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Posted

We've always wanted to go to Ireland. Both dh and I have Irish heritage and after watching that movie I would love to surprise dh with a trip. So where would I start? I know we would want to visit County Cork, since that is where he ancestors are from. I know we would want to take ds, so there would have to be some fun things to do.

 

Dh will turn 48 this year and I would love to go the year he turns 50. That would give me time to save and plan and surprise him. I'm sure I'd have to tell him at some point, but this might be fun to start squirreling money away now and then we could make the final details together.

 

So help me out ladies. Have any of you traveled to Ireland? Hints, tips, things to do, things not to do. When is the best time of year to visit?

Posted

only to say that I would love to go with you! I bought a 2008 calendar full of pictures from Ireland, and every time I see them I want to go visit!

 

If our family could afford to travel overseas, I would pick the British Isles and visit England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. It would be so cool! The only problem is---I may not be able to get my middle daughter to return with us! She's in love with England---at least in her dreams!

 

Good luck in saving for Ireland! It may indeed be possible! Keep talking to your family about it; encourage them to get a huge change jar to put in spare change. Try to squirrel away as much other money as you can. If you have a frequent flyer program and a hotel/motel card, try to save up as many points/miles as you can. Eventually it may all come together! Best wishes!

Posted

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement. My dh's niece is leaving for England this fall. She took a trip to London with her dad and now she is going back for a college program. She's so excited.

 

Those cliffs are stunning! Thanks for the link. I'll add that to my secret file. :D

Posted

The best trip I've ever taken was to Ireland (and I've travelled to almost 30 countries in my life).

 

I went with friends in college. We took 3 weeks and did the whole country, but skipped some of Northern Ireland (we went to the Giant's Causeway and a couple of other famous places there). We tracked down all sorts of stone circles, tombs, castles--even little ones that were just barely marked on the map. All the Yeats stuff-- his tower, places he wrote, etc. We stayed in B&Bs, usually ordinary homes, and that was the best--met lots of locals who had suggestions.

 

Some of my favorite memories--Taking a small boat out to an island to explore a ruined Abbey (can't remember where--west coast?). The Galway folk music festival we kind of strolled into. Searching high and low across farm fields for weird little stone circles. How green it (really!) was in August. Spent one night on the Aran islands in a B&B, went by myself (my friends were tired) out to a pub that was full of locals speaking Gaelic--they were pretty friendly all considered, though a toothless old man did demand a kiss before he'd let me by--I was in good spirits, gave him a peck on the cheek and took a bow, to the cheers of the crowd. Seeing the Book of Kells. Sitting on the cliffs of Moher, and even some other less-famous cliffs.

 

Advice--If you like old castles and stuff, be sure to take a flashlight. There were lots of things that were NOT blocked off, like they would be here to keep out trespassers, but were dark. We explored caves and dungeons and the inside of a ring fort using our handy flashlights.

B&Bs were cheap(er) with huge breakfasts included, otherwise we ate cheap pub food, bought our own picnics, and only had a few fancy meals.

Take off your glasses before you kiss the Blarney stone (you hang upside down, about 100 feet in the air--they have a spotter to help you.)

 

This was all long ago (am I really that old?) but it was an awesome trip! I'd love to do it again with my family some day.

Posted

Go, go, go. We were in Ireland when our children were 9 and 11. We stayed with people in Northern Ireland through a church connection and then spent a few days in Donnegal. Read your guide books, check the Irish tourism sights and enjoy the planning as well as the trip!

Posted

Thanks again. I'm afraid I may not be able to keep this a secret. I've been so up and down emotionally for so long and now I feel like this is a viable goal. If dh sees me "up" for longer than a day, he's going to think something is really wrong. He works so hard, this might be good motivation for him. I'll decide over dinner.

 

We both love to travel and even the planning is fun. Our ds will be 13-14 then and I think that will be a wonderful age to truly remember the experience.

 

I even put a lovely picture of the Irish coast on my computer background, Dh knew exactly where it was when he saw it.

 

Thanks again, y'all are awesome.

Posted
Well, to get a passport, dh will have to know at some point...

 

I'd grab anything by Rick Steves about Ireland. There will be lots of great info in his guidebooks and online. www.ricksteves.com

 

Do it! You'll love it!

 

Oh, thank you for the link, I'll have to check that out. We have passports, I'll have to check the expiration, they should still be good. Ds will need one however.

 

I broke down, I told him. He was excited and agreed that was a very doable goal. We've already started discussing things to do.

 

I'm so terrible about keeping secret things I'm excited about. I could never buy Christmas gifts before July, I'd end up giving them to him.

 

Thanks all, maybe I add something to my blog now.

Posted
Oh, thank you for the link, I'll have to check that out. We have passports, I'll have to check the expiration, they should still be good. Ds will need one however.

 

I broke down, I told him. He was excited and agreed that was a very doable goal. We've already started discussing things to do.

 

I'm so terrible about keeping secret things I'm excited about. I could never buy Christmas gifts before July, I'd end up giving them to him.

 

Thanks all, maybe I add something to my blog now.

 

Joint anticipation is a GOOD thing.

 

Go For It!

Posted

So help me out ladies. Have any of you traveled to Ireland? Hints, tips, things to do, things not to do. When is the best time of year to visit?

 

It was one of the best trips of my life and worth every struggle and effort you may have to get there. :001_smile: These are some of my favorites:

 

I climbed to the top of a crumbling 1200's Anglo-Norman castle wall that is across from the ruins of Clonmacnois monastic community. This is the whole site. This was truly one of the most amazing places to me and one of the more "empty"--meaning you really almost feel you are in the 1200's.

 

Killarney is fun and I did kiss the Blarney Stone. The Cliffs of Moher are probably one of the most breathtaking places. The 13th century Ashford Castle is now a hotel. It is located in Galway. I walked the grounds and did not have the nerve to go inside. I would have the nerve now! The website I link to has photos of the inside. Stunning!

 

We went to Cork as well as Dublin. I was less impressed with Dublin. I hope they have changed the laws on the books for littering because the parks were really gross. I was very disappointed in it. It was fun going to the home of Guinness though. :001_smile: We also went to Kylemore Abbey too.

 

I will say that while the places we saw were really wonderful, it was the driving across the open empty country that really reached my heart. My grandmother is 100% Irish and I have grown up with a love of my Irish heritage. Other than the fact that we were driving (grin) I really felt I was in another time. I hope some day to experience it with my family.

 

We stayed in youth hostels but I would rather have stayed in B&Bs. The pubs have excellent hot potatoes with cheese and the hot Baileys Irish Cream coffees with whipped cream are something to dream over. :001_smile: I was there in the fall and it was a beautiful time of year to be there. It was cold and the weather was not always sunny, but it made it all that more wonderful to me. :001_smile:

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