Galway and Dublin

lionelflare

Hello all,

Just looking atthe possibility of going to Dublin for a couple of days and then driving/train to Galway and the Arran Isles for a few days.

Managed to find flights to Dublin for £15 inc taxes and back from Galway to Luton for £48.

Does this sound like a good deal?

Also can anyone reccomend if this would be a good strategy? and both worth visiting?

Many thanks

briona

lionelflare wrote:

Hello all,

Just looking atthe possibility of going to Dublin for a couple of days and then driving/train to Galway and the Arran Isles for a few days.

Managed to find flights to Dublin for £15 inc taxes and back from Galway to Luton for £48.

Does this sound like a good deal?

Also can anyone reccomend if this would be a good strategy? and both worth visiting?

Many thanks

Hi Lionel

Being from Ireland [my home city is Galway and I lived and worked in Dublin for a couple of years before moving to the UK] I think it's a fab idea... apart from the train part trains in Ireland are pathetic, infrequent and usually over-priced

http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/home/ for timetables and info

Personally I would hire a car [I believe Ryanair offers discounts on Hertz rentals from the airport] since buses take around 4.5hrs between the two cities.

http://www.buseireann.ie/site/home/

Dublin is full of sites, shopping and the party lifestyle – avoid expensive places like Temple Bar as they are a tourist rip-off! Sites to see include Dublin Castle, Trinity College [with the Book of Kells], Christ Church Cathedral and Kilmainham Gaol among others, which are all within walking distance of the centre. Additionally St Stephen's Green just off Grafton Street [main shopping area] makes a nice walk in nice weather – avoid Phoenix Park as it's a drug user's heaven full of discarded needles [sad but true].

http://www.dublincastle.ie/home_no_fla.html
http://www.tcd.ie/
http://www.cccdub.ie/
http://www.kilmainham-gaol.com/

As you head out West, you get to see more of the real Ireland. Galway is an old medieval town, although very little of that remains. It is now a university town with a fabulous vibe about it – the city centre is very small and easily walkable, with pretty streets, great bars [for live music try the Roisin Dubh], and easy access to the Aran Islands – Inis Mor [translation 'Big island'] is the one to go to, with sites such as Dun Aonghus – the remains of a fabulous cliff top fort.

http://www.galwaylive.com/RoisinDubh/
http://www.visitaranislands.com/

Gotta do some work now – will check back later possibly with more info!

You should SO go as both cities are fab! I don't even think I'm being biased here!!!

Briona

lionelflare

Well thats about as comprehesive an answer as I could possibly get.
Many thanks

I will have some reading to do onthose websites

I was given this link as well and wondered if you have heard good reports??

http://www.delphilodge.ie/

notakid

Hi
I can't tell you if the hotel is good or not but we toured Ireland 5 years ago for a week and the standard of B&B was top notch very clean and great Breakfasts. There was a booklet with all B&B and Farmhouses in Southern Ireland you can get from the tourist information and you can wander the countryside and ring and book to stay the night.
We did Dublin and Galway too, it was a bit of a trek even by car. I enjoyed the countryside outside Dublin greatly, The Wicklow Mountains, Avoca (Ballykissangel) Ardmore,(which is a 1950's seaside place with wreck and old regilous ruins and Blarney Castle which was really fun kissing the stone!
Dublins great as well or the sightseeing, the jail, the bus ride and of course the Jamesons and Guinness Factories!
I wasn't so impressed with Galway but I think it was because my Husband had talked it up so much I was expecting wonders! The best thing is just driving around and finding this wonderful villages in the middle of nowhere. It was one the best holidays we have ever had, we are not Irish so unlike a lot of our friends we had no relatives to stay with.

beefster

you can fly air arran to Galway from Dublin....... more holiday time, less time on the road! Then hire a car at Galway airport.

Just back from galway myself..... went with the boys to the races and then the wives came over for the weekend.
You must visit the Cathedral.... fabulous.
Lots of good bars and restaurants.
Great vibe but this was race week so the town was mobbed.

we hired bikes on the big island and had a great day, did not go to the top at Dun l????? as we got there too late to get back for the ferry. Next year??

fab area, great people, great scenery etc. I'm going back in September!

Vindiesel

i don't rate Dublin at all..overrated and bland fits the bill. Galway however is charming, pretty, bohemian and quirky. If ever you get the chance, get to Belfast..it's a reall Northern city (rough around the edges, but so contemporary and cutting edge without losing it's identity!) it's definately worth a look.

have a good time whereever you go!

safe travelling

V

briona

lionelflare wrote:

Well thats about as comprehesive an answer as I could possibly get.
Many thanks

I will have some reading to do onthose websites

I was given this link as well and wondered if you have heard good reports??

http://www.delphilodge.ie/

Hi Lionel

I have actually been to the Delphi Lodge but not to stay there – it was a for a function, and from what I recall [it was a few years back] it was lovely. Possibly better still is the location – Leenane/Leenaun is stunning [it's where my parents were going to buy a house but the sale fell through]. Connemara is absolutely picture-postcard beautiful and like nowhere else I've ever seen... definitely worth a look. As I said before, Ireland gets better the further West you go and Connemara is about as good as it gets.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g212985-d213237-Reviews-Delphi_Lodge-Leenane_County_Galway.html

http://www.connemara-tourism.org/regions/leenane.html

I notice comments from other people – one not keen on Galway and another even less keen on Dublin. In defence of my country, Dublin is like any other European city but I love the vibe – possibly because I know the place. There is absolutely loads to see and do there and Dublin's city centre is small and easily walkable. With the introduction of the Luas [Dublin's tram system] you can get to slightly further out places easily and cheaply. To get out to Dun Laoghaire or Wicklow, try the DART [Dublin Area Rapid Transport] which connects with the mainline trains...

http://www.luas.ie/document/index.asp?head=1
http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/dart/your_journey/maps_and_zones.asp

Galway has loads going on although Race Week [just gone] and the Arts Festival [July/August] are NOT the time to go, as the city is literally mobbed with people from all over the world. As someone mentioned the Cathedral is nice, the University grounds are pretty nice as well. Depending on what you're interested in, a worthwhile daytrip is to Co Clare, specifically the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Bunratty Castle, Craggaunowen and much more [see Clare link below].

http://www.ebookireland.com/galway.htm
http://www.ebookireland.com/clare.htm

I LOVE Ireland! I guess you can take the girl out of Ireland...

Have a great trip!

Briona

lionelflare

We have just booked flights to go to Dublin on 11th of sept and fly back from Galway on 16th. just looking at accomodation at the moment.

I did find a good deal on car hire and have decided to drive from dublin to Galway.

80 Euros for an intermediate sized car for the whole stay seemed pretty good

asandwhen

you may want to check that that carhire price includes the one way fee because they may hit you with that when you pick it up.