Ireland

Are you aware that the Waterford Crystal factory is closed and has been moved to a new, smaller location? It is now called a "showroom" and does not have tours like the old factory did. They do show some of the carving, as I understand it (I haven't been to the new place). I can tell you that you will not find any "deals" there that are any better than anywhere else in Ireland (or the US) where you can buy Waterford Crystal. They used to have a table of pieces that were not exported, so you might find something different, but not cheap. Blarney Woollen Mills stores have nice, but pricey, knitwear. They have a number of stores.

We were just in Ireland last June for two weeks. Our tour was wonderful (Tauck tours). We did go to the Waterford Factory. You can buy the Waterford here in the U.S. for a lot less money, as was noted below. Our tour guide told us that a few years ago, he ordered four pairs of flutes (8 total). When they arrived at his house in California, they were sent from New Jersey, not Ireland. I kid you not. He paid a fortune for the insurance and the shipping, even though they originally came out of New Jersey. They charged him, as if the flutes had come from Ireland. Waterford is now owned, and has been for a long time, by an American company in the U.S. They also own Royal Doulton and another well known brand.

Thanks for your info, I think we will skip Waterford. Any other suggestions for what we can see on our way to Dingle from Dublin. Does anyone know how long it will take to drive from Dublin to Dingle?

ViaMichelin.com shows Dublin to Dingle as 4 hr 44 min. Add 25% to get a more accurate time, and you are looking at almost six hours with NO stops. You could stop at Rock of Cashel on the way, maybe stay in Kenmare, and see the Killarney national park area. Or you could continue from the Rock to Blarney for the castle and shopping, then stay someplace like Kinsale.

Thanks Nancy, we will pick from the info you gave us. We don't really have a clue what to see in Ireland in the short amount of time we have.

We drove from Dingle town to Dublin last March; with a 2 hr slight diversion to visit Rock of Cashel in Tipperary (which I most highly recommend), we took about 7 hours to reach city; main roads have improved dramatically in last 30 yrs;only down side is you miss seeing some of the smaller towns and villages unless you get off the motorway. Traffic in and around Dublin is SLOW at rush hours, so if you are driving into or out of city center, avoid rush hrs if possible. You do not need to drive a car while you are in Dublin itself; park it and take public transport. City busses service city center and suburbs very nicely, also DART and LUAS trains.

Thanks for all of the info you are all sending, it is very helpful!

Might I suggest the following points of interest to see in route to the Dingle Peninsula. First thing in morning after your arrival, leave Dublin ( you can see it and the end of your 3 days) and head off to Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains. Some of the prettiest parts of the planet to behold. From there enjoy a leisurely route (past Hollywood, yes there's a Hollywood in Eire) and onto Kilkenny. Can stop there for lunch and explore. Beleive you might find the knitwear you desire here http://www.veroniqueknitwear.com Back in the car to see Jeer Point Abbey outside of Thomastown and then onto the Rock of Cashel. From here on your way to the Dingle Peninsula. It's a long day but doable. Small island so you can see a great deal in a day if you get an early start. You can also stop along the way and find a b and b if you get tired. Just look for the brown signs along the road in front of people's homes and driveways. Enjoy Ireland. Lovely country.