First trip to Ireland

We are starting to plan our first trip to Ireland. We are foodies and want to visit the markets, meet the local people in the famous pubs, to talk about local recipes and culture.Our first trip will probably be self-catering holidays. We are not sure when the best timing....End of may or September. Need suggestions.

Thanks

Rejean

Hello, Rejean.

It's lovely to hear that you are planning to come over to see us for the first time.

The end of May and September are both wonderful times of the year to visit, with The 11th Burren Slow Food Festival being held in May and A Taste of West Cork and the Galway Oyster festival towards the middle and end of September.

We have an article on Food and Drink on our website that has some excellent resource information on food and farmers markets, definitely something that you will be interested in visiting. 

Is there any particular part of the island of Ireland you have in mind?

Hello Rejean,

How wonderful to hear you are planning a trip to Ireland next year.  Any time during the May to September period is a great opportunity to see Ireland at it's best. My recommendation would be to make sure you visit as much of Ireland as possible during your time, don't just spend time in Dublin.  The coastal towns are wonderful for seafood and you can get a real sense of the Irish community and fresh farm foods in all counties.  Please don't miss out the Midlands of Ireland, we have an abundance of fantastic places to eat, local markets and organic shops.  Perhaps flying into Shannon and out of Dublin would help you plan your itinerary around the country.  September is a great month in Offaly (the Midlands) as we have the Tullamore Show and the fabulous Ploughing Championships and you will be able to taste lots of lovely Irish food and drink at both events.  Bloom Gardening & Food Festival is also a wonderful event held in Dublin at the very end of May/beginning of June.  If you Google 'events in Ireland for 2018' this might give you some more great ideas.

All in all, I hope you have a fantastic time during your visit.  I see you are looking at self catering but if you do wish to stay on a B&B basis and visit a wonderful part of Ireland check out our website www.kinnittycastlehotel.com 

Kind regards,
Clair Donogher
Kinnitty Castle Hotel
County Offaly
clair@kinnittycastlehotel.com
00353579137318

Hi Rejean,

I am very glad that you are planning a trip to Ireland next year.

While here, may I encourage you to come north and explore the delights of the Causeway Coast and Glens region.  Famed for its stunning scenery - beautiful glens, wide beaches, rugged cliffs and of course, the Giant's Causeway - this area is winning many awards for the quality of its food and drink produce. Besides sampling Irish hospitality in our many restaurants, pubs and cafes - in Bushmills they have been making whiskey for over 400 years! - you can also access local produce from farm and sea at speciality or artisan markets.  These run regularly throughout the year.  At these it is easy to interact with enterprising local people.  Being foodies, may I suggest you sign up for a food tour, whereby you may sample the finest produce in Ballycastle or Bushmills as your guide escorts you around town and shares local knowledge too. Or you may take a day food tour from Coleraine with a wider reach, or even an evening food tour to places linked to the Game of Thrones®.  Details of all these, together with information on self-catering accommodation, can be found at http://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/Visitor-Info-A91.

Come and taste the beautiful Causeway Coast and Glens. You will be most welcome!

Mary. 

Hi Rejean

We're glad to hear that you have decided to come to Ireland for the first time, no doubt this will be an excellent trip. If you are considering travelling towards Northern Ireland and the North West then I would recommend a visit to the Walled City of Derry-Londonderry. The city was recently announced as the runner-up of Ireland’s top Foodie Destination, proving it's growing reputation as one of the top foodie destinations in Ireland. There are often a selection of food festivals which take place in the city throughout the year also such as The Legenderry Food Festival and and Slow Food Festival. Dates for these are yet to be confirmed for 2018. The Walled City Market also takes place in the main city centre on the first Saturday of every month which may be of interest to you also. 

On top of this, Derry-Londonderry is an excellent cultural location with a series of visitor attractions steeped in history. These include the likes of the 17th Century City Walls, Guildhall, World Famous Murals, St Columb’s Cathedral as well as many fascinating museums and exhibitions. The city also provides great options for tours, leisure, shopping and dining as well as excellent accommodation options should you choose to spend the night here. The city provides the perfect base for exploring Ireland as we are located on the gateway to Donegal/Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route. More detailed information on what the city has to offer can be found in our official visitor guide here.

We would also invite you to contact us should you have any inquiries or questions at all. We are more than happy to help. 

Kind Regards

Barry 

Web: www.visitderry.com
Tel: +44 (0) 28 7126 7284
Email: info@visitderry.com

Hello, Rejean.

I wanted to check up and see if you had the chance to visit the Emerald Isle in May. As you got some great pieces of advice, I'd love to hear more about your trip and what you managed to see and do during your stay. If you like, you can also create a new topic for our foodie travellers here.

Looking forward to reading more about your tasty adventure!

Francesco