Ireland with the family at the end of August! Why Ireland? Wanting to practice English as a family. I had first thought of finding us a kind of family English course week, for example in Malta. And then I gave up on the idea. That of Ireland arrived I do not know how, but in a few minutes it was recorded. By dint of hearing that it is maaaaabeautiful, we had to go see.
The organization of the trip to Ireland I clearly did not have time to take care of it. So I once again called on Isabelle (with this name she can only be a wonderful person, I highly recommend her services) to find a great circuit and book the various B&Bs. The 3rd week of August, we therefore left by plane for a road trip in Ireland with the family . I tell you everything.
1st impression:it's green
Understanding IT'S RAINING (everyday)
2nd impression:it is indeed beautiful
Irish people are adorable, verykidsfriendly . And the beers are divine. Well what? oops I digress...
Paris-Dublin-Paris:we chose Transavia simply because their plane takes off from Orly, closer for us. We managed to find tickets for not too expensive (about 650 euros) by doing it in advance. Yes, because I sometimes plan ahead… uh uh
On site, rent a car at the airport (at Entreprise Rent a Car). Remember to check your insurance, in particular CB type VISA PREMIER, before leaving to check whether or not you should take out additional insurance.
Driving on the left… AH AH AH AH well, that and the signs that are all or almost bilingual English/Gaelic… we were really stressed the first few days, but well, you get used to it… Anyway, I say that, but I quietly stayed on the passenger side (on the left) all week… Thank you, Man. In my defense, I was doing Gad Elmaleh's GPS admirably well, based on "yes yes it's good, that line is good, yes congratulations, we're there » or other « no, but there I don't really know, I have more network »
Thank you Google Maps, I can't say it enough.
So, luckily I had read that the "deco" level and size of the rooms of Irish Bed &Breakfasts, we should not expect our French habits. In effect. The rooms were 99% of the time microscopic, however it is always spotless and well stocked with towels. In the shower room, it's practical, you can usually brush your teeth while peeing, it's so small. Finally, an anecdote is that the Irish do not seem to have discovered the existence of taps that only make hot and cold at the same time.
We had taken two rooms each time. Because we love our children VERY MUCH, but having them already ALL day in a car with us was already good. Breakfasts based on pudding and porridge:children's giggles and grimaces guaranteed. Luckily, we've always managed to nab some good old-fashioned butter (and marmalade) toast
Our B&Bs were equivalent to 2 stars (on average 70/80 euros per night). Do not hesitate to aim for 3 stars if you like real good breakfasts and you obviously have the budget to go with it.
I quickly looked at the stages of the circuit proposed by Isabelle, but honestly, the day before departure, we still didn't really know what we were going to see. I'm telling you honestly:we hadn't actually prepared anything. It was immediately felt, the first day in Dublin where we spent the morning before taking the road to the south… we zoned out and finally we visited some very beautiful castles. However, again the next day in Cork, we felt that freestyle wasn't going to be possible all week and so on the 3rd night we started to "work" our days quietly thanks to the B&B's Wifi and our good old green guide. That's when we realized that it was going to be totally impossible to do everything. Even among the "unmissable". We made choices and in particular that of limiting car journeys to those imposed by the change of region every two days.
What are we taking to Ireland in August with two pre-teens? One suitcase per room. Inside, long-sleeved tops especially, one or two short sleeves for miraculous days or to put under a sweatshirt… (lolilol). Obviously a K-WAY. Walking shoes of course. Adapters for English-speaking electrical outlets (1 per room too, otherwise it's going to be annoying). The children also each had their own eastpack, the content of which was solely managed by them. On our side, we had our great hiking backpack. Obviously, pharmacy level, there is everything you need in Ireland, so I absolutely did not charge.
So, yes, the bet paid off:it did us all a lot of good to listen to English for a whole week, to talk to locals, to restaurants, we even picked up a hitchhiker and had a good chat with him. We also listen a lot (an English-speaking guide in Kinsale for 2 hours), we pick up words, we also read brochures, etc.
So, let's go?
Day 1 :evening arrival in Dublin , we just had dinner near the B&B (which was actually a Guest House so it looked more like a small hotel) and sleep
Day 2 :morning and noon in Dublin (centre). We left the car (no question of driving in Dublin… between driving on the left, traffic and the difficulty of parking in the city center). So we took the bus. Please note:count 7 euros for 4 (2 adults and 2 children) for 1 trip if, like us (#lesquiches) you have not taken the transport pass (The Leap Card).
Visit of Dublin Castle and its garden :we all liked it a lot. Good introduction to discovering the history of Ireland. There is no audio guide, but a flyer in French with a short description for each room.
In the afternoon we took the road to our B&B located in Mallow 25 kilometers north of Cork .
Day 3:Visit Blarney Castle and its huge park (probably even more beautiful under the sun) in the morning, have lunch right next to it then visit Cork.
The teenager who intends to succeed in the witch challenge at Wishing Steps which promises the execution of a wish on the condition of going up and down the stairs, eyes closed AND upside down... Nickel in rainy weather to come close to a parental heart attack 28 times.
