Semi OT... trip to Ireland?

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:39 am

Hi-- we're considering options for a trip during my wife's spring break from nursing school. Char and I have often talked about going to Ireland, so I was wondering if a trip there would be good in March. How is the weather then?
How advisable for first timers to Ireland would a drive-yourself trip be? There's a local Celtic travel agency that has some interesting packages including airfare, care and vouchers for B&Bs. Heck, if I bring along a couple of whistles, I could even call it a "business" trip...

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:49 am

Paul, the weather's totally unpredictable. My first time I went in May to get the good weather and it rained every day. Next time I went in late April and it was the same thing. I finally figured it was going to rain no matter what I did, so I booked my next trip in March to get the good fares and it was sunny the whole 2 weeks. People were laughing about it wherever I went that year. Also, 2 or 3 years ago there was a horse fair in Dublin in August that had to be cancelled because that area was flooded due to heavy rain. You're better off to just go and expect rain, and see it as part of the adventure. One thing for sure: it doesn't rain inside the pubs.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:17 am

It may 20 Celsius and sunny it may be wet, there may be sleet and snow. March can be anything but usually it's a mix of all.

Whistlin'Dixie · Post by **Whistlin'Dixie** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:55 am

I've "heard" it's a lot like my home state of Washington (Seattle area) and thus, likely to be rainy.

One of my sisters traveled there some years ago, and she and her husband rented those horse drawn caravans to travel along in. I don't know if they had a good time or not, they are now divorced!

Mary

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:33 am

My whistle teacher, who grew up on Achill Island, when I asked about the weather in Ireland said, "It doesn't matter when you go. It will be cold and wet." Our first trip, the last week of May was - you guessed it - cold and wet. But we did have a few patches of sun and the rain was mostly sprinkles, except the day we had planned to go to the cliffs of Moher when it was pissing rain and fog that was impenetrable after 20 feet. The locals told us that the previous week had been glorious, with temps in the high 20s and sunshine every day. You pay your money and you take your chances. Despite all that we are planning our next visit.
Mike

pearl grey · Post by **pearl grey** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 11:26 am

I went a couple of years ago during my Easter break (so March or April) and it was GORGEOUS. The friends I was visiting kept telling me, "It's not usually like this, honest!" even though it was beautiful every day.

Or almost every day. We went hiking up the tallest mountain in Northern Ireland and it snowed and rained a bit at the top. But most of the time it was beautiful. And instead of the normal slate-grey sea, the sea was the most amazing rich emerald green. Plus the grass was all soft and green, and it was lambing season (all those sweet baby lambs frolicking about! CUTE!)

So it's unpredictable. But you'll have fun at whatever time of year you go! And if it's cold, you might have to buy some lovely Aran knitwear.

OnTheMoor · Post by **OnTheMoor** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 11:33 am

When we went in April it was like Peter said. From sunny and warm to torrential rain to hail to a pretty rainbow in the space of an afternoon.

As for the car, we were over the same time as some relatives and they had some great times with it. Just practice driving along a 2x4 before you go though, those roads can get pretty narrow, I think their car was a couple inches thinner on each side when they brought it back.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 3:25 pm

I greatly preferred the bus system when I was there, but I wasn't trying to get to a new town every day. My style is more to stay put for a few days and then move on down the road to the next stopping point.

It was very easy to get Bus Eireann buses, the fares were reasonable, and I didn't panic every time someone tried to pass by us on a road that was 5 feet wide.

moxy · Post by **moxy** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 3:32 pm

At the risk of repeating myself (I think I covered this in another thread regarding heaven?) - going from town to town every 2 days on the bus is not ideal...

Yes, the bus service goes to plenty of small towns, a service you don't get much of around here, so that's fairly quaint. But I wouldn't suggest going to too many places. Pick one, two, maybe three towns you'd like to visit, and spend three or more days, at least, in each. Get to know the locals, unpack your bags, stay a while, make it a sort of home before you leave.

Give yourself time to see and do what you'd like, while having time to lay back and relax and take it all in at the same time.

Dingle is highly recommended (by me) if you're in that corner....

And I think the weather is just fine - somewhat cold right now, damp to wet (but not soaking wet), but never too cold and never too hot. Just perfect.

