St. Patrick's Day Dublin

Don't do it unless you are especially fond of crowds, public intoxication, full hotels, expensive flights and being surrounded by lots of Americans. The week after is an excellent time for a visit.

Thank you for the tip. I figured that was probably what the case was. Didn't know if it was one of those things I should do once in my life. I am a teacher and our spring break falls during that week so it was just a thought. I can handle some crowds and some drunken fools, but probably not to the exttreme it will be that week.

If you want to go to Ireland at that time of year, why not see the west coast instead of Dublin? They celebrate St Patrick's Day all over, and some of the smaller towns have wonderful parades and festivals then.

Nancy, We also are planning a trip in March and were thinking to not be in Dublin over St. Patrick's Day. What smaller towns or villages have good traditional music, parades and festivals then? This will be our second trip, our first was very short (3 days in Kinsale, Cork and Cashel) and we loved it!

I used to live in Baton Rouge and people would want to come see us to go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The last thing I'd want to do is to go into the mess of Mardi Gras in New Orleans without being invited to a private party outside of the street riots. I imagine that St Paddy's Day is probably a similar, if not more polite, version of a drunken street riot. Unless I had first had intelligence of the scene and an invite to to stay, I'd avoid Dublin and any major population center. I will say Baton Rouge and a number of smaller cities had wonderful Mardi Gras parades and activities. The suggestion to go to Western Ireland may be a good suggestion. Personally, I'd still wait until May and get a higher probability of better weather.

My husband and I were in Dublin on St Patrick's Day this year. I also work for a school district and hence the trip that time of year. We booked a B&B on the bus line and took the bus into town for the parade. Our host told us exactly where to go to stand at the start of the parade. Since we had just landed in Dublin that morning, we knew by 3 or 4 pm we would be very tired, and would not want to stay into the evening. The crowds were not nearly as large where we stood, as the ones we walked through trying to find somewhere to get a bite to eat after it was over. We were not prepared for streets to be totally shut down in ceratin directions after the parade, nor for the bars to be selling drinks only and no food, when we were famished. We still enjoyed the parade. It was not at all what we expected....very festive but very different. We are still glad we went, but would probably do a parade in the West if we are ever back at that time of year.