For those who have traveled in Ireland the past two years or so and have stayed in B&Bs, how much difficulty did you have securing a room for one or two people? I'm hearing from one host for my upcoming trip that the pandemic has permanently shuttered many B&Bs. A few months ago, I contacted a couple of tourist offices about the effect of Covid on B&Bs, but never heard back.
The last time I was in Ireland was 2007 (and many times prior), and B&Bs were ubuquitous. We easily got a room by just knocking on a couple of doors or making two or three phone calls. Back then, over 2,000 were listed in the ITB Guidebook. Today's print version has just over 700, with an unknown number of others publicizing only on the Internet or perhaps not at all.
I'd appreciate hearing of your experiences and what you're finding on your travels.