Ireland

I'm looking at tours of Ireland for next month.. has anyone used Paddywagon?  Very cheap.. 10 day tours are about 300 pounds, including hostels and breakfast.  Any other recommendations?  I'm probably going by myself. 

Hiya,

I did a 12 day-ish trip on my own in July 2005. I looked at Paddywagon but decided against after I saw how easy to get around Ireland by public transportation.

http://www.buseireann.ie/site/home/

I bought a tourist pass for x days in x days and day tours.

It was summer time so there were more tour options but really it all depends what you want to see and do. Also, how you can handle group dynamics!!

I arrived in Dublin 3 nights with a friend
Long travel on my own to Galway 4 nights (including day trips from Galways to Connemara, Aran Island and the Burren)
Long travel to Cork via Limerick (just to see what it was all about) 4 nights (including day trips out to Kilkenny (FYI nowhere near Cork), Kinsale and Cobh.)

Happy travels!

I did three weeks in Ireland on my own a few years ago. Transport is really easy -- Bus Eireann and Iarnrod Eireann serve almost anywhere you might want to go.

Accomodation can be cheap. If you're looking at hostels, it might only be a few euro a night in places.

The Eire tourist board is really helpful. I went to one of the offices when I was there, and the woman booked hostels for me at discounted prices for the rest of my trip.

While I was there, I went to Dublin, Galway, Cork, Killarney, back to Galway, Donegal, back to Dublin, back to Killarney, and then flew home from Dublin. I did side trips from all of the places except Dublin.

I'm going back to Dublin in April and I'm really excited. I don't really like Dublin, but I love Eire.

I'm going back to Dublin in April and I'm really excited. I don't really like Dublin, but I love Eire.

I'm going back to Dublin in February. I was only ever there for St Patrick's Day as I eurrailed, so I don't think that really counts! We'll be visiting a bunch of my boyfriend's family (both of his parents were born in Dublin) and taking the train + ferry so it should be a nice, cheap, and relaxing holiday, though I'm likely to get plied with more booze than I can handle for being the new family member...

I'm going back to Dublin in April and I'm really excited. I don't really like Dublin, but I love Eire.

We can attest to that.  Went to Dublin over New Year's Eve for a minibreak...wound up being vastly disappointed with it, even though both my fiance & I love Ireland as a whole.  I've been to other parts & had a grand time, so Dublin was a major disappointment.  Would recommend anyone looking to travel to Ireland not ever base themselves there -- too touristy, too expensive, not very much culture.  See the Book of Kells and then get thee out of there!

I loved the tour of Kilmanham Gaol, the Guinness Storehouse was cool, and there are a few really good restaurants. Other than that, Dublin is a dirty little city.

I was watching a thing on one of the Sky channels the other day about the 20 best cities in the world and Dublin was in the top 10 or something. The voiceover talked about the beautiful River Liffey. I was just like yeah right, unless it's low tide. Then it's disgusting. I'll never forget all the smelly junk that was lodged in the mud near Heuston Station.

This trip I don't have much choice, though. My tattoo artist from Vermont is going to be there and I'm getting her to colour in the one on my back that she did a few months before I moved over.

My time in Ireland has been with a camper or a car & caravan (travel trailer), although it's a few years since I was last there (1998).   Accommodation is cheap that way, especially if you can find the little municipal sites.  If you don't need all facilities (power hookup, water supply etc.) every night, they are also much more relaxed about campers just finding a convenient place to stop in a village or quiet part of the countryside than here.

I'd agree with the comments about Dublin.  Maybe trying to negotiate 38 ft. of car and trailer through the city isn't the best way to appreciate it anyway, but from what I've seen of Dublin it's just another not-very-attractive, sprawling urban area with very little to recommend it. 

Maybe trying to negotiate 38 ft. of car and trailer through the city isn't the best way to appreciate it anyway 

From my experience, trying to negotiate a 5'4" body through the city isn't the best way to appreciate it, either. And riding a bus isn't the best.

Come to think of it... I don't know that there is a best.

Come to think of it... I don't know that there is a best.

aw, I liked Dublin! Then again, I live in London so Dublin was cake.

The Liffey leaves a wee bit to be desired as a beautiful river but its has a nice history.

Thank you all for the observations.
I'm toying with the idea of making the trip there (IRE) in the next few months so its double helpful.
Comments that were helpful.
Dublin. a good place to miss.
Dublin. an expensive place.
Stay in the other towns and save money.

Yeah, I really like Dublin too.  I am used to big cities so that aspect of things doesn't bother me.  I liked the pubs, the food (really good veg food), the shops, the people, the museums.  I can't wait to go back.

Dublin is great! I also agree that seeing Ireland on your own (as opposed to with a tour) is easy and a great way to do it. I've driven pretty much the 'frame' of the country twice (Dublin up to Belfast and then west via Giants Causeway, over to Donegal then south, exploring the coast and down to Cork, then back east to Dublin). Both times were fab!

I looked at Paddywagon but decided against after I saw how easy to get around Ireland by public transportation.

I did three weeks in Ireland on my own a few years ago. Transport is really easy -- Bus Eireann and Iarnrod Eireann serve almost anywhere you might want to go.

Okay, these comments made me chuckle because my boyfriend lives in Dublin and he would vehemently disagree! Everytime he goes home to Cork I get an earful about the state of public transportation in Ireland. One weekend we took the coach from Dublin to Cork and it took 5 hours. It's about a 150 mile trip. On a good day it will take between 3.5 and 4 hours. On at least one of his journeys the bus has caught on fire. There are stories about trains with overflowing loos, people completely ignoring seat reservations,....I could go on and on. And public transport in Dublin, well, I hope you speak Irish because they like to announce stations in Irish. More often than not the DART will tell you the destination (but none of the stations it's calling at), and it's telling you the destination for the train going the opposite direction. I don't know how many times we've helped tourists out with that one.

When I've traveled in Ireland previously it's always been by car. It's so easy to get around and there's so much to see that's not on public transport routes. Since you're going by yourself, I think it depends on if you're able to travel like that alone (and drive while reading a map), or if you'd rather go with a tour group and almost be guaranteed to meet people. The thing with public transport is you'll be waiting around a lot with no guarantee or idea if that bus is going to show up.

All that being said, I love Ireland and I love Dublin! I just don't love the public transport.

For me, I think a tour is best.  I don't drive, and I don't want to be stressed about finding stuff on my own.  Not sure about hostels vs. hotels yet.. I've never stayed at a hostel.  The cost isn't much higher.  Thanks for all the info!

Now, if someone wanted to come with me, my answer would be different.

For me, I think a tour is best.  I don't drive, and I don't want to be stressed about finding stuff on my own.  Not sure about hostels vs. hotels yet.. I've never stayed at a hostel.  The cost isn't much higher.  Thanks for all the info!

Now, if someone wanted to come with me, my answer would be different.

Eek, but the Paddywagon for 10 days may be an eye opener for a mature traveller. Nothing to do with age... simply the backpacker mentality! You never know because you could end up with a delightful group or a group that irritates the snot out of you or usually a combination of the two! 

Hostels are okay. Some can be a bit shady and over priced... a well known one in Glasgow springs to mind! That nastiness nearly made me give up hostels. But generally a good, safe and clean place to sleep.

Now that I have a 'real' job and can afford it, I upgrade to female only smaller rooms... usually 2 bunks. Totally worth it!!