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Upcoming Ireland trip -- need help with what to wear & do

Sheila

Veteran

This is a 20-day trip with my husband and another couple, totally self-directed. Leaving late February, returning pre-St. Patrick's Day. Our plan is for 5-6 days in Belfast, 7 days in Dublin, 6 days in Dingle where we're staying in a private home on the peninsula.

What I think I know: it will be chilly, windy, rainy. We'll be driving and taking trains, walking a LOT. Seeing a couple of plays, going to museums, soaking up all the local flavor as much as possible.

What would YOU pack for a trip like this? Think more casual than formal...anybody out there with some ideas? Or have you traveled in these areas? Thanks in advance for your help. Oh, and a smallish, high-functioning wardrobe, of course!

Any ideas for must-see things you've done or always dreamed of doing in Ireland? SHOPPING in Ireland???

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from Freckles

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burren

Seriously on of the most amazing places ever. They sell a map that shows all the little roads. My father and I found some of the lesser known portal tombs. I wore skinnies and Tsubo sneakers.

For shopping if you are near Donegal, go here

https://mageeireland.worldsecu.....negal.html

I have a hand loomed Donegal Tweed jacket from there.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I would wear on the plane a pair of tall, flat-to-low-heeled weatherproof boots. I would bring a pair of comfortably low-heeled yet slightly dressier looking booties or perhaps oxfords if that is more your thing. I would also probably bring an athletic type shoe if possible. It's great to be able to alternate footwear and especially in wet weather you might want to change shoes.

I'd have a great trench coat and probably a rainproof jacket as well, plus an umbrella.

Skinny jeans and/ or pants to tuck into those boots (or wear with the other footwear).

Wool and/or cashmere sweaters (but you can buy there, too!)

Layers.

I would also want a jersey or ponte skirt or dress (or two) for the museum going/ plays/ restaurants. Because I am me, I would certainly bring some sort of blazer, preferably one that could be worn with trousers and dresses alike.

Scarves.

A good camera!

It sounds like a wonderful trip!

Sheila

Veteran

Anna - the information you shared is extremely interesting to me...I'm going to share it with my husband and our travel friends. We are all kind of nerdy and really love to discover and explore natural sites, so if Burren is anywhere near where we are going, we will definitely check it out.

Suz - you are such a dear to detail a travel wardrobe plan. What you outlined is right on the money with my own thinking, though I don't own a blazer and tend to wear trousers rather than skirts when going to a play. But everything else sounds spot on. Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom with me. I am hoping to keep my luggage to one suitcase, which is the hardest part of preparing for this trip!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

If you don't need any dresses or skirts then packing is easier. Sounds as if you are well on your way to a good plan.

Inge

(website)

How exciting, Sheila!
I've only been to Dublin, and absolutely loved it. The city centre is actually quite compact, so you'll be able to see a lot in a short time. It's a really lovely city, and very walkable.

I would personally opt for a real Winter coat instead of a trench. February/early March is still Winter in Northern Europe, and a trench wouldn't be warm enough for me. Suz has excellent suggestions for footwear and layering. If you like ponte knit pants, you could also bring a pair of those (like the Gap Real Skinny Pants - they're great to wear with oxfords, booties and knee-high boots). Perhaps a (p)leather jacket as an extra layering piece?

Inge

(website)

Aside from the well-known sights, a few more ideas for Dublin:
- There are excellent bookshops, fun to browse.
- Morning market where you can taste fresh oysters (with Guinness if you like).
- Afternoon tea at one of the larger hotels.
- Malahide Castle with the beautiful grounds and garden
http://www.visitdublin.com/Ass.....ide_Castle
- Nice walks from Dublin to the nearby villages along the coastal road (beautiful views over the sea, at low tide you can do beach walks too).
- Dún Laoghaire with its Victorian pier.
http://www.dunlaoghaire.ie/dun-laoghaire-pier/

Have a marvelous trip!!

Mochi

Veteran

I was there right around that time. It is definitely a little balmier than the Northeast here, but you do need a warm coat that you can wear in the rain as well.

People dressed casually, and particularly if you're going to places like the Burren you need rugged wear stuff and good walking shoes. Other than that, I couldn't say, not knowing much about your itinerary (where you're eating, plans at night, etc) but basically it's not a place where I saw people really dressed up, even in Dublin.

