by Peter Scott

Created on: September 05, 2010

How to plan a trip to Ireland

Ireland is a relatively small island in the Atlantic Ocean, and relies on tourism for a substantial part of its income. Visitors are attracted for a number of reasons; the natural beauty and variety of the countryside, the diversity and cultural attractions of the larger cities, particularly Dublin, and the promised warm welcome and genuine interest of the Irish people, to name but a few. Another major reason for visiting is connection with past family, sometimes involving a genealogical search. Ireland makes for a thoroughly enjoyable and safe holiday, but many first time visitors make the same top three errors which I now list:

1. It's a tiny island, so we'll do the whole thing in a few days.

Indeed it is a small island, but it does take time and effort to travel between major centres. While the expanding motorway network helps, you don't want to spend your holiday driving around uninteresting roads and paying for the privilege (many new motorways have toll sections). The charm of an Irish driving holiday is in enjoying the lack of traffic on minor roads, following a whim and meandering with abandon! I should also mention that once off the motorway and national network ('N' roads), the average speed plummets to about 35-40mph (56-64 kph). Additionally, navigation can be somewhat challenging in rural Ireland, since signage can be variable (even with Sat-Nav it can still be confusing), so you need to allow time for all that.

2. We'll book all our accommodation in advance in case its sold out

Unless you're unlucky enough to arrive somewhere during a festival, its usually relatively easy to get accommodation in villages and towns. I would make the exception Dublin, since it can be expensive if you don't arrange in advance. Ireland (north and south) has an extensive network of 'Bed and Breakfasts' where you can get rooms in a family home. While the quality does vary (although the majority these days tend to be 'en-suite', ie, each room has its own self-contained toilet and bath or shower), they are usually acceptable to all but the fussiest traveller. You can simply knock at the door of a B&B, or go the the town's tourist office and arrange one on your arrival.

3. The Irish are great and they'll talk to you about anything

As we Irish say, you'll keep your friends for a long time if you avoid discussing religion and politics. Many people visit Ireland without having a clue about the complex history of the island. There are still people who visit and believe that the Republic of Ireland (or the "south" as it is sometimes known) is still part of the United Kingdom. We have a bloody history which has, thankfully, presently ceased, but many would-be visitors are discouraged in the mistaken belief that the 'troubles' are still continuing in Northern Ireland. Since the ceasefire, Northern Ireland is a great place to visit and generally far cheaper than the Republic.

So my final suggestion is this - do a little bit of background research on Ireland and its people, which will give you a far greater appreciation when you visit our beautiful island.

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