26 Comments

• Helen Ferone | Sep 14, 2012, 05:33 PM EDT

  I absolutely love Ireland and its people. Going back for the 13th time in Dec. and can't wait. I fly into Shannon, and have gone to Clare, Galway (Clifden area), Kerry, and Donegal. I criss-cossed into No. Ireland and saw some beautiful villages. Ireland had a day of mourning where everything was closed after 9/11. Our own country didn't have that. Shame!

• Helen Ferone | Sep 14, 2012, 05:25 PM EDT

  I always tip a bartender in Ireland even though its not expected.

• dwilson94 | Oct 18, 2011, 12:33 PM EDT

  There are alot of American tourists that give all the rest of us a bad name, we're not all like that. I have to admit that I left tips in the pub though.

• GRIFHEALY | Oct 09, 2011, 07:54 PM EDT

  Be very careful of Cars for Hire of Rent-a-cars. They add on hundreds of Euros if you are not careful. And they are usually franchises, so there is no joy in calling Hertz or Avis,etc.

• Mairin67 | Oct 09, 2011, 03:00 PM EDT

  You don't really have to preface a county name by saying the word county....People get that if you say Mayo or Clare or Donegal you mean the counties. Saying 'County' is always a dead give away to me.

• Deidra47 | Oct 09, 2011, 02:34 PM EDT

  I learned the hard way about the weather. Wasn't suppose to be but one day of VERY high winds and cold rain/one day of it being cold like winter. And driving.....there aren't house numbers and street signs. And driving through the country side....signs are often turned by the kids as the Irish warned us. But still a most beautiful country to visit.

• irishdad404 | Oct 09, 2011, 12:02 PM EDT

  My biggest mistake as a tourist in Ireland? Coming Home!

• pilib04 | Oct 09, 2011, 08:51 AM EDT

  Bank of Ireland has many crazy rules. Best to avoid whenever possible. Not just 100 dollar bills, but also travelers cheques. There is usually an optional bank to choose from. Graydon is correct about Crossmaglen, not to be missed. Stop in at Murtaghs off the square.

• pilib04 | Oct 09, 2011, 08:48 AM EDT

  Don't tip the bartender? Hmmm.

• GraydonWilson | Oct 09, 2011, 08:29 AM EDT

  @ GeorgeDillon --- Dublin is good. It's cosmopolitan, has great museums, music, history, all that. But you have to get out of Dublin. Go west. County Donegal. Ennis in County Clare. The Dingle peninsula. The west of County Cork. So much more, too. And, like JBeePhotography says, the north of Ireland is lovely, from Derry to the northeastern coast of County Antrim down to Crossmaglen. Not to be missed.

• GraydonWilson | Oct 09, 2011, 08:13 AM EDT

  @ MotherIrish --- "both Irelands"??? Did you mean Dublin and the West? Surely you didn't mean the north of Ireland and the Republic. While what eiregirl and Nicoletta say is correct, there nonetheless is a strong (albeit complicated) sentiment favoring the reunification of Ireland. English government is alright, but it belongs in England.

• stmungo | Oct 08, 2011, 05:23 PM EDT

  I was in Ireland last year. Drove from Dublin to Letterkenny. Used my IPad for navigating. Worked great. Just take snapshot of each section of the trip & store on IPad.

• MotherIrish | Oct 08, 2011, 03:31 PM EDT

  JimmyM - same goes for Cokes & for heavens sake, don't ask for iced tea. Just is not going to happen unless you get a large glass of ice only and a pot of tea and make your own. Change about 100 Euros at an airport ATM to get you around the first day then ATM from then on. Have a Credit Union in the States that uses Cirrus and you get really cheap fees on the ATM. We found lots of then around. Same for Pounds Sterling. Folks in both Irelands were really neat folks but I have to agree the N.I.'s were nicer and a lot fewer 'foreigners'. Holiday Inn Express in Dublin near airport was ALL Europeans and Asians - not one local did we meet there. Trust the Garmin GPS. May seem like you are going in circles but it is the lay of the land not the GPS. What ever you do, take the low road and not the high road. In other words, stay off the main freeways and take the byways. We found so many great things on the 'low' road. And enjoy!!!

