My husband and I will be traveling to Ireland over St. Patrick's Day. We will be spending our first night in Galway, followed by our second night at Adare Manor, and our third night in Cork. We plan on arriving to our hotel in Dublin the night prior to St. Patrick's Day. Two questions- would a day trip to the Aran Islands be worth the day spent seeing as we only have a few days outside Dublin? And second, do we need to be aware of any closings of attractions or other amenities over the week of the St. Patrick's Day (how many days can we expect for things to be closed?). Thanks for your help!
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
The Aran Islands are well worth visiting, but you kind of have to play it by ear. Weather or rough water (even if it seems OK to you) can sometimes cause the ferry not to sail. April can still be quite chilly, rainy, or windy. Have an alternative plan in case the weather doesn't allow you to go.
Posted by
Goleen, Co Cork, Ireland
69 posts
Hi. Not much really closes except the banks and schools. The Monday will be counted as a holiday since it falls on a Sunday this year. It'll be a bit crowded in Dublin but I'm sure it'll be great fun. Enjoy!
Posted by
OP
St. Louis, MO
7 posts
Thank you both very much!
Posted by
Carrollton, Texas, USA
81 posts
We were in Dublin St. Patrick's Day 2010. Trinity College, Christ Church and St. Patrick's were closed. The best place to watch the parade is at the start area. AND yes you are packed in elbow to elbow. But it was great to be from Dallas, Texas and interviewed by the local Channel 3 news teams!
Posted by
Texas
144 posts
spent St. Patrick's day 2011 in Dublin. Parade was fun, packed with people, but not rude or pushy people. The parades have a different theme and vibe than a macy thanksgiving or christmas parade here in the states, but good altogether. I actually was surprised to see not much drinking on the streets, but the pubs and bars were packed and fun!
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
If you did not know already, 2013 is the year of "The Gathering" in Ireland so expect to see more special events. http://www.ireland.com/en-gb/events/articles/the-gathering-ireland?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand