What town should we stay in?

Hi!  I'm in the very early planning stages of my 50th birthday celebration in September 2021 and would like some suggestions as to which of your lovely towns we should stay in as a home base.

It will be my husband and I, with the possibility of another couple or two joining us for part of the time.  I'm thinking ten days to two weeks, since we are coming from the USA, flying from Boston (or east coast) to Shannon.  This will be our first trip to Ireland, and I want to see the south / west regions.  We are interested in a self-catering property (with character, a nice kitchen and outdoor spaces).  It must be convenient to bus routes since we will not be renting a car.  That being said, I don't want to stay in the middle of a large city; I need at least a bit of green around me and some scenic views to go with my morning coffee and happy hour!  We want to balance our time with exploring / seeing / doing and relaxing in our 'home'. 

As for activities and interests, we love walking / hiking, horseback riding, kayaking / canoeing, easy bike trails, history, castles, parks, gardens, good food & drinks, and Irish music.  (I'm an amateur tin whistle player and would love to get in on some trad sessions, if I can keep up!) 

So where should we stay?!  Killarney?  Tralee?  Ennis?  Galway?  Doolin?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thank you!

Hi Catie,

What a wonderful way to celebrate your 50th birthday celebrations with a trip over to see us in September next year!

To cover the areas you mention, a two-centre approach would probably suit you best if relying on public transport. We may be a small island but travel times are dependant on local roads and link-up of services so usually take longer than first thought.

For the lower section, Killarney would be a lovely idea, plenty to see and do in the area to keep your interest with activities you mention as favorites of yours. Please have a look at our approved accommodation search page for ideas. I have pre-selected, Killarney and self-catering to get you started, please feel free to change the location to suit using the drop-down menus.

Ennis would be a nice place to stay for places in County Galway, with Doolin, The Cliffs of Moher, and other places in Galway City itself all accessible. Definitely a place to find trad music being played in the many bars and pubs, I'm sure you will get a chance to play as well! 🎶

I hope this has started to help with your itinerary, I'm sure your fellow members and industry partners will have some suggestions too.

Martin

Thank you, Martin!  Excellent suggestions, and what a wealth of information!

Is it feasible to rely solely on public transport and walking, not just for activities but for general things such as grocery runs and pub outings?  Both my husband and I are very hesitant to attempt to drive.  Although I love the idea of transportation freedom, I think it just might stress us out worrying about navigating, parking, negotiating narrow roads, not to mention staying on the correct side of the road. 

Hi Catie, 

It's so exciting you're thinking of celebrating your 50th birthday here on the island! I'd love to provide you with some recommendations and tips for travelling around.

If you're not comfortable driving on the left side, public transportation is definitely a good alternative! I've travelled to lots of places on the island just by using buses and trains, and it has always gotten me where I need to go. :) If necessary, you can even take a taxi here and there to get you to places buses don't go, or you can even go on a day tour to certain attractions. 

I also recommend looking into public transportation for the places you're planning to stay in, so you can see beforehand if it's easy to reach other places from there. There is a super helpful app called the Transportation of Ireland Journey Planner, that you can use to plan your trip. For Northern Ireland, you can use the Translink Journey Planner. The 'I don’t want to drive while visiting the island of Ireland, but how can I get around?' thread has loads of information as well, and I think it might come in handy before and during your trip. You can find it by clicking here.

The Community is always happy to help you with your plans or look over your itinerary, so please don't hesitate to post any ideas or ideas here. :)

Happy planning, and stay safe! 

Melin

Thanks, Melin!  More great information!   We are interested in learning more about Kenmare, which appears to be on 2-3 of the bus routes in the southwest.  Question:  is September included in the "summer" route schedule?  I could not find the answer to this question on the bus website.

Kenmare is a lovely place to stay or visit, right on the edge of the Ring of Kerry and the lesser known Beara Peninsula.

Bus Éireann's timetable is a rolling 2-month schedule which will show dates into September as the date comes closer. It will probably have no changes to the services but keep an eye out as the month of June passes. It will give you some idea on what will be available for September next year.

I have put together a scrapbook of information on Kenmare and some of the things available in and around the area for you to have a look at. There may be more local events happening but it gives you some ideas to start with.

Hopefully, this will give you some more ideas for your itinerary. :)

Speak soon

A great place in September is Inishbofin. I was there last year in September. It's a nice little island in Connemara, approx 9km off the coast. You can take the ferry from Cleggan, Co. Galway.

Go north to Donegal and visit Ardara, deemed the best town in Ireland to live!
www.ardara.ie
While there visit:
https://trionadesign.com/

And then travel through the Glengesh Pass to see the amazing Slieve League Cliffs
https://www.slieveleague.com/

and then on to the main town in Donegal Town and visit:
https://www.heritageireland.ie/en/north-west/donegalcastle/
and
https://hannahats.com/#