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 4:19 pm

We went in May. The weather was, well, variable. We rented a car and drove because there were several areas we wanted to see. The narrow roads are a challenge. We stayed at B&Bs except for when we were in Dublin. It was great. We met some real nice people that way. The full Irish breakfast everyday is enough to drive cholesterol through the roof. Enjoyed every mouthful. We ate at pubs every night. They were much cheaper than the restaurants. Our favorite places were Kerry, Clare, and Galway. You will probably love it.

Ron

chas · Post by **chas** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 4:53 pm

We went in June. It did hail on us one day, but other than that the weather was fantastic. Like the ass that I am, one morning it was very warm, so I changed into shorts in the car. The temp dropped to well below 20 C within an hour.

We also wanted to see a bunch of places, so we rented a car. If you want an adventure, I would definitely recommend it. We were on a (nominally) two-lane on the Dingle peninsula, and there was someone with a mobil home on a trailer in front of us. With a guy riding on the mobile home. With a chainsaw. That he was using, on both sides. I only had two little lapses with the left side of the road thing. The first was the morning we arrived; the second, I had made a wrong turn and was trying to recover.

I really can't wait to go back; it's such a beautiful, comfortable place.

robh · Post by **robh** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 4:54 pm

My wife and I were all over Ireland for three weeks two years ago in the summer and it rained every day. It just becomes part of the experience.

I'd rent a car. I got used to the left hand drive pretty quickly. Except I kept turning the wipers on instead of signalling. The rural roads are narrow (again, you get used to it) but the highways are great and the drivers seem pretty courteous. No passing lanes -- you pull off into a slower lane to allow people to pass. There are more tractors on the road than I've ever seen and I'm a Canadian country boy originally. There was one road outside Dingle that I wouldn't have driven on if my life depended on it (which it did -- come to think of it). We hired a cab to travel the Dingle Way and it was fantastic.

You've got to go to Doolin and Donegal was great as well.

Have fun! I'd go back in an instant.

OnTheMoor · Post by **OnTheMoor** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:45 pm

moxy wrote:At the risk of repeating myself (I think I covered this in another thread regarding heaven?) - going from town to town every 2 days on the bus is not ideal...

Yes, the bus service goes to plenty of small towns, a service you don't get much of around here, so that's fairly quaint. But I wouldn't suggest going to too many places. Pick one, two, maybe three towns you'd like to visit, and spend three or more days, at least, in each. Get to know the locals, unpack your bags, stay a while, make it a sort of home before you leave.

IMHO, it depends on if you ever plan on going back. If you are, than don't trust someone else to tell you what you will like (although I'd agree with moxy about Dingle). For the first trip, see the country, get a feel for as many areas as you can. Then when you go back the next time, you have an idea of what you would like to see more of or where you'd like to stay. But that's just my style.

michael_coleman · Post by **michael_coleman** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 2:22 pm

Ditto on everything as far as weather goes...if you do rent a car it may be beneficial to get an automatic as learning to drive on the opposite side has a big enough learning curve (it doesn't take that long, let alone shifting with your opposite hand. It may pay for the piece of mind. I really enjoyed driving when I was there because some of the B&B's that are really great are off the beaten path.

I really enjoyed the Burren and Dingle Pen. I also really enjoyed the area surrounding Birr in county Offaly. I think it is just inland enough from both coasts that you may have a better chance of getting more mild weather, but don't count on it. And if you don't like the weather just wait 5 minutes...as the old saying goes.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:11 pm

My friend went, and drove himself. It was his first time with the left side thing, and he
said he had no problems... rural Irish roads seem to have a weird one-large-lane-in-the-middle,
and a half-lane-on-each-side kinda thing going on, that I never figured out. Seems like you
sorta drive in the middle, and get over when someone comes the other way. But I was on a
bus, so I never got any trial-and-error experience. I'd never try to drive in London until I
was used to driving on the left, though. I could barely cross the road on foot safely...
couldn't remember which way to look.

While I'm talking about Ireland, I should give a plug for <a href="http://www.siamsatire.com/about.html">Siamsa Tire</a>.
If you're near Tralee, you should definately go. It's something I would have missed had it not
been a side trip on the Globus tour, and I would have truly missed out...
Siamsa Tire is the National Folk Theatre of Ireland, and they perform shows entirely in Irish,
with live musical accomaniment. At the time, we saw a show called OILEÁN, about the
people who inhabited Blasket Island in the early part of the century. There was song and
dance and great Irish music... it was everything Riverdance should have been, if there
were any justice left in the world. And it was all in Irish Gaelic, so you got the culturally elitest
feeling of going to an opera, except that it was interesting... (I joke; relax...)