Author Topic: Eire....where to go (Read 1635 times)

Hot Flatus · « **on:** 04 August, 2021, 04:46:40 pm »

Got a week in Eire at end of August with campervan and mate, arriving in Rosslare.

I know literally nothing about the place bar having spent a weekend in Dublin about 18 years ago.

Any recommendations? Like scenery, pubs that look like someone's front room and smell of whippets, chilled towns that are easy to visit. Don't want to kiss the Blarney stone.

Regulator · « **Reply #1 on:** 04 August, 2021, 04:47:27 pm »

Just about anywhere on the West coast. Scenery galore and good craic...

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #2 on:** 04 August, 2021, 04:51:20 pm »

Good craic, you say? I'd better take my glass pipe.

ian · « **Reply #3 on:** 04 August, 2021, 04:55:17 pm »

You may as well get your mind in the right place.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #4 on:** 04 August, 2021, 05:03:28 pm »

Well, we have been thinking of what we should do to address our cultural ignorance and not stand out like the brash rich cousins. So to that end we are going to eschew the regulation cargo shorts and check short sleeved shirts and wear something to blend in with the locals

(click to show/hide)

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #5 on:** 04 August, 2021, 05:46:46 pm »

Dingle peninsular. Just utterly beautiful. Highly recommend it.

J

Duckfoot1606 · « **Reply #6 on:** 04 August, 2021, 05:50:16 pm »

Although the main roads are pretty good now, if you go off the beaten track don’t over estimate the average speed you will manage. It’s a lovely country to tour, but don’t be in a rush

And yes, the Guinness has a unique taste too! 👍

A

rafletcher · « **Reply #7 on:** 04 August, 2021, 06:28:45 pm »

Quote from: quixoticgeek on 04 August, 2021, 05:46:46 pm

Dingle peninsular. Just utterly beautiful. Highly recommend it.

J

Seconded. My first wife was from Castlegregory. Dingle’s a bit touristy though.

Avoid the cliffs of Moher. Used (as in 35 years ago) to be fantastic, a half collapses car park and bits of cliff you could get right to the edge of. Now, “award winning” visitors centre, acres of coach parking, and all paths kept well back from the edge.

Do try the Burren. Magnificent limestone pavement, and a real sense of peace.

You could, if heading SE to (N)W go over the Military Road in Wicklow. And Glendalough is worth a visit.

The beaches of Clare are lovely and quiet, the scenery - a patchwork of tiny fields with 2m high stone walls built from the rocks cleared from the ground - fantastic.

The Midlands are extensive, flat and very boring.

I’d maybe try a route Rosslare, Wicklow, across to Kerry, head north to wherever, then back across and down.

Jurek · « **Reply #8 on:** 05 August, 2021, 09:00:33 am »

Another vote for west coast.
My wife was from Kilkee in County Clare.
Dingle peninsula, The Burren - if you want to see what the surface of the moon looks like, The Cliffs of Moher - if you want to see 700 ft worth of cliffs.

T42 · « **Reply #9 on:** 05 August, 2021, 01:06:36 pm »

The answer is in the Unread Topics list:

Eire....where to go ... in The Pub

Regulator · « **Reply #10 on:** 05 August, 2021, 01:18:31 pm »

I wasn't that impressed with the Dingle peninsula - it was a bit 'meh' - and somewhat overrun with tourists.

Next time we're in Eire, I want to get to Westport in Co. Mayo (as we lived in it's namesake in NZ), with a quick visit to Knock, and up into Donegal.

ScumOfTheRoad · « **Reply #11 on:** 05 August, 2021, 01:29:14 pm »

Many years ago I went to Doolin, which is a centre of traditional music. There is a session on one of the pubs every night.
You can visit the Aran Islands from there. And Father Ted's house is in the area. Though that is a normal person's house - I don't know if they take kindly to tourist gawpers every five minutes.

The Cliffs of Moher are in the area, though those gave me the willies as I hate heights.

