To my Irish friends,

If I were able to get to Dublin for a weekend (or long weekend) in March, where should I go and where should I stay?

I'll be with my daughter in France for a few weeks, and can probably get a cheap fare to Dublin if I don't wait too long.

Thanks in advance,

Bill

Hi Bill

Lots of things to do in Dublin

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ireland/dublin/things-to-do

will give you a few ideas,

Don't forget St Patrick's day is on the 17th March and Dublin will be filled with tourist's around that time.

I live in Dublin and would be more than glad to show you around.

PM me if you want more information.

At the risk of butting in here Paul - Bill has to see the Book of Kells and Trinity Library at the very least. Does down south have the equivalent of Groupon? That might help with accommodation bills. Depending on how long Bill will be here, how about Newgrange? If that will fly I could meet you there.

Thanks for the info.

I might try to get a ticket coming in to Dublin on Fri 20 March, departing on Mon 23 so I would have the whole weekend available. Will that fly?

Bill

Book of Kells is a must see. Its in Trinity College as Dai said and there are so many places you are spoiled for choice. Look up www.groupon.com which was where we got our cheap deal for Northern Ireland. We might even have a meet up in March!! Now that would be good.

Christchurch, St Patricks Cathedral are near Burdocks where the fish and chips are legendary. You take them over to Iveagh Gardens and eat al fresco, beside St Patricks Cathedral.

There are numerous hotels in Dublin, an excellent and very inexpensive coach service from the airport to most of the country or straight into Dublin.

Watch too for rugby weekends in Dublin. If ireland are playing away you are ok, if not it gets busy. If budget is no object and you have lots of air miles the Shelbourne Hotel is THE place to go. Stephens Green outaide the door and all the good places walking distance. You won't need a car, public transport is good and parking is not so good. Unless you go to Newgrange which is awesome if you like megalithic tombs. Belfast is a very easy day trip from Dublin, no more than 2 hours. Also a lovely city and its a lovely train ride. In Dublin go see Guinness Storehouse. . . In Belfast go to The Titanic Experience.

Bewleys Hotel at Sandyford is good as its on Luas commuter line. So is Royal Marine at Dun Laoghaire. Both very easy to get to city centre but you can't beat staying in the city centre if its a short break. The Clarence Hotel is owned by U2 and is excellent but not cheap for us. Mespil Hotel is also good, just a slightly longer walk.

Would be nice to meet up!!

Check up with us before booking hotel. Ringfad is in Dublin and I grew up there.

Superstitious? You don't fly on Friday 13th!

We seem to have an Irish Eccentrics get together in March. . Would that be on 21st??

Just check there is no home rugby that weekend.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:


Just check there is no home rugby that weekend.

Ireland playing away that weekend and it's After St. Patrick's so the tourists should have thinned out.

Check out Bewley's Hotels & Jury's Inns for value. Sometimes their offering are very competative.

I agree on the Trinity Library and book of Kells. There are many bus tours which offer "hop on hop off" guides to the city centre and all of its history. It's easy to get around and compact once you're in the centre.

Don't see why we couldn't move St Pat's get together back a week for such a momentous occasion.
We did Newgrange the year before last and it's well worth the visit.
I'm sure we could rustle up a helmet and some riding gear for Bill and find him a seat to sit on.
Another week might make it a bit warmer, too.
Remember driving down to Drogheda at around 0° that year.
Did rise to a steamy 10°C during the day.

He he.

Breakfast and an Eccentrics outing.

A scenic train ride for a pick up. . .maybe to Gorey on what is the most scenic train route in Ireland (subject to train times). Then across the Wicklow mountains to Stradbally Fayre . . . .or pick up at Dublin and piggyback to Stradbally Fayre. . .

Or land in the real capital (Cork), one night there, then piggyback to Stradbally with some Corkonians, outing and on to Dublin on Saturday evening.

Jurys Inn Christchurch is good too. . . .

Careful Bill those Irish guys will fill you full of Guinness and you'll never get out of the place.

RicK G wrote:Careful Bill those Irish guys will fill you full of Guinness and you'll never get out of the place.

They might be sick enough of me to drag me to the plane to get rid of me!

