Having some questions to ask

Hi, Norma. My wife is from Puert Rico and we live in Ireland. Please feel free to ask my any questions about the place.

Well I was wondering about hotels that are decent but not super expensive...as we only needed to sleep.  I wanted to know what are the best areas to look that is near transport to see sights and i do have some restaurants I want to visit as I am a foodie and a personal chef.

We plan to arrive July 18th and then stay a few days and then try to find a way to get to Cabra Castle for a wedding.  I don't know the area where the castle is and I was wondering if there is a bus or train to take us there.

Thanks so much for your help and if your wife likes to cook she can go to my food blog platanosmangoes.com.

All the best
Norma

Almost everyone speaks English in Puerto Rico.  I wish you the best...

Hi, Norma. I assume you are flying in to Dublin, not Shannon, right? Do you care where you go after you land and before the wedding? I mean, are you set on staying in Dublin? I do not think there is a train to anywhere near Cabra Castle. There probably is a convoluted way to reach the place by bus but I recommend against trying. It is better to rent a car. But, while you're in Dublin (if that is what you want to see beforehand), you'll be better off without a car. You will save money this way, as the hotels charge a good deal to park your car overnight, parking in the daytime is expensive as well, driving around Dublin is very difficult because so many of the roads are one-way only and because traffic can be awful. I can tell you more specifics after I know what area or county you want to see.

flying into dublin and not renting a car.  I am sure I will have some one that is going to the wedding pick us up, but I always like to have an alternate in case something happens.  We will be in Dublin for 4 days and then on the 21st to cabra and then back on 23rd to Dublin and probably take tour buses to different areas...

You are so kind and I hope to be able to meet you and your wife.  We are not youngsters i am 63 and the husband 71 but young at heart...:}

Hi, Norma. If you're getting a ride to the castle than don't worry about renting a car. There is probably a way to get there by bus if you really need to. Bus Eireann is the quasi-governmental bus company that would service that area. http://www.buseireann.ie/. There are some private bus companies that are very good but they usually only service places that have a great deal of demand to reach, such as Galway, Cork, etc. I don't think there are any that service County Cavan but I have never lived there so I cannot be absolutely certain. Either way, taking the bus would be less than ideal so it's definitely a good thing that you are getting a lift.

From what I can tell, there is no train line that services Kingscourt (where Castle Cabra is located). Irish Rail is the name of the national rail service. Here is their website: http://www.irishrail.ie/travel-informat … oute-maps.

For places to see when you're in Dublin, I'm not the best to advise on this because I only travel to Dublin for work and I don't like the place very much. That said, I know some places of interest. You should definitely check out (1) the Book of Kells (actually consisting of several books), which are kept on display at Trinity College (which just changed its name to some other similar iteration for no good reason). Trinity is right in the centre of the city, just south of the River Liffey (pronounced "Lif e"). Trinity is in Dublin 2 (Dublin is the only place to use area codes although they are bringing in area codes in the near future for the rest of the country). Dublin 2 is the nice part of Dublin. Areas north of the Liffey are generally not very nice. (2) Take a stroll down Grafton Street, which connects Trinity's campus to St. Stephen's Green to the south. This will give you plenty of places to shop. (3) Check out the tourist-attraction neighbourhood of Temple Bar, with its quaint old-Dublin architecture and cobblestone streets. Temple Bar is very close by to Trinity and in easy walking distance. (4) Maybe check out Dublin Castle, not far to the west of Temple Bar. Not sure what you can see there as it is the current centre of government. (5) Maybe check out Phoenix Park, where you can see deer roaming in this large central city park (best to take a taxi to get there). Taxis are plentiful and pretty cheap within Dublin.

I'm sure a Dubliner would be annoyed by my short list but that is all I've heard about the place.

One place you should definitely see about 45 minutes outside of Dublin is Glendalough, a mountain lake island where St. Kevin established a monastery in the 6th Century. You may be able to book a tour there from your hotel or some other service in Dublin. I've never done that so I can't be of much help. I've only visited by car. It's a very beautiful place.

Now, the absolute most beautiful part of Ireland is the West. But to visit there and be able to take full advantage of it you'd have to rent a car. Connemara is part of Counties Galway and Mayo and where people still speak the Irish language as their primary language. The landscape, with its rugged coast and stunning mountains, is strikingly beautiful and unique. Its villages and towns are unforgettable (for instance: Roundstone). It's easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. I could go on and on about the West but it doesn't look like you'll be heading that way so I'll stop here. Good luck!