Next month the wife and I will be flying over to Dublin for some vacation. My question is, does anyone have some recommendations for us as to where to eat and or stay as we make our way south and west across the Emerald Isle? We will travel through Cork and counties Clare,Kerry and hopefully Galway. I am also tacking on 4 days of golf with the boys after the wife flies home, best of both worlds.

"...soon they'll be bleary eyed under a keg of wine, Down where the drunkards roll." Richard Thompson.

$10... I'd post this over in Wine Conversations... the foot traffic is better. Just throw in a question about Irish wine to give it a "wine" twist.

We are going in June, and I posted a similar note a while back.

Irwin

"Life is short....start with the dessert."

I went to Dublin in May 2001 for a long weekend. Everyone was really friendly, but the city itself is nothing at all. In fact, it reminded me of Lowell, Massachusetts (not a compliment). It was all sort of poky and slightly run down. It feels like it has no more than 100,000 inhabitants. I guess it takes more than ten years of booming economy to shake off the results of centuries of British oppression and economic backwardness.

The countryside, however, is amazing. We only had time for one day trip, to a coastal town south of Dublin. Everything around there was very green and picturesque. Sorry I can't remember the name. We picked it because the train went there frequently.

Carl McCarthy

Make sure you spend a night in the village of Doolin in County Clare. Small place with a few B&B's, it's worth it for the Cliffs of Moher and McGann's Pub. The traditional Irish music at McGann's is fantastic. For the B&B I suggest the Aran View. Enjoy.

Thanks Steve8, I'll put it on the itinarary.
Sorry Irwin, I had done a search and come across your post but neglected to notice the date otherwise I just would have resurrected that thread. There certainly appears to be enough to do in Dublin to stay busy, Trinity University, The National Art Gallery etc. I think we are just going to rent a car and drive down to Kinsale and then head over to Cork and on up through Kerry and Clare. If I come across anything interesting in the guide books or any other recommendations I will pass them along.

"...soon they'll be bleary eyed under a keg of wine, Down where the drunkards roll." Richard Thompson.

no problem Ten Buck Kid.
We have 4 days in Dublin, and then renting a car and heading south around the countryside to the west coast and ulimately flying back from Shannon.

Irwin

"Life is short....start with the dessert."

Sounds like the same general game plan. I will be back before you take off, so if I come across something exceptional I will be sure to post it for you.

"...soon they'll be bleary eyed under a keg of wine, Down where the drunkards roll." Richard Thompson.

Bumping this thread for Irwin who is heading over to Ireland this month. Stayed at the Wyndham just off Fleet Street and around the corner from the Temple Bar district. Walking distance to Grafton street, grab some coffee and scones at Brewley's. Walked through St.Stephen's Green while waiting for Trinity College to open the Book of Kells exhibit @ 9:30. Very beautiful, I also recommend the National Mueseum for the Tara Brooch and the early Celtic gold smithing.
The Temple Bar district was the place for bar hopping in Dublin. We had dinner @ Oliver St. John O'Gogarty's, a traditional Irish restaurant. Smoked Salmon and Irish stew with a decent wine list. We also ate at a Spanish Tapas place near the Halfpenny bridge, which was impressive.
While driving down to Kinsale, we stopped at the Rock of Cashel, an impressive ruins. Chez Hans is highly recommended. Kinsale is a lovely beach town and we ate at the restaurant Max's wine bar. Nice small place with friendly staff and a good wine list. Throughtout Ireland we were very impressed with the food in general and the seafood in particular. I heard good things about a place called Harvest in Kinsale but it was closed when we got there.
We left Kinsale and headed up to the Dingle peninsula where we stayed at the Greenmont B&B, which was very nice, and well appointed. The owners could not have been nicer. Also the best breakfast we had in Ireland. We ate at the Smokehouse, and checked out the music at the pub across the street.
Up and over the O'Conner pass, grip the wheel tightly, and on up to Lisdoonvarna and the music scene in Doolin. Check out the Lazy Lobster in Doolin before hitting the pubs for some Guiness and great music. I ate there twice in 3 days, once with the wife and then with my golfing buddy's after she took off and they flew in. But that's another story.
Steve8: Hit 3 pubs including McGann's while in Doolin, we took a picture of every pub the wife and I stopped into, pretty funny. Great place for a "Craic."

"...soon they'll be bleary eyed under a keg of wine, Down where the drunkards roll." Richard Thompson.

10 Buck Kid:
Great to see the post. Thanks so much. We are leaving on Thursday June 10 and returning on the 20th.
The first few days will be in Dublin taken up largely by a family event---a Bat Mitzvah in Dublin, of all places. But, the mother of the kid is a gourmet cook and food writer and restaurant critic, so the chow should be quite good.

Irwin

"Life is short....start with the dessert."

Made it back.
I must say that the food in Ireland failed to live down to the low expectations. Ate at The Wine Vault in Waterford. It was grand.
10 Buck Kid's recommendations were good, but we couldn't hit too many of them. Thanks 10 Buck.
We did go to Chez Hans in Cashel, which was quite nice. Couldn't be better located.
In Killarney we ate at Mulligans Irish Chop House, which was atop O'Meara's pub. Excellent food. Had a nice Chilean Cab--I'll write more later.
Basically, Ireland is pretty, if you like greenery, sheep, curvy and mountainous roads and nature.

Irwin

"Life is short....start with the dessert."

Sounds a lot like Scotland.

Good to hear you had a great trip, Irwin!