I want to visit Ireland!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Robert Brady on March 8, 2008 at 3:25

If you go in late July / early August you can take in the Folk Festival in Ballyshannon. My wife and I are planning the trip in 2010. I hear it's an incredible event that attracts some of the best musicians from Ireland all in one place. They have the big name bands playing in the concert halls and others in the taverns and on the street. Sounds like a great time to me.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by HanSolo on March 9, 2008 at 22:29

Cool, what is the weather like at that time? I know it sounds silly but I am from Michigan and it is the heart of summer then and is usually in the 80's and 90's at that time. Is it the same in Ireland?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Robert Brady on March 9, 2008 at 23:05

The weather in Ireland is almost identical to what we get here in Port Angeles, WA. My wife just added to her Yahoo homepage, Dublin weather and it's almost the same day to day. I know it is much more temperate than the weather you get in the upper mid-west. August is warm and it rains some, not too much though.
Here's a link to a site I found that will help you:
http://www.dochara.com/info/weather/annual.php

There are numerous other sites that I found that deal with the weather conditions.
Hope this helps!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by HanSolo on March 10, 2008 at 3:19

Excellent site, thanks!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Felicia on April 4, 2008 at 21:21

You wil love Ireland. Although July and August are lovely months, I would suggest checking various air fare and packages quarterly to see what works best for oyur own personal style of travel. I traveled three times in MArch and the prices were low. I was with my school, and without the tourist crowds of summer, we saw everythhing from monasteries to churches/cathedrals, the Cliffs of Mohr, Blarney, Bunratty & Banquet, museums in Limerick, Dublin, castles, the burren, Dingle and Aran Islands, Kinsale, Kerry, Connemara, Cork (lovely shpping), Galway--a haven and favorite with us, and many many more things.
You have to decide what kind of traveler you are: do you like big tours and a set itinerary or prefer small groups or maybe driving and leisurely site seeing. There is so much to see and the West, to me captures the old and the new where Dublin is like New York here in the states--busy busy all the time, but very interesting. My id phot was taken at Blarney on the grounds after a heavy rain--I love the grounds, but then I also loved Glendalaugh and other sites, like Ben Bulben in the distance at Yeats' Gravesite. I would recomend if yu want a grand all inclusive tour for a fare rate use Paddywagn, but if you like a more cultured and relaxed travel itinerary, you might look into self drive or chauffeured tours--they are intimate and you can set the pace and chang eon a whim. Summer is expensive, and at times perhaps 3x as expensive as going in sping or autumn. It rains all year but two of the three March trips we had were great--just a light drizzle one day. However, thelast trip it poured the entire time. There is dancing and music in almost every pub, and pub grub is the best! Westport has great fish and chips, and none of us ever felt unsafe even being out to the very wee hours in any city or country town, although the latter tended to tighten up in th eoff season. Kinsale in summer is a sight to see, but in the off season it is sedate! The North is beautiful, and I have been told from my Donegal relatives and family here that I dare not set foot on Irish soil and bypass it again, so this June my daughter, sister and I are heading over-we will go to Giants' Causeway and definitely spend as much time in Donegal and Belfast as they will let us, and I want to walk along the streets of Derry, known for the Civil Rights during the 60's. If you like horses, take a day trip and ride on the beaches in Donegal or hit the Achill or Aran Islands of the West via ferry. Seeing seals (Inish Mor, Aran ) basking along the coast was one of the highlights of my trip last time round.Fungi (dolphin) in Dingle Bay is fun if you can catch a glimpse. I have been told you need a hoodie or some kind of jacket year round, although my son, a hockey player swore by his shorts and tees while there--not true for me, I dressed in layers and peeled what I did not need or added when needed--I have been told that that works in summer too. Put time into planning and really decide what you like--Frommers has great travel suggestions, and "Ireland for Dummies" or 'Europe for Dummies' has hundreds of cost saving ideas, such as "unlike many European countires buses and rails in Ireland are not on any recognizable time"--Irish time will become extremely familiar to you once there. Best to you. Slan

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Meep on April 5, 2008 at 1:33

Summer in Ireland means 17-22 degrees celsius as an average (64- 74 Fahrenheit). We have gotten up to 28/30 degrees celcius 80/84 Fahrenheit in recent years , but what we dont get weather wise we make up with other wise. You'll have some good fun, good food and good craic.
Stay a day or three in Dublin dependant on how into history you are. There are lots of museums and viking heritage etc to see.
But Dublin is only a very small part of Ireland. The rest of Ireland has a lot to offer.
I would recommend renting a car if possible and travelling the coast.
Wexford, Waterford, Kerry, Cork, Clare, Mayo, Donegal.
Wicklow is good but you can get day trips from Dublin by coach to Powerscourt and Glendalough. Which as far as I'm concerned are the must see's in Wicklow.

As for peeing on the blarney stone, you would want to be a gymnast. Last time I was there two dudes had to hold me backwards to kiss the stone which is embedded a few feet under the turrets of a castle. So I think that that may be a myth.

Being a Dub myself I have to say I love getting out of the city and some parts of the countryside take my breath away. I'm still discovering parts of my country. Ireland is full of hidden gems and places off the beaten track. I've travelled Europe and I still find that some of the most peaceful and beautiful places are here in my own country.

• ▶ Reply