Ireland

“Warning: Consider this your warning that I am about to discuss an upcoming private trip. If you are anti-Private Trip, go no further. Otherwise, read on...

A few years back, I made a personal list of Top Five places I wanted to visit, both to backpack and do some general traveling. Alaska, which was where I went in June 2004, was on that list. Just a few months after returning from that trip, I began preliminary planning for another location from my Top Five list: Ireland.

After more than a year of planning, the time is fast approaching: I fly to Dublin in 31 days. I've asked a couple friends to join me so, meeting me there are BB and Yam. We'll be staying in a hostel in Dublin for a weekend then we'll begin a 46+ mile hike from Enniskerry to Moyne (all south of Dublin) along the Wicklow Way through the Wicklow Mountains. We won't be camping; Instead, the hiking takes us from small town to small town where we'll be staying in Inns and B&Bs. I thought this would give us the best blend of backcountry hiking and culture. We'll be on the trail for five days but will only hike for four; We'll be spending an extra full day in a town called Glendalough to enjoy the national park there.

After the hiking, we'll be traveling to the western side of the Emerald Isle to visit some of Ireland's beautiful cliffs and other sites. Our current plan is to stay for six nights in hostels in two different towns. Three nights on the Dingle Peninsula (Mt. Brandon is Ireland's highest peak and is located there) and three nights near the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren, in a town called Doolin. There's also the possibility of spending a day at Skellig Michael and a day/night on the Aran Isles.

So... has anyone been to Ireland and had any experience in the places we're going? If so, what sort of information can you share? Great places to see? Customs we might not be aware of? Stuff like that?”

“I hear there aren't any snakes there. Sorry, but that's all I know about Ireland.

Where's MarkO?
last edited: 4/25/06 6:50:04 PM”

“That's right... didn't MarkO move to Northern Ireland to escape Dubya? lmao!
last edited: 4/25/06 6:53:03 PM”

“A translator might be helpful - given the trouble you had understanding me ;o)

You'll be fine on the customs front. Though I don't really remember much about my last trip to Dublin, except the monster hangover on the flight home.”

“I think Prosecutor might be going there soon. Or maybe it's something similar in England....”

“I've got relatives in the North and have been there many times. Only southern place I've really spent any time in was Dublin.
In the North is Armagh (where St. PAtrick is from), in Co. Armagh. Belfast is somewhat of a dump. Might also want to visit the Giant's Causeway (basalt columns similar to Devils Postpile in California) and the Bushmills distillery in Bushmill, Co. Antrim. Enjoy the Guinness, too - it tastes different (better!) over there.

Probably too late, but my suggestion to all looking for a hiking adventure would be skip Ireland and go to the Scottish Highlands (uh-oh, did I just lengthen Tarabull's "Top 5 places I want to visit" list?)”

“Anti private trip people be damned, you'd better post your pics when you get back for those of us who need to live vicariously through your trip that is also way up on my wish list. (how's that for a run-on sentence!!!) I hope the three of you have a blast.”

“I want to take my wife there with a similar itineary. Have fun.”

“My daughter and her hubby are in Ireland and France as we speak....I will send you the link to their pics when they return.......they loved Ireland so much this is their second trip.....their pics from last year were so awesome.....
..Ireland will NEVER be the same with you & Yam both going at once!!!!....lol.......”

“Thanks y'all.

Y2 - lmao. You make an excellent point!

Phy - to be exact, my list said Scotland/Ireland. I was content with either. Tho, I have to admit, the Irish culture was a big part of the appeal. And, don't worry about lenghtening my list; I add to it regularly. lol

Dayhiker - I'm sure you remember the chaos that was caused when myself and a few other TTers took a private trip to Alaska... You better believe that it won't stop me from posting a TR and pics.

Thanks Div. I look forward to her pics.
last edited: 4/26/06 6:47:42 AM”

“i'll be riding along inside tara's suitcase.
anybody have some advice for me?
i'm think the fetal postition will be best. how long do you think it will take to stretch out my legs for hiking, after the ~10 hour flight?”

“You could almost fit, standing up, in my backpack.


(hehehe)”

“Sacco, I suggest some blood thinners to deal with the legs being cramped---helps to avoid blood clots. Don't forget an airhole, water, and an empty bottle with a cap.”

“Well top of the morning to ya, lassie T-bull.

Don't tell me your Irish and Polish, what a combo.