To the Irish Eccentrics

The deed is done, the trigger is pulled. I arrive at Dublin airport at 12:50pm Friday 20 March and leave at 1:20pm on Monday 23 March.

Thanks for the info so far.

With the silly season hard upon us, I'll leave any more detail planning till Jan - Feb, but I'm hoping to meet an Irish Eccentric or two in March, having read and enjoyed so many posts.

Regards,

Bill

Bill - looking forward to seeing you!

So how do we do this?

So much to do and so little time.......

Getting to Dublin from airport there is an excellent coach service just outside the terminal building every 15 minutes, journey time about 20 minutes .....you will have yoyos I mean euros € from France so no currency problems or book on line €6. http://www.aircoach.ie/timetables

A suggestion.......

We make the more usual K outing a day wandering in Dublin on an open top bus..? Or we arrange for Bill to ride with us..? and go to Newgrange...? I know us poor Corkonians will have a bit more to go to Newgrange but the total miles for the day will be much as usual.

Bill can do the cultural stuff in Dublin on Sunday and Monday morning, most shops are open Sundays too including shopping centres.

Book of Kells:
Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday 09:30 - 17:00
Sunday (May - September) 09:30 - 16:30
Sunday (October - April) 12:00 - 16:30

Within a walk of Trinity College, all in same area,
National Gallery, also good for lunch open Sunday. http://www.nationalgallery.ie Free entry
National Museum. http://www.museum.ie Free entry
National Library. http://www.nli.ie Free entry but reading rooms not open Sunday.
Guinness Storehouse http://www.guinness-storehouse.com Book on line cheaper
St Stephens Green is an oasis of a park in the centre.
Christchurch is a must  http://christchurchcathedral.ie If you like choral services on Sundays 11am Sung Eucharist and 15.30hrs Sung Evensong are not to be missed.
Chester Beatty Library [its also a fantastic museum] and Dublin Castle. http://www.cbl.ie Free entry, open Sunday.

National Concert Hall: nothing decent on. www.nch.ie
Read more: http://www.tourist-information-dublin.co.uk/the-book-of-kells.htm#ixzz3M0GXyEwu

You would have option of heading to Book of Kells Monday morning as it is very near getting Aercoach to Dublin airport. http://www.aircoach.ie/timetables

Hi Bill Welcome 

Pat

RicK G wrote:Careful Bill those Irish guys will fill you full of Guinness and you'll never get out of the place.

Bill will be on his flight back on March 23rd. He just hasn't specified which year.....

Plenty of time for organising whatever we will be doing.

Bill, have a look at hotels. One that's not bad is Jury's Inn at Christchurch, often stayed there,  which you can search on ebookers, trivago or whatever. Its a decent budget hotel but its across the street from Christchurch, very near St Patricks Cathedral and Burdocks http://leoburdock.com, a short distance from Guinness Storehouse. A walk along the River Liffey quays to OConnell Bridge.

Let us know what your hotel budget is as there are others such as the Burlington [aircoach stops here] Mespil Hotel [near Burlington], Westbury is 5 star.

A really good value but decent guest house at Leeson St Bridge which I have often used as it has parking http://www.leesonbridgedublin.net and won't break the bank. I use it on business as its much less informal than an hotel but doesn't do dinner etc. Step outside and you have the canal, endless good value restaurants of all price ranges so you will eat well, aircoach stops outside the door. Its about a 15 minute walk from there to Christchurch but taxis are plentiful and there are these cycle rickshaws too which are fun. Don't book the single room though.....I have been in it, its fine but its small.

Take a few minutes with google earth and streetview.

As I said, if you have airmiles to spare go for the Shelbourne.......ask Born Again Eccentric about it.

Having said I'll leave other arrangements till later, I reneged, followed Olaf's advice and booked for Jury's Inn, Christchurch. A bit beyond what I usually spend, but since I'm only there a short time, the convenience of location seems worthwhile.
Its all happening.

Bill

Bill

Did you go through one of the websites or direct? I found it earlier for about €60 per night. The only cheaper one was Leeson St Bridge House.

Depending on how you are doing from the airport you can go from aircoach along Dame St and it will take you past Dublin Castle. You will be near where Handel's Messiah was first performed.

