I want to visit Ireland?

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cjeffrey17

You'll probably fly from Albany through Boston or NY. I'd say you'll get more of an "irish" experience if you avoid Dublin and fly into Shannon on the West Coast. Galway is the best starting point and there are BEAUTIFUL places all around...

Check out sidestep.com or kayak.com for the cheapest flights. Aer Lingus, American and others fly fairly regularly.

I'd suggest going in the late spring, early summer or early fall. Mid summer is expensive and crowded but could be worth your money as that is when the weather is the nicest. It rains a lot but there's a chance you could luck out and experience a beautiful dry sunny warm week... they do happen...even in Ireland!

I'd recommend the following:

Aran Islands (Ferry off of Galway)
Cliffs of Mohr bus tour(Bumpy but worth the 20 bucks)
Connemara(region of Galway that is very traditional)
Cork/Kerry/Ring of Kerry
Westport is a cute town north of Galway
Giant's Causeway in N. Ireland is really neat
Dingle Penninsula in Kerry

Galway itself is fun, entertaining and not too big. The middle of the city/town is littered with street performers and people of all kinds. There are a lot of pedestrian-only streets and the mouth of the Corrib River is a fun place to chill and people watch. There are tons of bars and restaurants and it's my all-time favorite place!

I lived in Ireland for 2 years..can't wait to go back!

toffo3619

Best of year is the summer months, but that's the most expensive. It's a small island so you should be able to get everything in within 2 weeks. If you want a party town go to Dublin, Galway or Cork.

If you want country side, try the west coast counties Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Donegal.

Check this web pages for more info.

www.discoverireland.com and www.tourismireland.com and http://www.discoverireland.net/

As for flights, the following fly to Ireland.

Aer Lingus www.aerlingus.com . These can be cheap if you book early.

The usual US carriers fly too, American Airlines, US Airways, Delta etc.

jacklyn

Ireland is a small country, yes. It is, however, packed with hundreds of historic and scenic areas. I would recommend a first timer use a tour group like Trafalgar etc. These will set you up with air, hotels and transport.
You do not want to cope with "wrong side" driving and finding directions. That will take up time and effort better spent on enjoying the countryside and the people.
Go and enjoy one of the nicest places an American can tour!

PDGenius14

You will have to fly via JFK or Newark if you live in Albany. Aer Lingus, Delta and Continental all have frequent daily flights to Dublin. If you want to visit the west coast, try flying into Shannon airport with Aer Lingus or Continental.
A good idea would be to fly into Shannon airport and stay in Limerick (the nearby city) for a few nights, before the big journey. I would suggest visiting the art galleries and many historical sites. There is also a pretty good shopping area there, too. If you want to treat yourself, I've heard there are great luxury spa/golf resorts around the area! After your stay in Limerick (Which shouldn't be too long), try finding a tour operator that can take you around southwestern Ireland by bus. They should stop off at tourist spots such as the Blarney stone and the Ring of Kerry.
Afterwards, you can go into Dublin, either by plane, bus or train (I would recommend either of the first two). There is a great entertainment scene in Dublin, particularly around the Temple bar area, south of the river, offering both traditional Irish fare to modern, multicultural settings. Shopping in Dublin is really good. There are big fashion labels, both worldwide and local. There is an abundance of shopping malls, aswell. Great dining can be found almost anywhere, from traditional Irish to classic Italian to exotic Asian and Creole cuisine. Museums and art galleries are also plentiful, most notable are the Collins Barracks, the Hugh Lane Gallery and the National Gallery of Ireland. And don't forget to visit Dublin Zoo, located in Phoenix Park, one of the largest parks in Europe.
Just remember, when visiting Dublin, try and stick to the center of the city, as the suburbs are not particularly interesting.
Feel free to explore the rest of Ireland, aswell. It is certainly worth it! I have sent you some links to things you can do around Ireland, aswell as the main Irish Tourism website.
I wish you an excellent trip and I hope you enjoy my country. Cead Mile Failte!!!

Orla C

You could 'do everything in 2 weeks' as some other answerer put it, but you'd be spending most of those 2 weeks in your car on the road, is that the type of holiday you want?

Ireland is a small island, yes, and if the quality of the roads was the same as that of the US motorways, then you could easily do this - only they aren't. To give an example, get an atlas and open a map of Ireland. Look for Killarney, in the south-west. Look for the town of Kenmare, in the same area. The road linking these two towns is called the N71, and the distance between the two towns is just 32km, which you should be able to cover in about 20 minutes. WRONG. This road is so twisty and turny and narrow in places, that you are forced to drive slowly, even though as a national road the speed limit on it is officially 100km per hour. I drove there during the previous weekend, and this distance took an hour and 10 minutes, and the fastest I was driving at any time was 60 km per hour, which is about 40 miles an hour.

If you're from the city, look into the countryside, which is basically anywhere outside of Dublin. The great thing about the cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Kilkenny is that it only takes a few minutes to travel into the countryside.

Public transport is not the best in Ireland, so if you have to use that, look into taking the buses. Otherwise go with a tour. This is probably the best way if you want to see the landscape and not have to worry about driving. In Ireland, we drive on the left and the steering wheel is on the right ....

Best place? Hard to say. I live in County Limerick, and am near Cork, Clare, Kerry and Tipperary. I happen to like the west of Ireland very much, but every region has its charms.

Dave

Use a good travel agent for best results, otherwise you could end up in a real mess - but it's definitely worth your trip.

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