travelling to ireland?

Question

ok, I'm an american, but after i graduate in 2010 some of my friends and I want to go to ireland before we all have to go to college and I was just wondering what we would have to do to get there (other than save up all the money to go)

Answer 1

Hmmm... i think Stevie there had the right idea. Its easy to find out the obvious touristy things but a few insider tips from a native would be invaluable....
You could probably get direct flights to Dublin Airport, depending on where you are in America.. Aer Lingus is not necessarily cheap, but by the time you are going, Ryanair may have gone transatlantic!!! (Cheapest airline ever..)I'd say go at the end of summer, as in August / September. Weather is not too unbearable (even though i love a bit of cosy rain) and fun stuff is going on.

In Dublin, go to the Fringe festival, if you're at all into theatre, it's great, especially the comedies. Cheap tickets are available in Temple Bar- speaking of which GO there. Eat in Elephant and Castle. Have the buffalo wings. Check out Cows Lane Market on Saturdays for trinkets and unique clothes. Definitely check out the Temple Bar pubs and clubs at night, they're buzzing.
Wander round the cobbles in Trinity College, chill out in the park with a smoothie. Laugh hysterically at City Hall, Ireland's tallest building of 13 floors (pitiful...but alas it may change soon).Go to Dun Laoghaire and get an 99 ice-cream from Teddies, walk along the pier. Jump off the forty foot (for the daring only!..)

In Laois, go to the Electric Picnic, a kickass music festival in some old stately grounds.

In Donegal, go surfing in Bundoran...really do. It'll be cold but so worth it man.

In Clare, go to the Burren (an unique limestone landscape) and the cliffs of Mohr. Extremely cool.

In WestCork, journey round all the gorgeous little coastal towns, like Schull and Crookhaven. Maybe go kayaking or fishing for a few hours, so fun. For sure, get a ferry out to Clear Island- its this island with like 100 people living there,& they all still speak Gaelic. Its really lovely, especially the beach in the sun. I've even heard there is a storytelling festival there in early September, which i may explore soon.


You probably won't even do any of these things, but writing it was strangely therapeutic!!!!

Answer 2

I live in Belfast, and as all the others have said just take a bit of time to plan your trip also if you get the chance visit Londonderry the walls are really great and there is a lot of history in the city, also while you are in that neck of the woods visit Donegal its called southern Ireland but its one of the most northern points in the whole of Ireland, plenty of B&Bs all over the place and great craic in the local pubs once you get away from the big towns. Also try Continental Airlines as they fly direct into Belfast International and Belfast City centre is only a short bus ride away don't get the airport taxis as they are not cheap, the airporter bus will drop you at Belfast City Hall for about £6-00p about $12-00c also if you are hiring a car or bus to go around the place remember we drive on the other side of the road. Also to if you get lost just stop and ask anyone for directions. And have a great time.
Also one last tip when in Northern Ireland a soda is a type of bread not a soft drink.

Answer 3

I went to Ireland last year with my Wife for two weeks, we rented a car and circled the whole island just following a map. We would just stop anytime something would strike our fancy and would ask around for cheap lodgings. It was actually pretty easy, since we had a lot of time. I suggest the Cliffs of Mohr, the ring of Kerry in the west. Dublin in the east this includes Kilmainham Jail, which talks about the 1916 Easter Rising and the Guinness store house. Do not forget Northern Ireland, especially since there are a lot less tourist as opposed to Dublin, which Americans are a dime a dozen.

Answer 4

Here is the best way for you to see Ireland in a relatively cheap manner and the most fun, esp since your still young. Try looking into Contiki tours. They are tours made for those specifically 18-35. I have been on their tours three times, and love it. You can chat with fellow tour mates on their message boards before going and will have a ton of friends before you leave. Contiki does a Southern Ireland tour that will take you from Dublin, Kilkenney, Cork, Kerry, Galway and back to Dublin. If you have enough time, their southern Ireland tour meets with the Great Britain tour, so you can see all of the UK in 2 weeks. Contiki is moderately priced, but at least most of your meals and all your accomodations and transportation is covered. Never mind the fact that you will have a better time traveling with them rather than trying to do it on your own.