Give some thought to the Saturday too. Or wait until nearer the time so we can see how the weather gods are treating us.

indian036 wrote:Having said I'll leave other arrangements till later, I reneged, followed Olaf's advice and booked for Jury's Inn, Christchurch. A bit beyond what I usually spend, but since I'm only there a short time, the convenience of location seems worthwhile.
Its all happening.

Bill

Bill

That was fast off the mark. I was doing some research and you should look through this website as an example   http://www.booking.com

The links for booking.com throw up some very convenient options.

Let us know what you booked because the direct website can be expensive. When I looked it was €477 for the 3 nights which is well above what I would be going but some alternatives are around €275 without being inconvenient. Guest house options go from about €225

Olaf.

Had a chat with 88KE this afternoon.

An option on Saturday is we organise some bike gear and you join us for the run down to Stradbally for about 9.30am, breakfast, a run taking in some of Wicklow, Carlow and a lunch stop then head up east coast back to Dublin in time for the evening.

I am sure we will be able to organise some bike gear 
......weather can be variable, from snow to glorious sunshine.

We might need to know some sizes.....

I better not show Bill the highlights of Dublin on Friday night - Saturday might be a problem

We can always put him in the trailer. . .

Dear Irish Eccentrics all,


Olaf, my booking for Jury's Inn was through booking.com, though I can cancel without penalty. It wasn't as cheap as the alternative prices you mentioned, but reasonable for a central location compared to other prices I have paid in multiple visits to Europe. (Thats what having a daughter married to a nice French man does to you!)

It would be my delight to return the favour for any Irish K rider who comes anywhere near my part of Australia (between Sydney and Canberra). In particular, a private cruise (my boat) on the stunning waterway that is Sydney Harbour is a regular when I have foreign visitors - weather permitting.

Regards and best wishes for Christmas,

Bill

That's good news on the hotel. We might have a little look. Will chat to Simon (Ringfad)

'Eire' kind of fell into retirement. We don't use it here, it was essentially political to define the part of Ireland that was not part of the UK. We tend to refer to the entire of the island now, there are no longer border posts of any kind and we travel the entire of the island.

Now sailing in Sydney Harbour could appeal to me. My friend here has a Halleberg Rassy, we enjoy some nice outings. Cork Harbour has the oldest yacht club in the world and is a very important sailing centre, the natural harbour is one of the biggest in Europe. Done some most memorable trips, western Isles of Scotland, Spain and of course coastal cruising in south west Ireland is awesome. I don't like the flying bit but I do know a few who would be on for a boat swap!!! Lots of charters available here and of course we are just a days sail from north west France. . .

See how you feel about travelling on the Saturday. Will suggested Wicklow and Carlow and places you wouldn't get to. In the right weather they are fantastic. We dont plan out to the last detail because of weather so there is usually a plan B.

Will be good to see you too!!

I saw the trailer out on Sunday but some fat white haired guy in a red suit was sitting in it and he didn't look like he was planning on vacating it any time soon.

Hope Christmas down under is good for you too!!

Depending which side of the border you are, you're either Down South or Up North, even if Down South is north of Up North...

So how does an Armagh man go to Donegal? He travels 'down south' and heads for the north pole.

I had relatives in County Monaghan and we lived in Dublin. To visit we went 'down the couintry'. If we went to England we went to the mainland.

Then there's the Freestate, too.
Of course, you always go up to Donegal because it's part of Ulster.
Complicated, ain't it. 

It's part of Ulster but not part of the six Counties of Ulster. Now that really ought to confuse a foreigner Comberjohn 

indian036 wrote:
It would be my delight to return the favour for any Irish K rider who comes anywhere near my part of Australia (between Sydney and Canberra). In particular, a private cruise (my boat) on the stunning waterway that is Sydney Harbour is a regular when I have foreign visitors - weather permitting.

For those who were thinking in terms of sail, sorry to disappoint you. My 12' catamaran would be a very damp ride on the harbour. 
The boat I use for that purpose is a 5m 90HP outboard bowrider. Space for 4 passengers plus driver while the cat would be low in the water with two up. 
Bill

PS. This foreigner is very confused - about as confused as I was when I read an account of the distinction between Holland and the Netherlands.

Bill. reading this thread...you NEED to go to the Emerald Isle for at least 2 weeks!! Not a weekend. So much to do and see and so little time.

