Ireland

I loved Dublin too!  I had read The Princes of Ireland and loved seeing so many of the places I read about in the books. DB loved it too, especially our tour of the Wicklow Mountains. We both want to go back sometime soon and spend more time there.

Then again, I'm your stereotypical Irish-American who went there with my emerald-colored glasses and never took them off! 

ireland is a second home to me. i've been making my way back there on & off since i was 18. i met dh there.

for me, the best way to do it is to strap on a sturdy backpack & just go.

enjoy dublin, but be wary. i've had a guitar stolen in a hostel. and be aware that prices will generally be exorbitant. i do love the city, but after three or foru days i'm always ready to get the hell away from it.

i never feel better than when i'm out in the west of ireland, through the burren & into the aran islands. that's my heaven.

galway is a great city--easy access to connemara to the north & the burren & arans to the south. it's an up & coming city, but it's nowhere near as affected as dublin has become.

south of galway there's a little village called doolin. i guarantee you will not find better trad music anywhere in the country. the village consists of one road that runs down to the pier, and three pubs, all of which i've had the honour of joining seisuns in (i play bodhran). catch the ferry out to inismor from doolin. but spend a good sunny day hiking the cliffs first. you can also get a coach up to the cliffs of moher from paddy's irish hostel right in the centre of doolin town.

haven't been back since june 2006. can feel my soul longing to get home.

I completely second the Doolin and Galway ideas.  Connemara and the area are amazing.  I was there in the days of no mobiles and was actually quite scared as I was on my own driving and it felt as if I were driving on another planet that was completely desolate!  You'd probably have to have been there to know what I mean.

Doolin is fabulous!  Take in the Cliffs of Moher while you're there!

Dublin is a bit touristy, expensive and dirty but it's still a great place and there's lots of history and things to do.

I can't recommend Galway enough. It's a great little city that's just about the right size (not too big, not too small) with lots of pubs - don't know if that's what you're looking for but I was on a rugby tour so it was great for us! Have looked at the surrounding area and it's stunning. The main reason I love Galway however is because that's where I met Molly so it'll always be an amazing place to me 

I second niku2's post entirely! 

Doolin is getting a bit crowded now though (even since 2006!) with dozens and dozens of holiday homes being built each year in what is a beautiful and gorgeous area, but it's becoming a bit strained at the seams now--don't miss it though and if Paddy's hostel is full (or even if it's not!) stay at Aille River hostel just up the road on the left hand side--it's an amazing homey place with a peat burning stove and tell Karl I said hello!)

Also Ennis an old an lovely town, the "gateway to the Burren" has a huge and wonderful hostel right in the center of town and it's got trad music sessions on in many pubs within walking distance from each other every night of the week.  It's the biggest city in the west of Ireland, but even at that it's not big at all.

I wasn't impressed with the Dublin buses, and I wasn't too keen on Dublin itself either. Some of it is nice, certainly, but I'm not really a big city person. And I did find it touristy and expensive. That said, the Book of Kells exhibit was worth the trip by itself! Fab!!!

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.

Funny--everytime I've been down south in a car we've gotten lost! They don't believe in street signs (or they put them around a corner behind a building where you can't see them from one direction), nor in house numbers outside of Dublin.

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!

Some friends of mine took a train tour when they were here in October. I think it was heavier on (very!) mature travellers than on backpackers, but they seemed to enjoy it. I can get the info for you if you'd like. And if you're going to be anywhere near Belfast, let me know!

It's not promoted as a tourist destination anywhere near as much as some parts of the country, but if you like to get right out into rural Ireland there are some nice spots around the Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Roscommon region.   A trip around the coast of Co. Mayo is well worth the time as well (although the central part of the county has to rate as about the most barren, bleak place I've ever seen).

Elynor, Belfast is on my 'must-see' list!  Just have to see if I can get mom to remember the first names of the great-grandparents.. and more of the address besides 'Shankill Road.'  I think the Orange Order may be able to find more info... great grandfather was apparently some big guy there, as well as in the Masons.  I know they both keep records, just won't mention that we're all Catholics now.

