Trip to Ireland in April

[Ray(T)]

Unless I was comparing Irish roads to those in the US, I wouldn’t call them particularly narrow, they’re no narrower than many roads in the UK. You just need to slow down!

I remember driving into Dingle one Friday evening 20 odd years ago and came across a crowd of what looked like a couple of thousand people, all over the road. There must be a football (you might know it as soccer) match on tonight, I thought. No, it was a funeral!

[Boharm]

Years ago I spend a month on the Burren, ruins and holy wells in the day, musical pubs at night. It was March and there was a warm east wind blowing over County Clare, so the windows of the pub in Doolin were open, making the blue fug from peat and tobacco swirl about. Famous for its music, which went on every night, tourists or no, the old men came to play the old tunes. It was a privilege to be there.

Through the open window we saw a huge black Mercedes (from Shannon Airport) pull up and a small man in a heavy coat got out once the chauffeur had opened his door. The Chauffeur came in, exchanged words in Irish with the publican who then spoke to the old fiddle player on the stool. Money changed hands and we all got a free pint. The newcomer sat on the stool took out his penny whistle, played a set with great skill – jig, reel and slip jig I think – then left and the big car drove away. There was talk round the bar, but it was Gaelic, so the only word I picked out was “dot com millionaire.” Someone’s bucket list.

[Ira7]

Not that difficult to find a rental car with automatic transmission (I think Enterprise usually have a fair few automatic options available for example), but ye will definitely pay alot more for one than you would for a manual transmission car.

Only some of our roads are crazy narrow - mainly the smaller rural roads known as "L" roads. Some of them are a tight squeeze if you meet another car coming from the opposite direction. The next step up would be "R" roads, which very, very occasionally can be super narrow but generally tend to be more spacious than L roads. After that you're looking at N roads, and then our motorways, which start with an M - both of which are quite spacious.

There was a time when ALL Americans drove standard, and I’m of the generation when there were equal numbers of both times on the road and I should have learned how. As the years went by, it’s come to the point where they hardly offer ANY manual transmissions in the states.

[pops1]

All my cars are manual transmissions. I prefer them.

[BillWilliams]

Cork (2nd city) is worth a visit and there are regular music sessions at the Cornerhouse pub in Coburg St. Monday nights it often features old-time/bluegrass/trad sessions with some excellent mandolin players.

[jesserules]

Irish Rail map:

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/trave...eland-rail-map

[ChrisK]

Funny, I was there last April and didn't like Doolin. I thought the people there were grasping and disrespectful, which happens when places have seen too many tourists I guess. Ennis, on the other hand, is more my kind of town - a proper working place with music, and friendly too.

[Dagger Gordon]

Funny, I was there last April and didn't like Doolin. I thought the people there were grasping and disrespectful, which happens when places have seen too many tourists I guess. Ennis, on the other hand, is more my kind of town - a proper working place with music, and friendly too.

I thought Ennis was a grand place. Lots of music. I haven't been to Doolin, but I got the impression some of the Ennis musicians sometimes play in Doolin.

[Tim Griffin]

I enjoyed it best when I stayed in Galway or Dingle. I booked a B&B with parking and stayed multiple nights and walked everywhere. Dublin is a big city. Driving on the left is tough enough but in a big city it tougher.