Also, Irish OutOfCentres, Bill's welcome to Aus also extends up this way to the Hunter Valley, about 100m N of Sydney.

Have a great Christmas and New Year, you blokes!!

Rickmeister.

Rickmeister wrote:Bill. reading this thread...you NEED to go to the Emerald Isle for at least 2 weeks!! Not a weekend. So much to do and see and so little time.

On the agenda Rick, but my main purpose for OS this time is my daughter and the new grandchild. Will take the suggestion at a later stage. 

Bill

PS. This foreigner is very confused - about as confused as I was when I read an account of the distinction between Holland and the Netherlands.

No need to worry about that. Sure its like Australia and New Zealand. Or USA and Canada. What's the difference? Get it wrong and they will let you know for sure.

I am a lover of sail power and the idea of a 12 foot catamaran across Sydney Harbour is more in my preference. Weather permitting of course. I am not large so two up in a nice 5-6 might be the berries. I remember my first  [and only] sail in a Laser after considering one. Did good, it took off and we were doing nicely, but being unused to centreboards and such like when the wind came disaster struck....I still remember the backward somersault off the back end as the boat sailed away from me, a perfect upside down view.

Now you just reminded my that Corkboy acquired a catamaran on our recent Norn Iron trip and we have this huge harbour in Cork.......think it was Hobie 18......his house backs onto the water.......try it and you wont forget it. Its especially suited to Harley riders.

Over here we say your haven't enjoyed sailing until you have explored Cork harbour and West Cork.

Cork Harbour (Irish: Cuan Chorcaí)^[1] is a natural harbour and river estuary at the mouth of the River Lee in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of several which lay claim to the title of "second largest natural harbour in the world by navigational area" (after Port Jackson, Sydney).


Just remembered this is a bike forum.

Anyway, you can become a more frequent visitor. Don't try to go round the country in 2 weeks. Go slow and smell the roses and feel the rain wind.

(Takes long, slow, careful aim at the Aussies and prepares to duck rapidly) Port Jackson is not the largest natural harbour in the world - Poole in Dorset is and I know, 'coz I lived there! Although Sydney Harbour has more coastline - 104 miles vs 98 IIRC - it's no longer 'natural' because of all the port work that has been done.

Dai, never having done the research, I am happy to accept the size comparison re harbours, but I stand by my statement about "the stunning waterway that is Sydney Harbour".

Olaf, when you come, the cat will be available, no problem.
I also sailed a Laser once. I was on the safety boat at a sailing club, and the Laser sailor managed to totally invert it. After she was picked up by another boat, I was asked to right it and sail it to shore. I got it upright, then a further 90 degrees over, then back upright again - all without getting wet. I sailed it back to shore, and then kicked myself for not taking the scenic route and having a bit more sailing time on it.

Re confusion, the Kiwis also show considerable confusion when they describe Australia as the 'West Island', though in parts of Sydney that view is understandable!

Whoops, also just remembered that this is a bike forum.

Bill

Well my first experience in a Laser was as a teenager in Port Moresby harbour. 

My neighbours had a nautical bent and I used to tag along.  I very distinctly remember sailing over the silhouette of the upper wing of a sunken PBY Catalina sitting on the harbour floor.  There were a number sitting there that the Japs came along one day and used as target practice back in '42. 

As sailing was not in my blood I moved onto motorcycles, which were a far more attractive option for a teenager. 

So, hopefully I have this thread back onto motorcycles. 

TacKler wrote:Well my first experience in a Laser was as a teenager in Port Moresby harbour. 

My neighbours had a nautical bent and I used to tag along.  I very distinctly remember sailing over the silhouette of the upper wing of a sunken PBY Catalina sitting on the harbour floor.  There were a number sitting there that the Japs came along one day and used as target practice back in '42. 

As sailing was not in my blood I moved onto motorcycles, which were a far more attractive option for a teenager. 

So, hopefully I have this thread back onto motorcycles. 

Who says the two don't mix. And what about the Flying Fifteens...? A few good guys from up here went to NZ in the late 80s......I had the misfortune to mix motorcycles hang gliders and sailing at the same time......

Introducing Hover K100.....

https://www.k100-forum.com/t4463-the-k-with-no-wheels