Trip to Ireland Coming Up

[jerseyborn1971]

I am going to Ireland in March. Stops in Dublin, my grandmothers townland in Roscommon, Westport and Galway. Any advice from someone who's gone before. We are staying the first night on the outskirts of Dublin so we can take off quickly in the morning. Have a nice place to stay in Roscommon. We're spending 2 days in Westport at the Wyatt Hotel. Then 2 days in Galway before finishing off for 2 nights in city center Dublin near Temple Bar.

 

[brewdog_14527]

Went last summer. I thought the best part of Galway was walking around all the shops downtown, as we stumbled into an international arts festival. While in Galway, we took a day trip out to the Cliffs of Moher. Enjoy!

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I am going to Ireland in March. Stops in Dublin, my grandmothers townland in Roscommon, Westport and Galway. Any advice from someone who's gone before. We are staying the first night on the outskirts of Dublin so we can take off quickly in the morning. Have a nice place to stay in Roscommon. We're spending 2 days in Westport at the Wyatt Hotel. Then 2 days in Galway before finishing off for 2 nights in city center Dublin near Temple Bar.

I've only been once and it was a decade ago, but I'll just share a few of my highlights from my 10 days there.

Dublin:

• My best advice from my experience is if you feel tempted to try out the big "touristy" pubs (Temple), go once, get your fill, and then try all of the smaller pubs and establishments you can. I noticed they each have their own character. I highly recommend you get to "The Brazen Head", dubbed the oldest pub in Dublin, for at least one pint.
• If you have a free evening and are looking for some good food and live entertainment, I had a lot of fun at Johnny Fox's Pub with my group. Live music and dancing performance, good food, etc. I believe you'd need a reservation for that bit but it was fun and it was up in the mountains, so off the beaten path. They have shuttles.
• St. Patrick's Cathedral has a really nice tour and tons of history for you to review, and if you have some time to kill between stops but don't feel like drinking, I recommend a walk around Trinity College and check out the library.
• If you're lucky enough to have a sunny, clear day in the city, that's when the Guinness tour is the most worth it for the almost 360 degree views overlooking the city at the end of the tour. Otherwise, I'd honestly skip that. It's cool, but there's other things that you could be doing.

Most of my journey outside of Dublin was in southern Ireland, but we did do Newgrange one day which was really neat. I'm not sure how much time you'll have on your way to Roscommon or on your way back to Dublin from Galway, but if you can stop, I highly recommend it. You might need a reservation for that as well.

Enjoy, it was easily one of the most enjoyable times of my life. Such a fun trip and country, so much history, natural beauty and phenomenal architecture all around you. Sláinte!

 

[AlaskanIrish]

Don’t miss Matt Molloy’s Pub in Westport. He’s the flautist from the Chieftains and he’s usually there playing or hanging out. My favorite pub in Ireland.

 

[Valpodoc85]

Did the family vacation a few years back. We went to the horse races in Killarney and it was fantastic. Not like in the US. Check and see if they will be racing when your there

 

[dublinirish]

yeah Westport is a good spot you could climb the Reek if you have decent shoes (or go barefoot for your sins) and are hardy enough takes a few hours but the views of Clew Bay are unbelievable on a clear day

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Don’t miss Matt Molloy’s Pub in Westport. He’s the flautist from the Chieftains and he’s usually there playing or hanging out. My favorite pub in Ireland.

That is already on the list! Excited about that one.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I've only been once and it was a decade ago, but I'll just share a few of my highlights from my 10 days there.

Dublin:

• My best advice from my experience is if you feel tempted to try out the big "touristy" pubs (Temple), go once, get your fill, and then try all of the smaller pubs and establishments you can. I noticed they each have their own character. I highly recommend you get to "The Brazen Head", dubbed the oldest pub in Dublin, for at least one pint.
• If you have a free evening and are looking for some good food and live entertainment, I had a lot of fun at Johnny Fox's Pub with my group. Live music and dancing performance, good food, etc. I believe you'd need a reservation for that bit but it was fun and it was up in the mountains, so off the beaten path. They have shuttles.
• St. Patrick's Cathedral has a really nice tour and tons of history for you to review, and if you have some time to kill between stops but don't feel like drinking, I recommend a walk around Trinity College and check out the library.
• If you're lucky enough to have a sunny, clear day in the city, that's when the Guinness tour is the most worth it for the almost 360 degree views overlooking the city at the end of the tour. Otherwise, I'd honestly skip that. It's cool, but there's other things that you could be doing.