JennyB · « **Reply #12 on:** 05 August, 2021, 02:44:19 pm »

If you want sea cliffs, Slieve League in SW Donegal has the highest in Europe. That area is great for Atlantic scenery, and less touristy than farther south, but a long way from Rosslare. The eat coast actually has quite a bit to offer too: the Wicklow hills as already mentioned, the Boyne Drive and Carlingford.

For queit country pubs and underappreciated scenery I recommend Cavan and Leitrim. While you're there you could pop over the border to Lough Erne or Armagh.

lissotriton · « **Reply #13 on:** 05 August, 2021, 03:00:24 pm »

A useful route map.

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/be/muff-slutsend-take-rude-road-20881658

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #14 on:** 05 August, 2021, 03:05:15 pm »

Thankyou, I think that is my trip itinerary sorted

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #15 on:** 05 August, 2021, 06:14:21 pm »

Avoid the tourists at the Cliffs of Moher by watching The Princess Bride instead.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 August, 2021, 02:58:56 pm »

Well I'm back.

Had a night in Waterford, just to break the journey after 3hr drive to ferry, and 3hr ferry crossing. After an extensive search found the best pub in town, empty, so we had the pool table to ourselves whilst the barman queued up an excellent selection of dub tracks.

Next day hoofed across to Kerry via some empty towns in the middle of nowhere. Landed in Cahersiveen on the ring of Kerry. 4 nights spent there, mostly in Mike Murt's pub. Went for a walk, or two, had a bit of a drive, looked at some cliffs. Very quiet area, about 95% domestic tourism from what I could see, although I doubt that is the case in normal times. Very beautiful, great pubs here and there, but food culture is non-existent.

Then long drive to Dublin for a couple of nights. Had a great walk around the city taking in the docklands, the wealthy Georgian area and the funky bit north of the Liffey. Hotel was in Temple bar...but we avoided it.

Good time had

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 August, 2021, 03:55:37 pm »

Nice pictures. Why have they mined the beach?

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 August, 2021, 03:56:55 pm »

Jellyfish

Lightning Phil · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 August, 2021, 05:27:23 pm »

Quote from: Hot Flatus on 27 August, 2021, 02:58:56 pm

Next day hoofed across to Kerry via some empty towns in the middle of nowhere. Landed in Cahersiveen on the ring of Kerry. 4 nights spent there, mostly in Mike Murt's pub. Went for a walk, or two, had a bit of a drive, looked at some cliffs. Very quiet area, about 95% domestic tourism from what I could see, although I doubt that is the case in normal times. Very beautiful, great pubs here and there, but food culture is non-existent.

We rode the Ring of Kerry on WAWA in 2016. With a wee diversion off to Port Magee before rejoining at Cahersiveen. A few of us stopped at Spar there to refuel. It was way busier than Cork to the south. But all that tourist and EU money does mean lovely tarmac.

Traffic was still nowhere near SE England levels. It got busier with coaches as you closed in on Dingle. Most of the traffic seems to go in Anti clockwise direction. So opposite to the way we were riding. Apart from Dingle I don’t recall it being busy at all.

May have changed in intervening 5 years.

jsabine · « **Reply #20 on:** 27 August, 2021, 08:49:56 pm »

Ah yes, Barack O'bama Plaza.

A two-time president of the USA celebrated with a SuperMac's and a Spar, just off the motorway to Limerick.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #21 on:** 27 August, 2021, 09:32:27 pm »

His great-great-great grandfather was from Moneygall, apparently.

No. Me neither...

JennyB · « **Reply #22 on:** 28 August, 2021, 08:28:58 am »

Quote from: Hot Flatus on 27 August, 2021, 09:32:27 pm

His great-great-great grandfather was from Moneygall, apparently.

No. Me neither...

Tooraloo tooralay tooralee tooralama
There’s no one as Oirish as Barack O’Bama!

Canardly · « **Reply #23 on:** 28 August, 2021, 10:14:58 am »

That jelly fish looks bit scary.