St. Patrick's Day 2019

For our honeymoon my fiance and I will be coming to Ireland March 11th-March 19th. We plan on renting a car and staying in different places every night or two. Is this recommended? We just want to see as much of Ireland as we can.
Where's the best place to stay for St. Patrick's Day?

Hi, Brian.

Ireland is a great destination for a honeymoon and I'm so glad that you'll be visiting us next March!

Since you're staying for 8 whole days, I definitely recommend renting a car and taking a road trip around the island, as it is a great way to see as much as possible. You can follow one of the itineraries listed on our trip ideas page and choose a place to stay such as a hotel, a historic house or a unique accommodation. However, if you want to get in touch with a travel agency, please have a look at this thread.

When it comes to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland, I personally suggest staying in Dublin, because they have the biggest event and parade in the country. This year the festival will go on for 5 whole days, and buildings and venues across the city will turn green, while the streets are filled with live entertainment and music. People will be celebrating all over the island though, so definitely check out the other big St. Patrick's Day festivals in Cork, Galway, Belfast, Armagh and Downpatrick as well.  If you want to have a sneak peek, here are the St. Patrick’s Festival Highlights of 2018.

Have you thought about some outdoor activities you would like to do as well?

Regards,

Francesco

Dear Brian,

Congratulations on your forthcoming wedding and I am delighted you have chosen Ireland for your honeymoon.
Can I suggest that you include Armagh in Northern Ireland in your visit. Armagh is know as the Orchard County and towards the north of the county the hillside is covered with rows of apple trees that grow the famous Armagh Bramley Apple.

Armagh is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland and Saint Patrick founded his first large stone church  here in 445AD . When he visited Armagh, Saint Patrick called it his ‘sweet hill’.  There are  two cathedrals bearing his name – The Church Of Ireland Cathedral on Sally Hill, and on the opposite hill the twin-spired Catholic Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The Cathedrals are a celebration of Patrick’s life, legacy and mission.

The Saint Patrick's Festival  takes place this year from  8th-18th March and includes elements to appeal to all ages. It  promises a lively and varied showcase of the best culture, music, song and dance, tours, walks, and much more. Enjoy the main event of the festival on 16th March as the wonderful procession makes its way through the City Centre.
Visit  https://visitarmagh.com/festivals/st-patricks/ for all information on the festival.

Armagh is the ideal gateway into the north of Ireland, being only 1hour 30minutes drive from Dublin and 50 minutes from Belfast. With a very accessible road transport network  there are ample parking spaces in and around the City centre.

Vehicle rental is easy and varied. Car companies are generally based in airports and cities.

Two very useful links to help you plan your visit are https://visitarmagh.com/ and https://discovernorthernireland.com/

Should you decide to include Armagh in your visit and I hope you will, do call into Armagh Visitor Information Centre and the staff will be delighted to help with all your enquiries.

Let us know Brian if we can be of further assistance.
Kind Regards,

Marion

Hi Brian, 

We are delighted that you have picked Ireland as your honeymoon destination.  

Belfast will mark St Patrick’s Day on Sunday 17 March with a vibrant carnival parade, filling the city centre with colour and music. Wonder at the eye-catching floats, performers and magnificent costumes, as well as a blend of global musicians and local community organisations. Come along to see St Patrick, Pipe Bands, dancers and much more on their colourful journey through the city, as people of all ages from far and wide come to celebrate the feast day of St Patrick in Belfast. The carnival leaves from Belfast City Hall at 12.30pm and will travel along Chichester Street and Victoria Street, into High Street and Donegall Street before finishing at Writers Square. 

There will be a free open-air concert from 1.30pm – 4pm in Custom House Square. The exciting line-up features traditional music from The Whistlin’ Donkeys, as well as Irish dancers ‘Fusion Fighters’.  To bring the celebrations to a close, Europe’s number one party act, The Vengaboys, will be live on stage singing some of their multi platinum hits including ‘Kiss’, ‘Boom Boom Boom Boom’ and ‘We’re Going to Ibiza’. You won’t be able to stop your hands clapping and your feet tapping! Access to the concert is free and entry is on a first come first served basis (no ticket required). Terms and conditions of entry apply. Gates open at 1.15pm.  

Other St Patrick's Day events taking place in Belfast include: 

Féile an Earraigh returns from 1 – 18 March 2019, with a vibrant and authentic celebration of Irish music, culture and arts over seven days. 

Come along to St George's Market to experience an authentic St Patrick’s Day. Get set for a real taste of Ireland and sample some of the culinary delights on offer. You will be able to enjoy lots of entertainment including live traditional music, toe-tapping Irish dancing and workshops.

Accommodation listings for Belfast can be viewed on https://visitbelfast.com/stay.

Suggested itineraries for visiting Northern Ireland can be found at https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/activities/tours-and-itineraries/itineraries/itineraries/

If you need any further assistance, please contact the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre:

telephone - +44 2890 246609
email - info@visitbelfast.com
web - visitbelfast.com

Hi Brian, 

Many congratulations on your wedding and it's so lovely to hear that you've chosen Ireland as your honeymoon destination! There's so much to see!

May I encourage you to explore the Causeway Coast and Glens and specifically the Causeway Coastal Route.  This is one of the world's great road journeys stretching from Belfast all the way to Derry/Londonderry.  Heading from Belfast, as you follow the shoreline through seaside towns and villages you make your way towards the North Antrim Coast, where you can cross Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge as well as visiting Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site at The Giant's Causeway.  Indeed, there will be St Patrick Day celebrations taking place at The Giant's Causeway on the 17th March.

For details of these and other attractions along the way please follow the link to https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/.

I hope you find this information helpful in planning how to spend your time.  If you require further assistance please contact Coleraine Visitor Information Centre and we'll be happy to help.

Best Wishes 
Alison