Most of my journey outside of Dublin was in southern Ireland, but we did do Newgrange one day which was really neat. I'm not sure how much time you'll have on your way to Roscommon or on your way back to Dublin from Galway, but if you can stop, I highly recommend it. You might need a reservation for that as well.

Enjoy, it was easily one of the most enjoyable times of my life. Such a fun trip and country, so much history, natural beauty and phenomenal architecture all around you. Sláinte!

Brazen Head was definitely on the list!

 

[dublinirish]

My Dublin pub list:

The Long Hall
Kehoes
Mulligans
The Dame Tavern
The Gravediggers (not in Town though)
Grogans

 

[dublinirish]

Did the family vacation a few years back. We went to the horse races in Killarney and it was fantastic. Not like in the US. Check and see if they will be racing when your there

Ballinrobe in Mayo (not far from Westport) opens their season in April

Friday 17th April 2026 - Ballinrobe Races I The official site of Ballinrobe Racecourse

Friday 17th April 2026 We are delighted to begin the 2026 racing season at Ballinrobe Racecourse with a National Hunt card on Friday, 17 April. Date: Friday 17th April 2026Gates Open: 3:00pmFirst Race: 5.00pm Last Race: 8:00pm Tickets will be available to purchase online in advance at a reduced...

ballinroberacecourse.ie

 

[ReesusCrist]

I don't know how interested you are in Irish history, but my two favorite things on our trip a few years ago were both history related:

1) Tour of Kilmainham Gaol, which has a lot of history going all the way back to the late 1700s. It was the prison where they held, and later executed, the revolutionaries who led the 1916 Easter Rising. It was a very moving experience if you are familiar at all with Irish independence.

2) We had a small group walking tour led by a Trinity College student getting a masters in history. I would have to look back on details for how to book, but it was fascinating to hear all the details from an expert, as well as seeing the places where the history actually happened as part of the tour.

PM me if you have any questions.

 

[IrishLion]

I know it’s a touristy spot, but there is a little place called Bruxelles just off Grafton St in Dublin. Their Guinness Beef Stew is really nice. My wife and I did a lot of shit in Dublin at @dublinirish ’s recommendation, but that meal stands out for some reason.

Went to a little breakfast place in the Powerscourt Centre called The Pepper Pot, small and kind of hidden away, but great breakfast.

Went to a really nice restaurant called BEAR that I believe has since closed, which stinks… would go back to Dublin for the steak and million dollar potatoes alone.

 

[dublinirish]

I know it’s a touristy spot, but there is a little place called Bruxelles just off Grafton St in Dublin. Their Guinness Beef Stew is really nice. My wife and I did a lot of shit in Dublin at @dublinirish ’s recommendation, but that meal stands out for some reason.

Went to a little breakfast place in the Powerscourt Centre called The Pepper Pot, small and kind of hidden away, but great breakfast.

Went to a really nice restaurant called BEAR that I believe has since closed, which stinks… would go back to Dublin for the steak and million dollar potatoes alone.

Bruxelles a good spot indeed with the status of Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) outside

Ive been abroad for like 10 years now in september, the city changes a lot but some old reliable spots remain. TBH I've look around temple bar for a 30 mins but i wouldnt buy a pint in the place. All you will see is other americans lol

 

[calvegas04]

Not sure if you have had or heard of a beer brand called Guinness, but they have a small brewery you can visit.

But my favorite part of my visit was getting outside of the cities into the countryside. Absolutely beautiful. Try and get to a castle and not Dublin Castle

 

[Old Man Mike]

Well it appears that you're true-IE and therefore want to max out your time in the pubs, but that's not real Ireland ("Fun Ireland"? Yes. Deep Real Ireland, not for me.) So, my out-of-date suggestion (probably impractical with your constricted schedule but here goes .....)

If you can find a time to get away to the natural Irish country (the oceanside cliffs are one aspect of this that still exist), go and throw the schedule away for a minute, stop the drowning noise for just a minute, and just draw the place into you, and you out immersed in it. Take some time with the actual Green Land. Yeh, a "little bit of Heaven DID fall from there one day." ... no incessant pictures needed to be clicked away. Just give your souls a Communion moment. (A blanket and a picnic is OK.) Maybe you'll see a "Bain-si" (Irish word for Mermaid) singing on the rocks.