Booked my Ireland vacation!

[rgray]

No mando content. Just excited about booking a Ireland vacation for my wife and me to celebrate our 30th anniversary in May. This will be an 8-day self-driving tour from Dublin to Galway then down the coast and around back up to Dublin. Our trip includes two days in Doolin billed as the traditional music capitol of Ireland. We both can't wait and any suggestions for things to do, places to see, etc. are welcome.

[montana]

Have a ball. I toured Ireland with bands twice in the 80's and had a great time.

[Eric Charles]

Sounds like a blast. You really can't go wrong in western Ireland. I loved County Clare (where Doolin is located). I had a blast in the small towns near the coast like Ennistimon, Lehinch, Lisdoonvarna, etc. Most night in the local pubs, musicians would informally show up for sessions, and locals were very talkative and friendly to me. I have wonderful memories about that place and would love to go back.

Hope you have a wonderful time!

[Johnozouk]

There are some great museums in Dublin. O'Donoghue's on Baggot Street has sessions nightly and folks are friendly. This is where the Dubliners got their start. Sunday night session is hosted by luthier Joe Foley.

In Galway, I found the Crane Bar the best place for music as it is not as big a tourist spot as places downtown.

Get out into Connemara in Co. Galway and into the Burren in Co. Clare for amazing scenic beauty.

Have fun.

John

[mrmando]

Second the Crane Bar in Galway.

If you like visiting luthier's shops, look up Paul Doyle in Galway, 38a Dominick St.

Lovely museums in Dublin. Highlights for me included the Book of Kells and the art museum where Caravaggio's The Taking of Christ is on display.

Best craic: Jimmy DeMille's in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, on Thursday nights.

[Jill McAuley]

If you've got the time and you're so inclined drop into Tom Cussen's shop, Clareen Banjos, in Clarinbridge on the outskirts of Galway City - banjos, mandolins, tenor guitars, great place and Tom is the salt of the earth. Custy's in Ennis, Co. Clare is worth a visit too - great selection of trad CD's, some instruments and occasionally some great B&W photos for sale of local trad musicians past and present.

In Dublin check out The Cobblestone, McNeills or Hughes' pubs for sessions. Staying in Dublin, if you're in Baggot Street Doheny & Nesbitt's is (or used to be) a nice wee pub, especially if you can lay claim to the "snug" - a little private enclosure in the pub. The Long Hall on Aungier St, The Stag's Head on Dame Lane, or Grogan's on Sth. William St. are also nice old pubs as opposed to new pubs trying to "look" old. There's sessions on a Sunday at The Stag's Head now too actually, that I believe the Glackins and McKeons sometimes host.

Cheers,
Jill

[Eddie Sheehy]

While you're in Clarinbridge visiting Tom Cussen's drop in to Paddy Burke's pub for oysters and Guinness...

[rgray]

Thanks for all of the info and for any others, keep it coming. Although flying in and out of Dublin, we won't actually see Dublin. I can't fly overnight so we fly into London and then Dublin the next AM and immediately head to Galway touring on our way. We made a decision to stay more in the countryside plus we thought the hassle of dealing with the city warranted two days minimum, which we didn't want to take out of an 8-day trip. I know, many will disapprove. But understand that I wanted to see Belfast, points north, all of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and so many places. But times are tight right now and money is even tighter. I'm sitting here typing and looking at my beautiful wife and have no regrets for our current plans. Hopefully we can make another trip and see more, to include Dublin and Belfast. (I will say that I have set foot on Irish soil 4 separate times but never left Shannon Airport. All 4 times were deploying to and from Kuwait and Qatar. Had my requisite Guinness every time at the airport bar and bought souvenirs in the duty-free store.)

[Paul Cowham]

I don't think there is any point in feeling at all bad for not seeing Dublin (or anywhere else) - not that there aren't great things to do and see there. A holiday is a holiday and it sounds like you have a great 8 days in store. The little time I have spent in the West of Ireland was time very well spent; beautiful countryside and coastal scenery, lovely people, great live music in sessions, fantastic seafood, and the guiness...

Nice to have something like that to look forward to, I'm sure you'll have a great time

[Richard Eskite]

If you get to Dingle Town, don't miss the music at the big yellow pub. There's only one yellow one (at least when I was there). Probably the best trad music I heard in 3 weeks of looking throughout Ireland.

[Avi Ziv]

If you get to Dingle Town, don't miss the music at the big yellow pub. There's only one yellow one (at least when I was there). Probably the best trad music I heard in 3 weeks of looking throughout Ireland.

You mean the one with the sign outside that says: "Mighty sessions nightly" ? I think I have a T-shirt with that sign somewhere.

[Avi Ziv]

Second the Crane Bar in Galway.

If you like visiting luthier's shops, look up Paul Doyle in Galway, 38a Dominick St.

.

I remember visiting Paul some years back. I loved the site - previous pig pen or some such farm building in town. The shop itself (upstairs) was full of all sorts of instruments in various stages of build and besides Paul, there were several lovely young women sanding instruments. What a sight

[Loretta Callahan]

That's exciting, Bob. Please write about your travels. I'm not a traveler myself, but love travel stories.

[Jim MacDaniel]

But understand that I wanted to see Belfast, points north, all of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and so many places...

Sounds like a good excuse to plan another trip to the region -- but if Edinburgh will be on your next itinerary, make sure you visit there in the heart of the festivals there in August (but book a room early, and try to stay in Old Town if you can).