• GeorgeDillon | Oct 08, 2011, 02:51 PM EDT

  Many parts of the North feel more Irish do do many parts of the South. Plus they've had a pretty normal rate of immigration there, not like the South where there are often more foreigners than Irish. Downtown Dublin is now maybe four to one foreign migrants over Irish.

• Conchubar | Oct 08, 2011, 12:52 PM EDT

  Don't know if its still valid, but I took $100 bills to the Bank of Ireland to exchange and they refused to take them (they wouldn't accept anything larger than a $50). Wound up having to exchange them at the hotel desk and they would only take two per day.

• CathyJo | Oct 08, 2011, 12:29 PM EDT

  Don't try to do too much--if you rush around trying to see all Ireland in a few days, you won't really see any of it.

• JBeePhotography | Oct 08, 2011, 12:11 PM EDT

  rosks304 Come on now really? I went to Northern Ireland for two weeks and I'm still alive. How false is your statement! Honestly found The North friendlier than the south was. I'm on my way back for three weeks next time UP NORTH , I felt safer staying in the North than in my own country! and that's including the states!

• carrickcourt | Oct 08, 2011, 11:36 AM EDT

  My late Irish grandfather Jack described the place he was from in Ireland (Magheracloone) as being between Kingscourt in Co. Cavan and Carrickmacross in Co. Monaghan. That is good Irish directions.

• carrickcourt | Oct 08, 2011, 11:30 AM EDT

  GPS? Hey get some good old fashioned maps like the Ordnance Survey Ireland Discovery series maps for specific areas one might want to visit in Ireland. The Discovery Series maps are so detailed they have the ruins of where my Irish ancestors were born in Cos. Cavan and Monaghan. All the lanes and roads in the country are on the Discovery Series maps. Yes, most lanes and roads in the country in Ireland are not labeled with names. Local roads in Ireland might have a place noted if you are lucky. Local folk in Ireland seem not to have a clue about maps. I have gotten the best directions by local folk in Ireland given by using local land marks. Frankly Northern Ireland roads are much better marked then roads in the Republic of Ireland. Have a good sense of places in Ireland over numbers and direction (east, west)in Ireland to find where you want to go.

• citizen69 | Oct 08, 2011, 11:29 AM EDT

  Rosks304: you're a fricking idiot!

• erieshark | Oct 08, 2011, 10:54 AM EDT

  Don't tip the bartender? Really? We always do, and it always seems appreciated.

• Nicoletta | Oct 08, 2011, 10:32 AM EDT

  Good point Eiregirl. Most Irish people have family members living and working in the UK and many have lived/worked there for a time themselves.

• JimmieM | Oct 08, 2011, 10:14 AM EDT

  I might add for Americans anyway don't ask for a coffee refill unless you expect to buy another cup....refills ain't free

• rosks304 | Oct 08, 2011, 10:02 AM EDT

  Also Do Not Go to Northern Ireland under any circumstances,they Murder family-pets there,ask the family of Lennox.Northern Ireland is an Evil Destination.

• starwatts | Oct 08, 2011, 10:01 AM EDT

  We still always tipped, and the staff in bars appreciated it. Also, don't try to scribble out all but the last 4 numbers on credit card reciepts like we do here, they have a fit. Never ever, dump old coffee, pop, etc on the concrete so you can toss the cup on the floor of the back seat til you find a trash can. Try to always buy your treasures at the mom and pop type shops, it's more fun, sometimes a better deal, especially if paying cash. Can't wait to go back, may not come home!:)

• eiregirl | Oct 08, 2011, 09:41 AM EDT

  Two more, don't claim to think that all Irish people hate the English. It's ignorant and not funny. Don't compare what goes on in the US to happenings in Ireland. Ireland is similiar in maybe respects to Maine, a state you never hear much about. But do have fun looking for the crock of gold left behind when the Celtic Tigar ate the leprechauns.