Answer 5

i have been to irealdn 4 times and each time it gets better and better, so youre going to have a great time. organize your flights ahead of time because Aer Lingus is NOT CHEAP. great flight, but expensive. dublin is fantastic, go to grafton street in dublin. its 2 miles of a street for just pedestrians with a bunch of shops and at the end of it is trinity college, a great place with the book of kells, a book written by monks hundreds of years ago that book is REALLY famous for its intricate celtic designs. kilmahnen jail is also really cool, i went there 3 times (also around dublin). also in dublin is the guiness factory, and that is a MUST SEE!! killarney is really cool, its quaint and just classic ireland i think. if you go to northern ireland which is ruled by the british not the irish, belfast is a big historic city. if you go there, take a black cab tour. its a historic ride in a cab explaining all the citys divisions (the catholic and protestant sides and the history of them). a couple hours away from belfast is giant's causeway which is a place on the coast of the irish sea with fantasic cliffs, its beauuuuuuuuuuuutiful. rent a car, get a map, ask directions from the people because everyone is really friendly, try lamb stew, eat a true irish breakfast, try black pudding but dont ask what it is! :), eat as much brown bread as you can, ordering soft drinks are rip offs since you pay a lot for a little glass with no free refills. ireland is really cool, im only 14 and i think all this stuff is amazingly interersting, ireland is such a fun place to go i really hope you go to all these places.

Answer 6

well, first, make your flight arrangements as early as possible. they're cheaper that way. then, plan where you want to go. being younger, i'd go with 2 places, dublin and killarney. one is a bit north the other is southern tip. you can take a bus from one to the other and it's not very expensive and only takes a few hours. also, contact a travel agent just to get ideas and, if you have a group going, chances are you can get group rates so that it's not all that expensive. also, since you'll be in ireland anyway, maybe consider taking a ferry over to scotland for a day or two since you're already in that part of the world..... and, most importantly, listen to a boatload of cranberries/u2/van morrison to get psyched up for your trip. great country, great people. you'll feel very included in the culture when you go. enjoy!

Answer 7

Get passports, book tickets and then arrive here! It really is that simple. When you get here just rent a car and travel around, you can get accommodation anywhere so there's no need to book in advance. I'd recommend flying to Knock (Knock airport is small and hassle free!) and then head south in the Cork direction then north in the Dublin direction then north again to the north and then south back to Knock airport. I'd recommend coming for at least a month to cover everywhere!

Answer 8

If you go outside of the summer months it's much easier to 'wander' and look for accommodation at the end of the day, rather than planning out an itinerary that you have to stick to.

Otherwise, just book flights, sort out passports, sort out car rental, get a good guidebook (DK Eyewitness guides are excellent), and invest in some good shoes and rainwear, and with regard to clothes, think layers.

If you want to go to live and work, it's another story.

Answer 9

Go to kilkenny and galway, check out what festivals are on when you are over, go to the electric picnic if you can.
Go to a hurling match on a sunday afternoon in Croke park.
Drink a pint in some old man's pub in the middle of nowhere.
Go swimming or surfing in Doolin.
Walk along the pier in Howth eating ice cream.
Go for the early bird in Luigi Malone's in Temple Bar for the free bottle of wine.
Go to Malin head in Donegal.
Go drink tea in people houses and buy rounds in the pub.
Hire a boat and go up the Shannon.
Rent a holiday cottage in Dunmore East and then drive to Tramore for the hurdy gurdy's.
Enjoy!

Answer 10

2010 by then you might be able to fly in your own car. Wait until 2009 and ask the question again, that's if Yahoo Answers is still about.