[jwalsh31]

You will absolutely love Ireland. i would focus on the west coast. I think 2 nights in Doolin is a mistake. There is really nothing there except the pubs who do have great trad every night that the tourists get bussed into after dinner and close proximity to the Cliffs of Moher (the Cliffs of Insanity for you Princess Bride fans). I would do one night in Dooling and two in Dingle. Lots of pubs, the beautiful Dingle Pennisula. It's heaven on earth. Murphys Pub has great trad every night in Dingle. Not to be missed towns are Dingle, Kenmare and Kinsale.

[rgray]

2 nights Galway, 2 nights Doolin, 2 nights Dingle, 1 night Kinsale, last night near Dublin Airport. Two nights picked for most stops to serve as a base for day trips via rental car. Drive to a B&B sightseeing on the way. Stay the night, get up, sightseeing day trip, return to same B&B for 2d night, get up and head to next B&B sightseeing again. I believe a second trip will come again, maybe when I retire for good.

[Eddie Sheehy]

From your Doolin base you can tour the Burren, Lisdoonvarna, Black Head, Ballyvaughan, Kilfenora, Ailwee Caves, Poulnambrone, then down the coast to Cliffs of Moher, Lahinch, Quilty, Doonbeg, Kilkee, Loop Head, Kilbaha, Carrigaholt, Kilrush... and places in-between...

[jwalsh31]

We approached it the same way. Staying 2 nights in one place makes all the differencce. We did 2 nights Cliftden, 1 night Doolin, 2 nights Dingle, 3 nights Kenmare (great jumping off point for a lot of the great roads), 2 nights Kinsale, 2 nights Kilkenny and 1 night Shannon. If I had it to do over I would have added another night in Dingle and did 2 in Kenmare. Below is where we stayed. I highly recommend the Quay House, Emlaugh House, Sallyport and Desmond House especially the Emlaugh House. They are more manor houses than B&B's.

FYI - I got to sit in for 2 sets at McGanns in Doolin. The highlight of my trip!

Clifden Galway The Quay House
Doolin Clare The Dubhlinn House
Dingle Kerry Emlagh House
Kenamre Kerry Sallyport House
Kinsale Cork Desmond House
Kilkenny Kilkenny Rosquil House

[Pete Braccio]

Hi all,

This is a very timely thread for me. I'm off to Ireland in a couple of weeks. I'm looking to loop from Dublin south and then west. As of right now, I'm planning stops in Kinsale, Kenmare, and Dingle before settling into a timeshare in East Clare for a week.

Thanks,
Pete

[TMitchell]

I second everyone's recommendations for west Ireland, and let me add one of my own; don't miss Gus O'Connor's pub in Doolin. Stopped by for early dinner and found ourselves in the middle of a spontaneous session with three generations of locals represented, one of the best days of the whole trip (and yes, the Cliffs of Moher, about a two-hour hike away, are pretty cool, too).
Also, check out Tigh Ceoli in Galway. A little touristy, always crowded, but you never know who might show up. I found myself playing mandolin next to Mick Conneely and Johnny McDonough
Have a ball.

[Goodin]

Hi all,

This is a very timely thread for me. I'm off to Ireland in a couple of weeks. I'm looking to loop from Dublin south and then west. As of right now, I'm planning stops in Kinsale, Kenmare, and Dingle before settling into a timeshare in East Clare for a week.

Thanks,
Pete

Pete - The Ennis Trad Festival is in a few weeks so your timing is good. It's supposed to be amazing Craic.

rgray - We were over there in May for the Fleid Nua festival in Ennis. We traveled up to Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Kinvara. We were going to stay in Doolin a few nights but glad we didn't because there isnt much going on there. It would be nice to take a ferry from Doolin out to the Islands though. We spent most of our time in Ennis and glad we did. That seems to be the place in Ireland for great trad music right now. Check out Brogan's, and O'Keefe's. And countless other great pubs there. The Guiness tastes excellent in Ireland, and the Budweiser is unbelievably good. The locals love Budweiser.

[Shelagh Moore]

Doolin isn't now the music hub it used to be back in the 70s and 80s although you will likely find some music there on any given evening. If there's not much on (early in the season), not to worry as there will be plenty nearby... Ennis always has a lot going on for example. Galway has loads of music sessions, some touristy others less so, as does Dingle and I've found sessions in Kinsale in the past. If you have the time, take the Kenmare-Glengarrif road, or as a great alternative, the Ring of Beara, at a leisurely pace on your way down to Co. Cork. As you're stopping in Kinsale, West Cork may be a bit out of the way but is worth a trip along the coast, e.g. Baltimore, Schull..

[Beanzy]

You don't say what dates in May, but the Galway Fleadh is normally on in May.
Taking in a Fleadh would be a great way to see some great music and the pubs come alive with sessions.
If you got to the Comhaltas site and rummage through the locations map you'll get local info and contact numbers for local organisers. Obviously read the local events first so you're not calling them up to ask about stuff that's on the site already.

I did this with our trip home this summer and hooked the youngster up with lessons from a lovely teacher Paula in Kilrush. As well as the main event they organised lessons during the Kilrush festival and it was really well run. We did that as a day-trip while staying at Doolin. (There's a dolphin comes in early in the morning to feed in the bay before the ferries start running in and out and you can get to see her really close by as she feeds. She comes back in the evenings too but that's a bit more hit and miss).

Enjoy the trip.

[rgray]

Will be traveling the first week and a half which is also over a national holiday and 3-day weekend, May Day. Listening to trad music will be great but not the primary goal which is spending time with my wife while sight-seeing someplace I always wanted to visit.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Bob -- you going to travel with your Traveler?