weekend breaks in ireland

[Croí na hÉireann]

Also, is there any good walks in Kilkenny where one could shake off a hangover?

Drive out to Inistioge and head for the Woodstock Gardens, well worth a visit

[gerrykeegan]

I'm taking the better half down to Kilkenny for a weekend soon, does anyone recommend somewhere with good food and also a pub where there would be a bit of irish music and banter at night?

Also, is there any good walks in Kilkenny where one could shake off a hangover?

Where has that word come from.

Whats wrong with a bit of craic?

for food zuni's award winning I believe.for drink tynan's old pub no telly. For a walk head for the castle in the city center, lovely walk around the grounds

[MR99]

I'm taking the better half down to Kilkenny for a weekend soon, does anyone recommend somewhere with good food and also a pub where there would be a bit of irish music and banter at night?

Also, is there any good walks in Kilkenny where one could shake off a hangover?

Where has that word come from.

Where I come from if you head to a pub for a bit of 'craic', it comes in small white cubes and the boy in the corner sells it for £200 / gram 

Whats wrong with a bit of craic?

[saffron sam2]

I would give the Grand Hotel in Malahide 9 out of 10.

So would I.

[Franko]

You could do worse than staying at Harveys Point on Lough Eske, just outside Donegal town.  This would make you very central if you want to take a wee trip over the Bluestacks to Killybegs, Portnoo.  You would have the coast, golf, mountainous scenery all wrapped into one.  Or take a drive the other direction and catch Bundoran, Ballyshannon.  Harveys Point is a cracking spot Puck for a few days rest.  Would highly recommend it!

I'll vouch for that.  Beautiful hotel in a similar setting.

[ross4life]

Bundoran is good for surfing or playing the odd fruit machine it's also a good base for other/better locations in Donegal,Leitrim & Sligo

[Newbridge Exile]

I would give the Grand Hotel in Malahide 9 out of 10.

So would I.

Stayed twice in it the first definitely a 9 the second more like a 6, it makes a big difference the room you get, We stayed in the Royal Marine Dun Laoghaire a few times last year, and was very impressed with it

[The Real Laoislad]

I'm taking the better half down to Kilkenny for a weekend soon, does anyone recommend somewhere with good food and also a pub where there would be a bit of irish music and banter at night?

Also, is there any good walks in Kilkenny where one could shake off a hangover?

Ripley's Steakhouse on the Butterslip is good as is Langtons for food,you'll also get a fine feed in the River Court.
For pubs check out Tynans On the Bridge,and Syd Harkins both are fairly close to each other,both are good traditional pubs where you won't have any loud dance music being played making it impossible to have a conversation.
Another decent one but would be a bit louder is the Left Bank on the Parade,one of my favorites is Rafter Dempsey's just off high street.

Other decent pubs are John Cleere's and Annaconda on Parliament Street,I'd stay away from such spots as Matt the Millers,Biddy Early's,Paris Texas these while not bad pubs will be full of young wans off their heads.

If your down for the Thursday night the trad band Na Fianna of Ireland's got talent fame play in Lanigans bar every Thursday night.

As for the walks,it's hard to bate the walk down by the Nore underneath Killkenny Castle and then up in around the grounds of the Castle itself.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Puck, I know you were thinking of Rossnowlagh but what about Bundoran (I know, bit of a Portrush in Donegal) but Brian McEniff's hotel the Great Northern has an amazing setting and a golf course, it's not a million miles from Killybegs back through Donegal Town and you also have Yeats's Country on the other side where you can easily head to Sligo for the day, visit Drumcliffe and have nice lunches in town. 

Take in a surf lesson when you're there - great fun!

I thought Bundoran was a kip,stayed in the Holyrood and it was a hole of a place

Bundoran is one of the most depressing places in Ireland.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

I'm taking the better half down to Kilkenny for a weekend soon, does anyone recommend somewhere with good food and also a pub where there would be a bit of irish music and banter at night?

Also, is there any good walks in Kilkenny where one could shake off a hangover?

Doesn't the bars/pubs close at 1am in Kilkenny.

[bennydorano]

Puck, I know you were thinking of Rossnowlagh but what about Bundoran (I know, bit of a Portrush in Donegal) but Brian McEniff's hotel the Great Northern has an amazing setting and a golf course, it's not a million miles from Killybegs back through Donegal Town and you also have Yeats's Country on the other side where you can easily head to Sligo for the day, visit Drumcliffe and have nice lunches in town. 

Take in a surf lesson when you're there - great fun!

I thought Bundoran was a kip,stayed in the Holyrood and it was a hole of a place

Bundoran is one of the most depressing places in Ireland.

Have always loved Bundoran, it seems to get an awful rough time publicity wise, yet still remains one of the most popular tourist spots in Ireland, having said that I was up for the regular fishing weekend last summer it looked like a ghost town.  Having made regualar annual appearances in it it has improved greatly from what it was 15 odd years ago.

Still great for the likes of a fishing trip & piss up.  The Chasin Bull is a powerful pub with proper live bands at the weekends.

[gawa316]

Headed home in March, and taking the girlfriend with me - who's only previous trips to Ireland were a drunken weekend in Derry, and something similar in Dublin. Based in Omagh for the 11 days, and don't want to venture too far away (half a day's drive at most) but fancy a few nights somewhere costal. My provisinal plan was Donegal (Smugglers creek to be precise - but I see it only opens Thursday through Sunday until the summer season). I'd love a great costal view, good seafood and stout and a bit of music and good craic for a couple nights. Maybe a golf course near by to play a round with the auld fella?

Any ideas would be more than welcome.

You could check out the Gaslight B&B, it's right beside Smugglers. Not sure of it's opening hours though.

[gerry]

Headed home in March, and taking the girlfriend with me - who's only previous trips to Ireland were a drunken weekend in Derry, and something similar in Dublin. Based in Omagh for the 11 days, and don't want to venture too far away (half a day's drive at most) but fancy a few nights somewhere costal. My provisinal plan was Donegal (Smugglers creek to be precise - but I see it only opens Thursday through Sunday until the summer season). I'd love a great costal view, good seafood and stout and a bit of music and good craic for a couple nights. Maybe a golf course near by to play a round with the auld fella?

Any ideas would be more than welcome.

You could check out the Gaslight B&B, it's right beside Smugglers. Not sure of it's opening hours though.

summer months only

[laoislad]

Going to Dingle for the 16th/17th of this month..
Anything I should or shouldn't do when I'm there? Good places to eat & drink etc?

[Celt_Man]

Anyone any opinions on the G hotel in Galway?  Theres talk of heading there for a couple of nights during the week in the near future...