If you're going to have a car, I envy you. We spent time in Galway and took some day tours in the area by bus, but would have loved exploring the coast north of Galway a lot. Also we didnt make the trip to Aran Island from Galway but heard that that's interesting too.

We were in Belfast for a few nights and enjoyed it. However, unless you have specific reasons for being there 5-6 days, I wonder if that's more time than you need there.

I loved Ireland. Enjoy your trip!

Traci

Veteran

Dublin is a very casual city. Even at the theater no one was really decked out. Jeans, comfy walking shoes that can handle cobblestone streets, layers, boots and rain gear are my suggestions.

While in Dublin, take the train to Howthe. It's this wonderful village that juts out into the Irish Sea. You can hike around the cliffs and see the most amazing views.

We also really enjoyed the prehistoric monuments. NewGrange was simply amazing.

Keep your itinerary very flexible. I tried to plan so much, but when we got there we found that the internet really didn't tell the whole story. It was a change of pace for us. We're used to everything having hours of operation and instructions online. We lucked out a couple of times to be chatting with locals telling them of our plans to be told "Oh no! The castle is only open on Tuesdays. You can't get in today!"

Which brings me to....Ireland was the friendliest place I've ever been. I miss it on a regular basis.

Mochi

Veteran

Oh, I almost forgot to say that if you like plays, go see something at the Abbey Theatre. It doesn't matter what. Their productions are amazing.

http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/

Mander

(website)

Veteran

I've been dying to go to Newgrange ever since I moved to the British Isles: http://www.newgrange.com/

Very interesting for a prehistorian like me!

There's also Giant's Causeway, a nifty geological formation, but I think it's probably a bit out of the way for your trip: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%27s_Causeway

If you do go out hiking at all, I would assume that you will get muddy and wet. One of those folding raincoats with a hood would be handy, and maybe even waterproof over-trousers if you are going to do full days of wandering out in the fields.

Mochi

Veteran

Giant's Causeway would be a very doable daytrip from Belfast, Mander. Been there; it's very cool.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

OMG Sheila, you'll LOVE Ireland... the Irish are the kindest and nicest people on the planet and the country is just too beautiful. There is something in the light there that I haven't seen anywhere else and for me even the gloomiest of days is beautiful in Ireland!

Pack comfortable shoes, plenty of layers and water/windproof overcoat. If you have the hooded one even better, as umbrellas will simply be useless.

Cameras, battery chargers

As for places, I haven't been to Northern Ireland but we've travelled up and down the Republic of Ireland in our 2.5 years of living there and it is by far my favorite place on the planet.

If you're on Dingle, visit the Inch beach - it's amazing.
Gallarus Oratory, of course
Dolphin Fungi if the weather is nice... or at least his statue...

Since everything is at short distance and you have plenty of time - I highly recommend Killarney and Muckross House. If you run cold, buy a woolen scarf they make there

If you fancy a longer drive (3h from Dingle) then Cliffs of Moher are a must. If you follow Anna's suggestion to visit the Burren, then you can actually organize a day around visiting Burren and Cliffs of Moher.

A bit further from your place of stay and to the south, but still so worth it - Ewe Sculpture Garden.

Donegal is a bit further to the north, although not too far, also amazing... if you decide to go in that direction, one suggestion would be Kylemore Abbey.

Ring of Kerry... it's stop-go-stop-go, this is such a beautiful route you can spend a whole day there.

Actually, even if you just take a car and drive around *any* part of Ireland you'll love it. We always used a roadmap (by Michelin I think, but I'm not at home at the moment so can't check) which had all the scenic places well marked and simply went for them unless we had a firm plan where exactly we wanted to go. A bit old-fashioned nowadays but satnav would never have taken us to some places we had actually discovered just by reading the old-fashioned map and using the local roads.

For Dublin I recommend visiting St. Patricks Cathedral and the adjacent park, Dublin Castle, Chester Beatty Library behind the Castle (with the commemorative statue for the 2003 Special Olympics hiding my name there too), Trinity College and Book of Kells... Merrion Square Park where Oscar Wilde statue is... Hodges Figgis bookstore, Powerscourt Centre with a lot of shops selling Irish designers' or artists' works, and charming cafee/food hall in its former courtyard...

A gem, but a bit difficult to find: Whitefriar Street Church where St. Valentine's (the very one) remains are kept.

