Ireland in October

Will be cool enough at that stage, 10/12C maybe, certainly not shorts weather, it has been pretty poor this year from a weather point of view, will still be pleasant enough for moving around once you're well clothed, foliage will probably be pretty much gone by then though, dropping at the moment. Have a great time here!

Thanks for your input! We are looking forward to an amazing trip. Any must see recommendations for Dublin? Do you happen to know of any charming B&Bs in or around Dublin? Thanks again!

Here's a few things to do around Dublin Number 29, a Georgian House museum, the whole house has been furnished with original artefacts as they would have been in the period 1790 to 1820 when it was occupied by the Beatty family, well worth a visit. One to two kilometres from the city centre and Trinity College, at the corner of Merrion Square. Other stuff like Trinity College, the National Museum, Kilmainham Jail, Christchurch & St Patricks Cathedrals, most of these places are pretty close to the city centre. Not well up on B&Bs to be honest, there are a lot of cheap B&Bs/Hotels around Gardiner St but this is not the most salubrious part of Dublin. Hotel accomodation has become very cheap (certainly compared to what it was a couple of years ago) in Dublin, a couple of good cheap ones are the D4 & Mespil, the D4 is in Ballsbridge a nice area in the South side of the city. The Mespil is at Baggot St Bridge, a short stroll away from one of my favourite areas in Dublin, the Lower Baggot Street/Merrion Row strip, a good selection of real Irish pubs and a good choice of restaurants as well. Hope this helps.

Hi John, Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions. I'm sure Ireland will be everything I imagine it to be.

Ireland will be much more than you can imagine!!! John really hit on the best spots in Dublin, although I think the Jail is a little far from center of town but easy by bus, we walked from it to town and I thought it took forever, next time we took bus. The only thing I would not do again is the Guiness Brewery, thought it was too expensive and boring. You will want to go back again to Ireland, it is lovely.

Thanks Gail. Even though it may not be the ideal time of the year, and we're a bit worried about the weather, my wife and I are really looking forward to an amazing trip!

We were there in November and again in February, damp but reasonable weather, the only time we froze was inside the Kilmainhaim Gaol but we had layers on and it helped a little but not much. Where else are you going?

Just starting to put together an itinerary. We were thinking about heading to the central part of the country and then on to the west coast. Any suggestions? Is Belfast a must see? We understand that many of the trees will have dropped their leaves by this point. In your experience, will this have noticeable impact on the natural beauty of the landscape?

I haven't been to Belfast but I've heard it's a delightful city. Consider heading out to Dingle and the Dingle peninsula. You should also visit Tralee and Killarney, including the Muckross estate. It was one of my favorite (unplanned for us) stops. I don't think the lack of foliage will affect the landscape beauty. We were there in the (freezing cold) summer this year and it was gorgeous, even with the clouds and rain.

Thanks! I really appreciate the tips.

Many of your inquiries are concisely answered in Rick's book on Ireland. Loads of useful information about what to see in Ireland and Northern Ireland. How much it will cost and what is closed on what days. Also recommendations for accommodations. Personally I think you should see The Book of Kells at Trinity College, Kilmainham Jail, Powerscourt, Newgrange, Glendalough, Belfast, Titanic Museum, The Giants Causeway, Dingle, The Cliffs of Moher, Dun Aengus on the Aran Islands, Gallway, Bunratty Castle and stop along the way for a pint. Lastly, nothing affects the beauty of Eire. One of the most gorgeous places on the planet, rain, sleet or snow.

I just returned from my first trip to Ireland, and it is indeed a beautiful place. Most of the days there were partly rain, some clouds, sun, and a few days when it was quite windy. It wasn't cold though. In October it could be more chilly. But if you accept the damp, misty weather as part of the charm of Ireland, and what keeps it green everywhere, you will enjoy it. Great weather for drinking a lot of hot tea or Irish coffees, and of course Guinness offered in all the friendly pubs. Dress appropriately for rain and cool weather though!

Hi Loren. My husband and I followed the Rick Steves guide for our 2 week trip to Ireland over this past (very chilly!) summer. We absolutely loved the west coast. All of Rick's recommendations for the west coast are excellent. Dingle was a particular highlight (if you can hike up to the Eask Tower, it is well worth it!), and Galway is a fun stop, especially if you enjoy pubs and live music - many early evening options for music.

If you visit Dingle, take time to visit the Blasket Islands Center. We made an unplanned stop and spent more than two hours learning about the life of the islanders. Weather permitting, it is also possible to visit the Blasket Islands to get a hands-on understanding of the storys you hear and the exhibits you see at the Center. Some of the most enjoyable things we have done on trips to Ireland have been the unplanned stops and chats with the very outgoing locals. A comment by the hostess at a Kilkenny B&B resulted in a visit to the Nicholas Moss pottery factory just three miles down the road. A stop at a store displaying our family name led to a very enjoyable converstion about the area. A request to give a dog a pat yielded a discussion of the history of the town, and a sociology lesson aboout the relationship between the local aristocracy and the rest of the community. Ireland abounds in such wonderfully friendly people that you start to wonder if everyone works for the board of tourism. Definitely part of the charm of Ireland.

Much thanks to everyone for your willingness to share your knowledge and experiences!