We plan on joining our daughter in Dublin mid -December and then travelling with her before heading back to the States. We are thinking of spending 2-3 days in Dublin then renting a car and heading out to the Dingle area. This will be around Dec 20 - 23rd. We plan on flying out from Shannon Airport. Is it worth trying to sightsee the countryside during the winter time? Where do you recommend staying and had anyone flown Ryanair? My daughter will have some luggage as she will be carting more than a normal traveller since she was a student for the semester in Dublin.
Posted by
CA, USA
333 posts
All depends on the weather. We went after Christmas last year and couldn't go anywhere because every thing was snowed in. It was a rarity (worse since the 1950s) but there is likely to be a lot of ice on the roads and only the main roads will be gritted. Also a lot of the B&Bs close for the holidays so make sure you call in advance.
If your daughter has a lot of luggage Ryanair will charge a lot. Might be worth it to look at BMI or Air Lingus
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
Weather can be iffy and wet in Dec. but if this is your only visit include alittle near Shannon airport even if stormy.Skip Dingle due to weather. I was there in late spring in a storm. It was fierce but we stayed in a great B&B and read til storm abated.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Skip it in December. Daylight hours are very short at that time of year, and many areas of NW Europe experience heavy fog. Better to stay in cities in the winter.
Posted by
Adrian, MI, USA
1 posts
Go. We have been there one week earlier and hope to go for the holidays this year. No crowds. No traffic. Just lots of friend people and good crack. Fog adds to the beauty as you drive up and down in and out on the peninsula but beware the cows and sheep while driving into and around the peninsula.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9369 posts
I think Mark means "craic" (fun), not crack.
Posted by
wichita, kansas
484 posts
There is one thing you will miss in December and that is the elbow to elbow tourists.
Posted by
Anchorage, Alaska
103 posts
We spent 4 days in Ireland at about the same time last year. We flew into Cork, 2 nights in Kinsale, 1 night in Cashel and the last in Cork. It was fantastic!. Yes, the days were shorter but we were lucky and mostly missed the really bad weather (one day the roads were a bit icy and one castle, Cahir, was closed due to icy paths). We spent a rainy evening in a lovely trad pub in Cork, the last Saturday before Christmas, filled with locals and music. Kinsale was fantastic with few people we could easily wander about. Cashel was magical, in the misty rain, with practically no one else there.
I'd avoid Ryanair though, due to the bags. We flew Air Arann and were really happy with them.
I arranged all of the B & B's ahead of time and was able to get some good rates due to the season but quite a few were closed for the winter.
Have a great time!
Posted by
lansing
72 posts
I have flown both ryanair and air arann and had no problems with either. They do cahrge you to check a bag as you only get one carry on and it has to meet certain rather small size requirements.