggest a clockwise rotation around the island--Dublin and the Boyne valley as you had mentioned but instead of going north I suggest you travel south to the Wicklow forest to Glendalough--over to Kilkenny-- down to Cork, Kinsale-Bantry Bay--over to Gouganbarra then to Killarney, Co.Kerry and spend a lot of time there touring the Dingle, The Ring of Kerry,Gap of Dunloe, down to the Glen on St. Finan's bay--if you dare take the boat to Skellig Michael for an unforgettable moment in your life.
after Kerry head up the west coast and cross over into Clare via the Tarbert car ferry up the Burren coast to Lahinch--Cliffs of Moher--Doolin-tour the Burren. The pub life in tiny Doolin is becoming the stuff of legends.
Then up to Galway--tour Connemara via Outherard or Cong each way is nice-head thru Leenaun. See Kylemore Abbey--head toward Mayo via the Doo Lough road to Louisburg-see and or climb Croagh Patrick-Westport is a great little place.
Around Clew bay through Newport, Mulranney and then over the bridge to Achill Island--gorgeous. Over toward Sligo via Ballina-- explore Sligo, -many spectacular backroads slightly south and east of the town of Grange.
Carrowmore, Glencar, Glenade, all worth the bother in Sligo.
Up to Donegal-take the coast road west from Donegal town to Carrick--ask somebody where "Bunglas " is--drive up to the top of Bunglas-unbelievably beautiful
the go to Glencolumbkille and head toward Ardara through the Glengesh Pass. Head up the coast to Dungloe, the Rosses, over to Letterkenny and make a beeline toward Malin Head via the gap of Mamore. Touch the northernmost tip of Ireland and head south east around the rim of the Inishowen peninsula to the town of Greencastle on the mideastern edge of the peninsula--take the 15 minute Greencastle car Ferry over to the northern occupied territories and zip along the north coast to the Giant's Causeway. Stunning.
Tour the Antrim coast- see the Glens of Antrim and down through Belfast to Co. Down and the mountains of Mourne.
From there you can do what you want.
End up in Dublin for your plane ride back.
I suppose that you are now sorry that you asked.
Have a great trip--bring your raingear and wear sensible shoes.
Slainte'
Scott
http://www.irishphotos.com
I think that you are off to a good start with your choices but may I suggest a clockwise rotation around the island--Dublin and the Boyne valley as you had mentioned but instead of going north I suggest you travel south to the Wicklow forest to Glendalough--over to Kilkenny-- down to Cork, Kinsale-Bantry Bay--over to Gouganbarra then to Killarney, Co.Kerry and spend a lot of time there touring the Dingle, The Ring of Kerry,Gap of Dunloe, down to the Glen on St. Finan's bay--if you dare take the boat to Skellig Michael for an unforgettable moment in your life.
after Kerry head up the west coast and cross over into Clare via the Tarbert car ferry up the Burren coast to Lahinch--Cliffs of Moher--Doolin-tour the Burren. The pub life in tiny Doolin is becoming the stuff of legends.
Then up to Galway--tour Connemara via Outherard or Cong each way is nice-head thru Leenaun. See Kylemore Abbey--head toward Mayo via the Doo Lough road to Louisburg-see and or climb Croagh Patrick-Westport is a great little place.
Around Clew bay through Newport, Mulranney and then over the bridge to Achill Island--gorgeous. Over toward Sligo via Ballina-- explore Sligo, -many spectacular backroads slightly south and east of the town of Grange.
Carrowmore, Glencar, Glenade, all worth the bother in Sligo.
Up to Donegal-take the coast road west from Donegal town to Carrick--ask somebody where "Bunglas " is--drive up to the top of Bunglas-unbelievably beautiful
the go to Glencolumbkille and head toward Ardara through the Glengesh Pass. Head up the coast to Dungloe, the Rosses, over to Letterkenny and make a beeline toward Malin Head via the gap of Mamore. Touch the northernmost tip of Ireland and head south east around the rim of the Inishowen peninsula to the town of Greencastle on the mideastern edge of the peninsula--take the 15 minute Greencastle car Ferry over to the northern occupied territories and zip along the north coast to the Giant's Causeway. Stunning.
Tour the Antrim coast- see the Glens of Antrim and down through Belfast to Co. Down and the mountains of Mourne.
From there you can do what you want.
End up in Dublin for your plane ride back.
I suppose that you are now sorry that you asked.
Have a great trip--bring your raingear and wear sensible shoes.
Slainte'
Scott
Scott MacGregor