Cork
It is all the same the stage (the south therefore) that I will have zapped afterwards in order to be able to stay longer then in the West, even if, I get there, on day 4, the village of Kinsale has much more.
Day 4:Visit Kinsale , and Fort Charles then road to Killarney (more exactly the B&B was in Castlemaine. Here small flat on the reception a little icy, but it is the only B&B where we had a large room with a 160 bed that I blessed two nights so)
To go to Charles Fort starting from the village of Kinsale, I REALLY recommend that you do it on foot, the walk (Skilly Walk), very well marked, is 2 small kilometers along the water, it's absolutely magical). Then it's worth paying to enter the Fort if it's not raining too much. The view is sublime.
View of the Skilly Road between Kinsale and Fort Charles 
Kinsale and its colorful houses… 
Day 5:Killarney National Park. We chose not to walk, but to do a bike tour (about 20 km on the clock!). To rent bikes in excellent condition and super light, it's here. They will give you a small map to show you the different tricks to do in the park which is 500 meters away.
After about 1 kilometer on the road (but wide and with a cycle zone most of the time fortunately), we enter the park and there we circulate really well on the trails. You just have to watch out for pedestrians and… horse-drawn carriages! Stop at Muckross Abbey, then Muckross House and finally around Lake Muckross (be careful to take it the right way… not like some… uh uh uh…). Bring the picnic and around the lake you can have a little coffee/sweet in a little "tea room" whose name I didn't write down (sorry)(there's only one anyway ). Finally, if you are not too tired, we end the circuit with Ross Castle .
You can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride 
Muckross Lake 
Muckross Abbey – Killarney
Muckross House – Killarney National Park 
Ross Castle 
Afternoon tea (ice cream) will be taken in Killarney town center at Murphy’s Ice Cream :perfect welcome, delicious ice cream (especially after all those kilometers on the bike)
Day 6:Tralee and in particular its great museum:the Kerry Museum – free for children – desert (so much the better for us) because so well done on the history of Ireland since prehistory!
There I recommend a lunch break at the restaurant (fishmonger) Quinlans Fish &Chips. It was absolutely divine. The children in particular devoured their fish fillets. It's very small, we eat next to the window of the fish market, on high tables. Everything is so super nice (but there is no beer! AH AH AH)
We had also noted the visit of a mill the "Blennerville Windmill", but we finally resumed the road quietly for... Galway . Accommodation this time in the Salthill area (with its oceanfront promenade)
Salthill in the evening at sunset…
Day 7:Connemara (Scorched Earth …. , thank you Michael). Well, clearly, that's what I preferred. It's just sublime. We had decided on a new bike ride from Clifden. Unfortunately, the rental company had no more bikes for the little one, so, plan B, we went a little higher to the Connemara National Park for a 7 kilometer hike that allowed us to have a crazy view from the top of Diamond Hill (442m) . I let you judge for yourself with the photos.
Diamond Hill – the longest hike (we did) takes us to the top in 1h30 about
and once at the top…
A few hours later on the way back to Galway (but with a detour, and what a detour…), we arrived… in Mauritius. Oh no. On the beach at Gurteen Bay .
Breathtaking. Luckily:the weather was nice that day.
Alone on the sand with your eyes in the water...
Day 8:drive to Dublin , the weather was ugly, we preferred to take the road and we did well, when we arrived in Dublin, the weather was "beautiful". Understand no rain. So we went around the Phoenix park by bike, just to let off steam a little. Clearly not very pleasant (circulation allowed inside), but it was good and then in Ireland, we always have a good surprise at the bend of a path... This time it took the form of...
Day 9:in the morning guided tour of 2 hours with a French guide that I highly recommend. It was passionate. Besides, it was just us and a couple. It is clearly to be done, the children very much appreciated having FINALLY explanations in French. I learned a lot and really enjoyed Dublin as a result. I want to go back, even though our first morning a week before didn't really convince me. There, in two hours, we pass by Trinity College, the Old Parliament of Dublin, the gardens and the courtyard of Dublin Castle, the City Hall and we end up in Temple Bar. Of course with all the explanations and little tips/good addresses in the guide.
St Patrick's Cathedral 
Well, we took a flight again in the evening. 1h30 later we were in Orly… to queue at customs… welcome back to France 🙁
As you can see, we probably missed a LOT of things, but too bad. What we saw was magnificent. Maybe we'll go back there? Even if we first want to visit many other countries before...
We were a little restricted by the kilometers in the car… yes, I know, that's part of the road trip game. For example, to go to the famous Cliffs of Moher, we would have had to drive another 3 hours (round trip) from our B&B. We let it go. So if I had to do it again, I would rather aim for the west side to stay there longer and possibly change B&Bs every night, but to really get closer to the places to see. In short, it was obviously great, but with hindsight, we might do it a little differently. But anyway, since we had absolutely not taken the time to really prepare the trip, it is not surprising. AH AH AH
On this point too, I understood the lesson! I am already preparing our next family vacation project… this time it is the Man who will celebrate his 40th birthday and for the occasion we will go to Sri Lanka !
For Northern Ireland, I recommend reading the article by Maman Voyage
To find your accommodation in Dublin