Head as hard as a rock and more stubborn than a mule? LOL

Oh yeah and we never know when to quit either?

(hehehe)”

“Don't let the Leprechans get Yammie!!

I did indeed flee to Ireland to get away from Dubya!

They kicked me out after four days of hard drinking.
It seems they don't tolerate drunks over there and I'm banned for life.

Don't forget to take a detour through the duty-free boozery at Dublin Airport(I can't remember the Irish name for Dublin) on your way home.
Its hard to miss and there was a women handing out shots of single malt Irish.......three kinds!!
I bought a litre of The Tyrconnell for 23 Euro......my traditional FYAO booze.
Gremlin usually volunteers to help me choke it down.........he's a pal!”

“The Gap of Dunloe (sp?) is awesome. I don't think you're going anywhere near there though.”

“If ya see the Giant's Causeway hold onto yer hats and keep Yammie a tether, its windy as hell there!”

“Woooo, sounds fun! HAHA, that private-trips thing was hilarious...ahh memories.

I bet Sacco would fit if you chopped him up into little pieces!”

“Geez Lyra, what a sicco!!”

“I'm just stating a fact.”

“Lets hope Sacco's not found hacked into little pieces in the next few weeks!”

“tara, good point. i'll keep that in mind if i get tired when we're hiking.

NC, good call with the bottle. it'll come in handy with my blood thinner of choice- schnapps.

lyra, WTF? how quickly the tough vermont life has hardened your soul...

unless of course "chopped into little pieces" is some weird vermont slang term for "make sweet love to", in which case i say, grrrrr baby.
last edited: 4/26/06 7:30:23 AM”

“Well back in the good old days on TT, a day wouldn't go by w/out someone jokingly threatening to eat someone else, or otherwise murder them. You people are getting soft!!
;-)”

“I think the natives of Ireland still murder and eat people. They go great with potatoes.”

“still doesn't answer my question lyra”

“Watch out sacco, lyra's pet monkeys are all actually former TT'ers who offered to make sweet love to her...”

“Hmmmmmm, so Lyra sends TT'ers "to the cornfield"??

Or maybe in her case to Banana Land?”

“Save me a google: Where is the Giant's Causeway?

Y2 - I believe I remember you mentioning the Giant's Causeway to me at FYAO, right?

Leave it to MarkO to suggest the duty-free boozery... lol”

“Tucker is going there, among other places in the UK, this summer. Here is some info related to Ireland that he has been supplied with:


The Irish may be the warmest, friendliest people you ever meet! They have a reputation for loving to talk and making people feel welcome. They also tend to be late, but visitors should do their best to be on time.
In Ireland, people commonly use first names right after meeting you, but you should use last names with older people unless they invite you to use their first name.

When the Irish call someone “plain,” it’s a compliment! To them, “plain” means someone who isn’t pretending to be something they aren’t!

“Good night” is often used as a greeting. “Good evening” is used even in early afternoon.

Feel free to discuss Irish culture, scenery, sports, and other friendly topics; avoid asking too many questions about Northern Ireland and the IRA.

You might find a public restroom labeled in Gaelic, but don’t worry—Fir means men and Mna means women.

When you buy something, wait until the clerk has wrapped it before paying.

Bring your own washcloth to an Irish home, and always dress for breakfast. Offer to help with light chores, too.

Regardless of where you are in the world, don’t try to be funny by copying the local accent. You may think your impression of an Irishman is hilarious, but your Irish hosts, good-natured as they may be, might be insulted. Just be a good guest, acting the way you would hope a visitor to your town or home would act.


Did You Know? Top
A new anti-racism movement in Ireland has called for the urgent introduction of equal status legislation to combat the growing problem of racism in Irish society. The Platform Against Racism, formed in December, feels that it is important to address the perception that racism is not an issue in Ireland.
A new trend has developed among the estimated 70 million people of Irish descent throughout the world. Instead of leaving Ireland, they are coming home. The number returning is at the highest level since the ’70s, while that leaving is at the lowest.
Many people in Ireland are planning to leave the city and move to the country. Crime, unemployment, pollution, noise, congestion, and lower quality of life are just some of the reasons that people give for packing up the bags and the kids, and leaving it all behind. Thousands of families are registered for resettlement in rural areas.



