I'm thinking of taking a trip to Ireland. It's where my genes come from, so I thought I'd go see if Jung's theories are right about racial memories. (Was that Jung? Maybe it was someone else.)
Anyway, I really have a funny hankering to go to Cork and then up to Galway. I thought I'd visit Archbishop O'Donohue at his new job and then go check out those nice looking Poor Clares on Nun's Island in Galway. I ought to go visit my long-lost Doloughan/Jenkins cousins in Limerick too.
But I need some help. I'm poor. Not broke, but not rolling in enough dough to pay for things like hotels. And who wants to stay in hotels anyway?
So, I'm swallowing my pride and asking readers in Ireland if they know of cheap lodgings or friendly Traddies or mad pro-lifers who might let me sleep on their sofa while I'm whirlwinding around. I'm never fussy when travelling, just need a horizontal surface out of the soft Irish rain.
I could also use a little travel advice. Never been to this part of the world before, and want to see good bits.
I'm thinking the best way to do it is a flight from Rome to Liverpool and then either a flight from LP or the ferry and then the train down south. There are direct Aerlingus flights to Cork from Rome, but they're horribly expensive.
Suggestions?
Update: looks like Ryan Air flies directly from Ciampino to Dublin and the fares are weirdly cheap. €4.99 from Dublin to Rome. Odd.
9 comments:
Something like €50 for a seat, €5 if you want the loo, €20 per piece of hand luggage ... just ask them about the cost the extras: Mr Ryan made £500M on them last year. (And good luck to him - don't get me wrong; but it's nice to know before you get on board.)
(And I exaggerated for comic effect: I don't know how much they charge.)
Ttony's on to something about Ryanair - they'll try to catch you on the extras, but if you're careful about luggage, food, insurance, carbon-offset, and checking in then they can be fairly priced.
Had I known that Bp P.O'D was now in Bantry I would have looked him up when I was there a couple of weeks ago. Bantry has a magical old House (http://www.bantryhouse.com) with amazing gardens. One of the wings is a B&B, which starts from €80/night, but there are bound to be several other less grand B&Bs (couldn't be more grand!) around rather more competitively priced.
You ought to be warned before you go that getting around Ireland without a car is something of a drag - there are trains, but they won't take you everywhere, and I suppose there are buses, but it's not all hooked up and easy as it can be in other European countries.
I was in Kerry and West Cork on my latest excursion, and the countryside is simply stunning, but do be prepared for rain each and every day (albeit not necessarily all day long).
There are good bits?
In my experience, it's just the luggage fee that will get you. But even with a luggage fee added in, Ryanair can still be cheaper than other airlines.
Hey - it's just plain "bishop". Lancaster's not that important (at least not to the powers that be; it is, of course, to those of us who Know Better).
Ah, Ireland! Spend 2 glorious months there in the summer of 1988 after finishing 4th year. Bicycled around the whole country.
Check out Croagh Patrick near Westport---a low mountain that St. Patrick spent Lent upon one year. There is a small chapel up top, but it was locked when I was there.
Another highlight was touring the Waterford Crystal factory in Waterford.
But definitely go to Glendalough and see the monastery and the round tower! But if you can, go on your own. The tour bus spends too much time at a giftshop half way there and nowhere near enough time in Glendalough itself.
Well, maybe you'd want to attend the Latin Mass at St. Patrick's academy in Islandeady, Co. Mayo. Also Croagh Patrick, in the same County. Knock is there too, but on the other side. A visit to Knock is what convinced me to convert...but the newer basilica is hideously modern. I would recommend visiting the old Church where Our Lady actually appeared, however, and certainly the little shrine where that happened.
Galway is a nice city, as is Cork. Depending on time you might want to go to the Aran Islands...three little islands off the shore of Co. Galway and Co. Clare, which you can get to by ferry. The Burren in Clare, and the Cliffs of Moher are popular for tourists as well, and the Burren (and Clare in general) is full of Christian and Pagan ruins (I have a cousin who lives in Doolin, and her husband gave me a nice tour of the area. He's an American ex-priest, and I'm not sure if he gives tours to the public or just to people he knows. If I find out he gives them to anyone, I'll let you know).
As for mad pro-lifers and friendly Traddies, in my experience, in Ireland at least, they are the same people. I made friends with some members of Youth Defence and the Latin Mass Society of Ireland. But again, none of them have permenant lodging set up for people who are visiting Ireland, though they are rather generous about things. Perhaps, given your pro-life reporting, you could cover some Youth Defence activities and thus go where they go and do what they do. I've never met such a fun pro-life group anywhere else.
If you put up a Paypal button, some of us could send you a few bob.
If you'd like to stay for free in County Donegal, I can set you up. Though... it's a helluva long way from Carndonagh to Limerick.
M
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