Our family will be visiting Ireland for Easter this year for 7 nights. Our daughter is lucky to be studying abroad in Galway and has a few days off for Easter. We have been to Ireland before, so we know a little of what we want to see. Dingle is a must, the Aran Islands, and exploring more of the Galway area. We also have relatives in Belcoo, Northern Ireland which was such a tremendously beautiful area we would like to go back again.
We will need to have accommodations for 5 people, and we are considering hiring a driver as we are very nervous about driving there.
So we are looking for any recommendations for places to stay in Dingle, possibly a car-for-hire, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, what would be suggested to do during Easter. I expect limited openings on Easter Sunday, but what about Saturday and Monday?
Any help appreciated. We can't wait to go!!
Noreen
Posted by
Alexandria, VA
771 posts
My son studied in Dublin 10 years ago and we went to visit over Easter, also. On that trip there were 4 of us. I was surprised at how much in Dublin was closed from Good Friday thru Easter. Luckily, we were also visiting friends north of Dublin, so that filled our weekend. You might consider visiting your family then, if your research shows a lot of things closed around Galway and Dingle. On the other hand, scenery doesn't close, so you may be o.k.. On other trips there were 5 of us. I did a lot of searching and for some places found lodges, not B&Bs, that had family rooms which could accommodate all of us (easier if there are more kids than young adults.) Otherwise,2 rooms in a B&B would usually do, since they frequently have a double and a twin in the room.
Driving is not so terrible. My husband got the hang of it pretty quickly and enjoys the driving-although we always get the full insurance.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you for your help. Yes, we have discovered that most attractions, restaurants, and pubs are closed on Good Friday. Still trying to sort this all out.
Posted by
Tempe, AZ, USA
1265 posts
Wynneclan5, Our family took a trip to pick up our daughter in Ireland in 2012 and when we were in Galway we stayed at the Amber Hill B&B. It met our needs quite well.
We also used the Galway Tour Company(www.galwaytourcompany.com) for day tours to the Cliffs of Moher & Burren and to Connemara & Cong. They were fantastic. Galway tour company picked us up and dropped us off at our B&B.
Posted by
TN, USA
2114 posts
For a private driver (who has a large newish van that would comfortably fit your group), contact Tony McGann of Doolin Taxi (Google to find recent contact info). We hired him for a 4-night portion of our Ireland vacation the summer before last, and we could not have been more pleased. His price was reasonable, and he took care of his own expenses when he stayed overnight.
He was very kind, punctual, anticipated our needs, had a great sense of humor, and he acted as a tour-guide of sorts (pointing out places along the way and making recommendations for our itinerary).
Tony picked us up in Shannon, drove us through Adare (with a stop at Adare Manor), then to the Rock of Cashel (wonderful to see), then down to Kinsale (where we stayed at the wonderful Old Presbytery Inn) with a look around Kinsale, then the next day we drove along the coast to the Dingle area, then thru Connor's Pass, Kenmare, a stop at an old castle, then a stop at Muckross House, then he dropped us off at Dromoland Castle for our two-day overnight. Then he collected us and dropped us off at the Cliffs of Moher (we then had a person there telephone him when we were finished visiting) and then he dropped us at our B&B in Doolin. The next morning he collected us and drove to Galway (with a few hours on our own to lunch and see the Key Street area on his recommendation), then we did a lovely drive thru the Connemera region, then he dropped us at Ashford Castle for our two-night stay. The rest of our journey, we were met by a distant cousin that I met for the first time.
When he was younger, Tony ran the McGann's Pub in Doolin, and he knows everyone, and everyone knows him. His brother moved to the US and started the famous pub of the same name in Boston. John Kerry called Tony when Tony's brother passed way to offer condolences.....the family is well known.
If you email Tony, you could also ask him about any Easter goings-on in the region.