Food Top
Breakfast can be a major meal, with cereal, juice, bread and butter, toast, eggs, and sausage! Lunch and dinner may be heavy or light. Tea (a light snack of tea and pastry—or a meal of sandwiches and desserts) is usually served between 4 and 6 p.m. When you dine with the Irish, try to eat everything on your plate. It’s considered polite. The most important part of the Irish diet is potatoes. Oats are also important, used for making bread and porridge. Ireland, being an island, also has a large fishing industry, and seafood has found its way into the staple diet.




Local Lingo Top

If you have good crack with someone, it means good and lively conversation.

When you’re destroyed, you’re exhausted.

If you’ve had a fog feed, it means you’ve had a plentiful meal.

Thick as a ditch refers to a stupid person.

A chick or a wain is a child.

If you are palsie walsie with someone, it means that you are good friends.

Poless means police.

If someone hasn’t a titter of wit, they don’t have any sense.

If you’re outside and it starts spittin, it’s starting to rain. When it’s raining gently, it’s mizzlin.

“Feed” is a meal.

A blow-in refers to a person who is new or a stranger to the area.

If you’re a loud-voiced person, you might be called thundergub.

Weather Top
The Irish climate is mild, and rainfall is usually high. Average temperatures in January are from 40 to 45 degrees, and in the summer they range from 57 to 75 degrees.





Related Links Top
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/ireland/
Everything about Ireland, and links to The Irish Times.

www.cc.utah.edu/~joseph/geography/ireland.html
Ireland maps.

slarti.ucd.ie/maps/ireland.html
Irish Web Server Map, linked to Irish archaeology, arts and literature, government, and more.”

“Holy wah, woman. That's a ton of info. Thanks!

I've got a few Irish Slang websites in my favorites that I've referred to on occasion. Several of your terms looked familiar.

So, when does Tucker go?”

“


last edited: 4/27/06 2:10:28 PM”

“Wow. That's my fav Zep album (Tied w/ LZ I).”

“He goes to England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales from July 5 - 18. We don't have the exact itinerary yet, so I don't know when he will be in Ireland during the time frame. They have sent us tons of info, way more than I posted. I didn't post the castle stuff or the history or info on famous people, etc. But that was a good start. ;)”

“George Bush is thick as a ditch, and doesn't have a titter of wit!.......
Thanks Ruby! That'll be good for a few free Guinness from the natives!

BTW - I was told that this trip was backpacking from pub to pub, and that Yam was going to lead us to a pot o' gold.

Iss oss Mericka dom.”

“Hey Div - is your daughter back? Can I get a link?

"I was told that this trip was backpacking from pub to pub..." - Buddha Bear

Pretty much. My father has dubbed it The Ultimate Pub Crawl. Too bad papabull can't join us!

10 days til I leave. Everything's all set and ready to go.”

“Break a leg!”

“Break a liver! :)”

“Have fun!”

“WOW, sounds like you guys are gonna have some fun! Good for you. Now try not to get into too much trouble over there....you may either get kicked out and never be allowed back, be swept up by some handsome Irishman :)(not a bad idea) and not want to come back, or be thrown in jail for some ungodly reason and never get out....Hummm choices.... ;) Wait a minute I forget who I'm talking to...Tara and Yam together again.... ;0 JK

Stay safe and have fun!”

“Yes, good luck to you over there! I'm sure between the 3 of you, someone's gonna get in trouble. ;) Have fun!”

“Have fun, guys!”

“I had this tremendous opportunity to visit Ireland back in 1967. The deal was advertised as free travel both ways and I would have a 30 day free vacation. Only one catch; I would have had to do another tour in Vietnam. I'm amazed that I was actually smart enough to turn it down and often wondered about those who took the wonderful offer only to get blown away. I don't mean to rain on your parade. The topic just took me down memory lane. Have a wonderful trip.”

“Hey, be sure to rent this movie before ya go...

”

“i gotta start getting my act together and look at what i need to bring. ah heck. all i need is an extra set of clothes and i'm all set, right??”

“Socks”

“2 pairs of socks?”

“I haven't actually packed everything. But, I did figure out that the gear, food and water will weigh about 15 lbs. Then, two weeks of hiking and casual clothes and a spare pair of shoes... I should easily keep her under 30. Woo Hoo”

“......and if you have anything extra, load it on Yam.

She's quite sturdy for a little thing.”

“MarkO,
I think it's time i head down the coast and beat you up!!!

;-)”

“Hey sugar booger!!!

Gonna bring on a bit of shock and awe??

Aaaaaaawwwwwwww!!

Ouch.......ooch!!”