BootsnAll Travel Community

Looking to find some places to go in Ireland...i will be staying near the Cliffs of Moher for about 5 days...any ideas/thoughts as to where to go next? i will probably end up in Dublin for a couple of nights, but i am reluctant to go to a big city, being as i am from NY...i want to see some other types of towns...any reccomendations?

Aran Islands. They're in Galway bay, within sight of the Cliffs, in fact. (There's ferries from Doolin and Rossaveal...the Rossaveal ferry companies also arrange buses from Galway) I only went to Inis Mor, the largest and most visited of the three, but it's by far my favourite place in Ireland. I imagine the smaller, less visited two might be even better.

If you go to Inis Mor, I highly recommend the Mainister Hostel. Even if you don't stay there, make a point of going for dinner.

And make sure to bring enough money. Unless something's changed since 2004, there's no ATMs on the islands.

Galway's nice too. Certainly not a big city, but it is still a city, so in your position, it wouldn't be my first choice.

Now i dont mind being in a city or 3....i just want a more "magical" tour of Ireland is all...i was looking at limerick, killarney and galway...anything interesting around the Cork area?

If you're thinking of going to the Cork area take a look at the small town that is Cobh. It's a great mellow place with lots of history and a beautiful church on the hill overlooking the harbor.

There is an ATM on Inishmore in Kilronan. Dun Aengus is a wonderful fort in a country with lots of interesting old forts.

My top site to visit in Ireland is a day trip to the Skelligs--Skellig Michael is a hike with views not to be missed.

If you're wanting 'magical', here's my 2 cents. Galway is very pleasant, but north of Galway - area around Cong, and then the whole Connemara area, is lovely. You could do this whole drive in a day or so, starting in Galway and looping around to Rossaveal. Like others have said, Innishmore is fantastic. I took the ferry out of Rossaveal when I was there.

Maybe others could chime in, but at least driving through Limerick, it didn't strike me as 'magical' at all. Seemed more like a working town/city - more utilitarian, or something. Ennis would be another option for a larger town very close to Limerick - I stayed there one night, and it seemed kinda neat.

Killarney was ok - there's lots to see around it. However, I preferred Dingle and the entire Dingle peninsula over Killarney -- lots of small towns/villages, great views, interesting ruins and history. It ties with Innishmore as my favorite part of Ireland (well, of the parts that I saw ;-).

quote:

the whole Connemara area, is lovely.

I agree, with the exception of Clifden. I wasn't too impressed with that town.

I'll also agree about Limerick...it has its attractive bits, but definitely not magical.

Dingle is definitely better than Killarney and the Ring of Kerry, but Kerry in general seemed very commercial to me, and again, I probably wouldn't throw it in to the magical tour. I didn't make it up to Donegal, but I've heard good things about it, and will without a doubt put it into my itinerary the next time I visit.

What time of year will you be going? If anywhere between mid-June and the end of August, I wouldn't plan on staying long in Galway, either. I love the city, but after the hordes arrived, it lost some of its magic.

i will be in ireland from july 1st till the 14th...i think!
staying at the cliffs of moher for the first 5 nights, and then ?????????????no other plans...or hostels booked...just going with the flow..