Contact person wanted - Tourist information - Arranging rooms - Guidance

Dear friends of Ireland!

My wife and I are having a silver wedding anniversary next year in early May.
Instead of having a big celebration, we would rather go to our favorite places on our honeymoon.
Those were three places in Ireland: Glengarriff, Greencastle (in the north) and a B&B on the Dingle Peninsula, near Tralee.
Early May 2022 sounds a long time away, but a trip like this wants to be organized, especially since that it doesn't seem as easy as I thought it would be.

I have a whole bunch of questions.
Just touring the island like we did in 1996 without much of a plan is not possible for a silver wedding anniversary honeymoon.
We need to plan ahead and book accommodations. However, I am getting nowhere in my internet search for contacts in Ireland who can help me organize such a trip. While I have already found out that the B&Bs in Glengarriff and Greencastle no longer exist and I have to look for other accommodation there, I am not very far for Tralee yet. I drove along the N86 with Google Street View after memory and found the B&B, which was called 'Keswick Lodge' at that time, under the following coordinates: 52.242905, -9.785964. The Tourist Information on http://www.gokerry.ie/ does not answer to inquiry on the contact page. The man who answered me for Greencastle and the hotel that answered me for Glengarriff are not responding to further emails.

Does anyone here know which tourist information is responsible for the three towns or Contys, and how to contact them, or a room agency or something? And can the one then please give me postal or mail addresses or their websites?

And then there are some organizational questions:
(1) Which airports are served internationally?

(2) Would it be possible to fly to an airport in the south, ideally Cork or Kerry, possibly Shannon.
If there is no other way, then also Dublin, and fly back from Derry or Belfast?
(Or the other way around)?

(3) We will be traveling with a rental car. Is there a possibility of a one-way rental?
Are there car rental companies that have offices in Northern and Republic of Ireland that cooperate with each other?

(4) If it is not possible to travel to and from Dublin in any other way, is it allowed to shorten the route - coming from the north - through Northern Ireland without any problems?

Any advice is welcome, first of all about Keswick Lodge on the Dingle Peninsula, secondly to optimize the trip with rental cars (one-way rental) and thirdly international flights to Ireland, whether other airports are served besides Dublin.

Thank you very much, many greetings
Andreas

Dear Andreas,

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming silver wedding anniversary! We'll be very happy to welcome you back to our green island to retrace your honeymoon. Hopefully we can help you with your questions too, so you can look forward to a well-planned romantic trip.

Airports
Depending on where you are flying from, you can plan your trip to and from five international airports in Ireland and Northern Ireland: Dublin Airport, Cork Airport, Shannon Airport, Knock Airport and Belfast Airport. 

Car rental
Check out our community post about car rental, including a link to our quick guide to vehicle rental. One-way rental between Northern Ireland and Ireland is possible, you can enquire with the different car rental companies listed.

Accommodation
Such a lovely idea, to find the places where you spent your honeymoon! I found a hotel right across from what used to be the Keswick Lodge. While it may not be possible to find the exact place where you stayed before, you can explore different cozy, romantic or even quirky places to stay all over Ireland. 

I hope I have been able to provide you with some answers and inspiration, Andreas! Please don't hesitate to let us know if you have any further questions, we are here to help you make the most of your visit. 

Enjoy the preparations for your upcoming holiday to the Emerald Isle!

Have a lovely day,
Vera

Hello Vera,

Thank you very much for your quick and friendly reply.

You are helping me very much with it. It's good to know what you explain about International Flights and One-Way-Rental.
Regarding car rental, it was always a good idea to sign the rental contract in Germany to avoid misunderstandings on site, even if the price is a bit higher.

I hope I am allowed to ask further questions? - Now and further on?

(1) Do you know what happened to Keswick Lodge? Or who/where I can ask about it? - We know that the former owners left for Scotland a short time later.

