We're Going to Ireland!

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swandiver

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If MsPurrl hasn't announced this yet .... the "Barrett Clan" is going to Ireland 6/26 (including our other sister, Ewings, assorted husbands, brother, SIL, sons and daughter)

We've talked this for years, but the stars aligned and about 90% of us can go so we're doing it! I was there about 16 years ago and wanted my siblings to see it!

YAYYYYYYY :applaud::applaud::applaud:
 
congrats!:applaud:

we are thinking of going again this year, possiblly around the 3rd week of july cuz of the rumored U2 tour dates in Dublin.. :hyper:
We went for the first time in 2004 and it was amazing!
 
Lucky!! I know you will have an amazing time. The rain we've been having lately has turned the hills out here the loveliest shade of green and has made me miss Ireland so much.
 
Congrats. Have a great time and tell us all about it because I'm going in July for the tour.
 
Mr. Blu, myself, Mom Blu & Sister-in-law Blu ( :giggle: ) were just there at the end of August. We didn't have time to get outside of Dublin, but I was missing the place while we were still sitting on the ground at the airport - I can't wait to go back in 2010. :heart:
 
I'm so excited for you! It's your time to go. How long will you be there? I hope you'll make it to all the sites you've mentioned in Randoooom. :yes:

I don't have the itineray with me right now (it's at work :reject:), but the highlights for me are the Cliffs of Moher and the Rock of Cashel. Our brother had wanted to go to Kinsale, so that's in there, too. We start in Shannon and end in Dublin. 10 days from the time we leave until we get back, so 8 nights there.
 
I don't have the itineray with me right now (it's at work :reject:), but the highlights for me are the Cliffs of Moher and the Rock of Cashel. Our brother had wanted to go to Kinsale, so that's in there, too. We start in Shannon and end in Dublin. 10 days from the time we leave until we get back, so 8 nights there.


go to Killarney, Kilkenny too. Kinsale is a must. A little place called Howth :)D ). I need to wrack my brain a few more..
 
Don't kiss that dirty slimey icky Blarney stone :no:
See the Book of Kells at Trinity
Visit Phoenix Park, it's huge but gorgeous
Walk across the Ha'Penny Bridge
Stop for a Guinness at any Pub in Ireland, it doesn't taste the same anywhere else in the world!
Visit Kilmainhaim Goal
Shop in Temple Bar, St Stephen's Green or Grafton Street
Drink in the countryside, it's more than 40 shades of green & gorgeous
Shannon Airport is so small and friendly and cool :up:
Get used to driving on the wrong side of the road!!
Drive the Ring of Kerry--breathtaking scenery!

Most of all, ENJOY & take tons of photos!!!
 
I kissed it *twice* the last time I was there (16 years ago) because my then-boyfriend didn't "get the picture" the first time ... I wasn't amused.

blarney.jpg


I had wanted to go back to Newgrange, but doesn't look like we'll get there. We're cemetery crawlers, too -- so hopefully we'll be able to find some old churches in the towns we're staying in.

Last time we drove and stopped where we wanted, so it was a little easier to take that turn down the country lane if we liked. It's going to be a great family trip, though!
 
We did a tour last time. Next time we're going on our own to be able to explore things like cemeteries, old crumbling Bldgs etc. We didn't make it to Newgrange but I really wanted to! It takes several trips to even begin to see all you want to!

Great pic of you at the Blarney stone....same guy there too! The thought of doing that was just too gross for us to attempt. It didn't look fun :no:
 
I kept thinking if I fell, I wouldn't fall to the ground, but I'd be really bunged up and panicking so bad they'd never get me out. Now, 16 years later, I'd probably be thinking I'd fall all the way down. :ohmy:
 
The trip we are going on is sponsored by a real Irish pub here, and is advertised as a "pub crawl", so we will be on a guided bus tour during the days, then pubs for dinner in the evening. I'm not much of a drinker, but I'm sure I'll be able to find something! :D I'm glad we're not driving and will be driven around to different places by people who know where they are going! :lol:
 
That sounds fun! If you don't mind me asking, how much is the trip advertised for?

Try some Ginger Beer, it's non alcoholic and I drank it thru Ireland and Scotland, yummy! The sodas don't taste the same overseas as they do here as they are mixed with a different sweetening agent there. Tea was really good there, cold or hot and most places we didn't have to bother about drinking the tap water or ice cubes in drinks :up:

As for food, I've never had chicken or pork that tasted so good and the fresh veggies were to die for. Those Irish Breakfasts were a great way to start the day and help sustain us all day too!! :up::up:
 
Carek, you are making me so excited for my trip. I can't wait to go. Just have to announce the tour and I'm booking that day. We will be there most likely on my birthday, do you know of any special pubs to go to?
 
There are great fun pubs in every village and the people are so friendly. A lot of the pubs have local entertainment at night which makes the experience even more fun. You can have a "pub meal" and drinks in a pub for a better deal (IMO) than at a local eaterie.

We enjoyed Bailey Bar off Grafton St. There's LOTS of pubs in the Grafton St and Temple Bar area. There's lots of rock & Roll history in Jack's Baggot Inn too. It's a cool pub in Dublin.

You will have a blast. Do your homework before you go as far as what you want to see. If you want to see a lot of U2 sites I might recommend the book "U2 Under a Blue Dublin Sky" by Karen & Marcel Wagenaar. It was really helpful to us.
 
I went twice in the 90's

You have to get out of Dublin and into the countryside. I know it's changed there since then, but that was my favorite part-honestly I only spent a couple of days in Dublin on one trip and it was enough for me. I love Galway. Connemara too. Don't miss the Ring Of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula. If you're interested in such things Knock Shrine is beautiful too.

Both times I stayed in a rented house-one was right near a beach and it was beautiful
 
I agree with MrsSpringsteen about Dublin. I don't usually like big cities and Dublin was very crowded with people and vehicles and our hotel was sooo noisy (Hotel Isaacs). I can say I've been there but not sure I'd go back. I prefer the outer laying areas and there is certainly so much to see! If you've never been to Ireland before DO make the pilgrimmage to Dublin though.
 
Do you ladies know of any hotels that aren't too expensive? I don't care about being near Croke Park, because I know that I'm not going to get a hotel near there anyway. We don't have a whole lot of money to spend on a hotel.
 
The hotel I stayed in in Dublin was the North Star Hotel. It is near the train station so you get some noise from that. I just checked online and it does still exist, it says they now have Premier Club Rooms but it looks like they still have standard rooms too. It's nothing fancy but it was very clean and quaint... it's not in a fancy neighborhood-but it was reasonable at the time (don't know about now). It had a cozy little bar and restaurant and it's still the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. It looks like they have definitely remodeled since then.

Dublin City Centre Hotel - North Star Hotel a great Hotel in Dublin City.
 
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