Having no luck with nana's family, she never said where her mom came from.  (It seems her mother was in trouble for marrying a Welsh guy, and never kept in touch).  Loads of O Grady's in County Clare, so it's a place to check out a bit.  Otherwise, it's sounding like 10 days is just a taster tour!  I want to go everywhere.. just need to buy some warmer clothes and better shoes first..

Elynor, Belfast is on my 'must-see' list!  Just have to see if I can get mom to remember the first names of the great-grandparents.. and more of the address besides 'Shankill Road.'  I think the Orange Order may be able to find more info... great grandfather was apparently some big guy there, as well as in the Masons.  I know they both keep records, just won't mention that we're all Catholics now.

Well, we shall have to get together then!  Let me know if you need local info, recommendations, whatever.

If family history is what you're after, the Linen Hall Library is definitely worth checking out. We nosed through it a bit when my parents were here, and I was impressed. I'd even come down and give you a hand--it's a lovely place to hang out!

Hostels are okay. Some can be a bit shady and over priced... a well known one in Glasgow springs to mind!

Now I'm wondering if we went to the same one because the hostel I stayed at in Glasgow when I visited was absolutely horrid! 

But on the whole I'm a fan of hostels, aside from that one bad experience.  I just check to see if they have good reviews on hostelworld before I book.  And you can't beat the price!

When I went to Ireland, I was living in NYC, and I grew up in LA. So the city-ness of it didn't bother me. I just didn't like it as a city. I much preferred my time outside of it.

The Cliffs of Moher are absolutely amazing. I had a crazy bus driver get me up there, but it was just stunning.

The Ring of Kerry is cool. If you take a tour bus around it, you do need to keep a sense of humour. I was lucky enough to have made friends with some others from the same hostel and we had a good laugh about all the 'historic' stops we made.

Galway was cool. (Weston-super-Mare actually reminds me a lot of Galway, which might be part of why I like it here.) I was there during Race Week, so it was really expensive, very packed, but tons of fun.

I loved Cork, and actually thought about going to grad school there. The double decker tour bus that goes out to Blarney was amusing. (I really love cheesy tour bus things that go for an hour or two. They crack me up.) I refused to pay to enter Blarney Castle, though. It was extortionate. (All of Ireland's museums and historic sites are (or at least were) free to enter.)

Now I really want to go back for a longer period of time....

Now I'm wondering if we went to the same one because the hostel I stayed at in Glasgow when I visited was absolutely horrid! 

I can't find it on a hostel search.  Maybe it had to close down! YUCKY!!

It was on the other side of the bridge facing city centre. Very convenient to the train and bus station.

I can't find it on a hostel search.  Maybe it had to close down! YUCKY!!

It was on the other side of the bridge facing city centre. Very convenient to the train and bus station.

YES!! I think it was the same one!  I can't remember the name of it though.  I remember being glad it was close to the train station because I got there at 9pm on a Saturday night and didn't want to walk very far.  But as soon as I got there I was ready to leave!

YES!! I think it was the same one!  I can't remember the name of it though.  I remember being glad it was close to the train station because I got there at 9pm on a Saturday night and didn't want to walk very far.  But as soon as I got there I was ready to leave!

I hung out at the pub a few doors down until bedtime. Fortunately, I had a VERY early morning bus to catch. I don't even think I undressed. I know I couldn't sleep because I was dreaming about body lice.  The first room I had was supposed to be a 4 bed female room, but was a 6 bed coed room with THE WORST mold and mildew on the floor because of the shower leak next door. I complained and nearly got my bag and left but they had a spare bed in another room.

But the hostels I had in Ireland were all pretty good. The Belfast HI was convenient and they also organize coach tours up to the Giant's Causeway.

OK, just booked the trip.  Is it normal that getting from London Victoria to Dublin takes about 14 hours?