If you fancy just sitting and enjoying the a nice scenery take a ride on DART (local train) from South (Bray) to North (Howth) as it will take you around the bay. You can make a stop at Dun Laoghaire and walk on the East Pier from where you can see the ferries leaving for Wales, James Joyce Tower in the distance... when in Howth have fish and chips at Beshoff's.

I could go on and on... I envy you in the best possible way (if there's such a thing)... here's a few photos from 2.5 yrs ago for inspiration...
1. Where are we going today?
2/3. Dingle with colorful houses facades that are so common in Ireland - you''ll see the whackiest and most cheerful combinations there
4. Inch beach
5/6. Typical Irish breathtaking scenery
7. Cliffs of Moher
8. Road "sign" for The Ewe Sculpture Garden
9. Our stop when we lived in Ireland... Dun Laoghaire (pronounced as Dunleary)

I can look through the actual travel guide and old photo albums to jog my memory once I'm back home if you need more ideas.

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Sheila

Veteran

Wow! I am simply overjoyed and overwhelmed by the amazing treasure house of information you have shared with me. I had hoped that someone, just one person maybe, might be able to share their experience of Ireland with me but "my cup runneth over" for sure!

Inge - I was thinking of taking a relaxed winter coat (duffle coat or wool cape) for my outerwear, since I tend to run cold. Thanks for confirming my hunch. All your recommendations for places to visit sound wonderful; I think I will print out this thread and take it with me on the trip.

Mochi - I love the Abbey Theatre idea, we'll check it out. Belfast has an ancestral family connection for me, but maybe 4 days will be enough, even with that. Thanks for the heads up.

Traci - glad to know that I don't need to take my tiara! Ha. Well I am definitely on the side of smart casual when traveling, so Dublin sounds like a place where I will feel very comfortable.

Mander - we definitely want to go to the Causeway, it has been highly recommended to us by friends...I think we will take a tour or hire a guide, since we are taking the train to Belfast and do not plan to rent a car while there.

Ornella - I have read and savored every word of your post. Oh my, we definitely think alike...everything you did on your travels in Ireland sounds like something I want to do! I am definitely going to print this entire thread and study it well so we can have the best possible trip. Thank you for posting your beautiful pictures. I am getting excited about meeting these amazing Irish people. Can't wait!

Sheila

Veteran

Forgot to add: do I need to take an electrical converter to Ireland in order to charge batteries for camera, cell phone, etc? If YES, what does it look like (I know there are several styles of converters)?

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Oh dear, I've just lost a big-ish post I wrote and can't remember everything I wrote. I'll come back to this thread after I actually have the opportunity to check my old photo-albums at home (I'm visiting my dad at the moment) and well worn out travel book we used (this one, highly recommended: http://www.amazon.co.uk/DK-Eye.....1405333766).

I remembered one place you might want to check in Dublin: Gaiety Theatre, lovely venue and very conveniently located near the city centre.

As for sockets and plugs, those in Ireland (or UK) are different than in the US and you'll need converters, which are probably cheaper to buy prior to traveling than at the airport or at the destination.
http://www.visitireland.com/pl.....ricity.asp

Freckles

Veteran

Tons of great advice here Sheila.

I just happened to get a fabulous Christmas gift, which I plan to use if you happen to upload pics on your return...

Some of the stores that sell luggage also sell the converters and other trip paraphernalia you may not have thought of.

Have a marvelous time in Ireland, it is magical.

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Sheila

Veteran

Freckles - what a LOVELY teapot!!! I am not acquainted with the pattern -- I assume it is from Ireland, please educate me if you have a moment to do so. Well, I'm certain there will be lots of pictures but maybe not so fashion-worthy??? More scenic than stylish, I should think...but will keep this in mind and try to get something of interest to the YLF members. Thanks for your warm wishes.

Freckles

Veteran

Thank you Sheila. It has celtic knotwork, which I am a big fan of, and a claddagh. There is some really amazing knotwork in the Book of Kells. The teapot isn't actually from Ireland but from a local shop. I believe the parent company is worldwide though and it was made in China of all places.

The Claddagh is a symbol of love, friendship and loyalty. Since it is such an ancient symbol there is some disagreement as to how it came about, etc. It is often used as a wedding ring.

My husband and I like the interpretation - I hold my heart in both my hands and crown it with love for you. The Irish half of my heart melts whenever I receive one.

Members have shared a pic or two of scenic shots from their travels in the past, I'm sure no one would have a problem with that if you wish to share. Thanks.