Tom's Quick Guide to Ireland

Planning to visit Ireland? Glad to hear it!

The good (or bad) thing about the Irish weather is that it can rain just about any time of the year - so you're as likely to see good weather in spring as you are in summer. April/May is probably an ideal time to visit - it will definitely be mild and the evenings will be long.

First port of call would probably be Dublin, which is definitely worth a few days. I don't know if you plan to hire a car at any stage, but I definiely wouldn't for a few days in Dublin. Bit traffic choked, with parking at a premium. With regards to somewhere to stay, I would suggest Bewleys Hotel in Ballsbridge. Most hotels in Ireland still charge 'per person sharing', but Bewleys is 109 euro per room every night - and the rooms take three people. Nice location. Plus the Aircoach from Dublin Airport stops outside the hotel, so it should make the arrival less stressful.

Some place to eats here: Dublin Restaurant Guide - for an unusual, cheap, but nourishing dining experience I would suggest a vist to Wagamama.

Outside of Dublin, it depends on how much time you have and how much travelling you intend to do. Most people head straight to the West coast, and I wouldn't dissuade you from doing the same. The coast stretches from Cork/Kerry in the South, up to Donegal. Kerry (with the Lakes of Killarney) is probably the typical postcard view of Ireland. It can get fairly crowded with tourists though, and is fairly expensive. Galway, further up the coast, is my home town and is definitely worth a visit. It is without doubt the liveliest city in Ireland, and also the gateway to the spectacular scenery of Connemara (spectacular at least when you get past all the housing that ribbons along the roadway) and also the Aran Islands.


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