(2) An almost identical question concerns Greencastle, county Donegal.
There we spent some days in 1996 and 1997 in a  B&B named 'Tardrum Country House". Also here I drove along the streets with Google Street View after memory and found the B&B at the coordinates 55.20855617254068, -6.9691953440905205 Google street view shows an abandoned building, but it is clearly the B&B we remember fondly and where we were allowed to warm up by the fireplace in the host's living room after a cold and wet day.
Do you know what happened to the people which drove this business? Or do you know who/where I can ask?
B.t.w. - this is the tourist info which does not answer the contact form.

(3) In Glengarriff we've been to a B&B named "Cois Coille", driven by Mrs Rita Barry-Murphy, located near Eccles Hotel in direction Bantry.
Same questions ...

Thank you very much, have a nice week end!
Best regards
Andreas

Hello Andreas,

It's such a charming and romantic idea to celebrate your upcoming anniversary by visiting these familiar spots! I'm deeply touched by your dedication to revisiting these spots that meant so very much to you.

Of course, you're welcome to ask as many questions as you need to in order to make this trip as special as it can be! I'm sure that like me, others in this community would be more than happy to help however possible.

While I would love to have exact answers about what happened to each of these locations and whether visiting is still possible, those answers may not be accessible at this time. However, I do see that Vera had a wonderful idea to find spots to visit that are nearby so that you can still take in the local scenery and perhaps even stop by where these B&B's used to be. Once you're in the area, I'd recommend speaking with people in town, who may have more answers for you.

In the spirit of Vera's reply, though, I've found a lovely little spot right by where the Tardrum County House used to operate, called The Castle Inn. If I'm not mistaken, it's just a short walk from where you stayed originally.

If you want to stay at B&B's, rather than Eccles Hotel, there's another B&B right in the same area, called Island View Bed & Breakfast. It's only a five-minute walk from the hotel and should be very close to where Cois Coille used to operate.

In addition, there's a wonderful Accommodations Finder right on our website! It's a great tool for finding accommodations here in Ireland, and you can filter by location, accommodating type, and star rating. 

I sincerely hope that this helps! And if you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Kindly,
Rochelle

Hello Andreas 
Greetings from Glengarriff! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding anniversary. 
It was my mother Rita Barry Murphy that you stayed with in Coiscoille in Glengarriff.  She will be delighted to hear that you remember her, and that you plan a return visit to Glengarriff. 
My husband and I now own the property,  and unfortunately we are no longer running a B&B, however, please let us know when you are in Glengarriff and perhaps you will drop by to say hello!
Kind regards, 
Niamh

Hello Niamh,
what a surprise!
Nine months after my initial post, a reply from the very house where we lived! - I am so happy!
Thank you very much!
I would like to ask you some questions, but they would go beyond the scope of this blog thread.
If I may write to you, I would be happy to be allowed to do so by e-mail. Would you please give me
your e-mail address via [Hidden due to privacy]?
Thank you very much, best regards, have a nice weekend
Andreas

I have sent my contact details to your email 😊

This is the best thread to read on a Monday morning! 🥰

I'm delighted you found this thread Niamh, and right on time! 
It seems like your wedding anniversary will be even more special now, Andreas.

I will be looking for the stories upon your return Andreas. 😉
Let us know if you have any questions before you hit our shores, and see you soon.

Hello Elodie, hello dear friends of community Ireland dot com!

Thank you for your kind message. I will be happy to report back after our trip.

I really do have some more questions:
(1) What is the current situation with the Corona rules and regulations for entering the Republic of Ireland?
Do we have to fill something out, do we have to register somewhere beforehand? Do we have to show a paper printout or electronic screenshot or pdf-file of this form or permit? Can you direct me to a website, preferably with a link or URL where I can find information or step-by-step instructions?
(2) Is it possible to pass through Northern Ireland in transit when travelling by car from the north of the Republic to Dublin?

Thank you very much, best regards
Andreas  

Hi Andreas,

I'll be happy to answer your questions.

With regards to COVID, travelers to the island of Ireland are not currently required to show proof of vaccination, proof of recovery, or a negative PCR test result upon arrival. You can keep up to date with the latest rules on this Traveller Health Page.

Yes, it is possible to drive between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and vice-versa. I would just encourage you to ensure that you have any necessary visas for both countries.

I hope this information is helpful.

Regards,
Eoin