BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully

Subject: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 06:55 PM

I really want to go this spring or summer...and can do it if I find really cheap places to stay..or just one..and a cheap flight. Can everyone please keep an eye on flights from either Portland or Seattle to Shannon or where else? Cork? Not London for sure. Amsterdam perjaps. mg

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 09:19 PM

Shannon or Dublin. We hope to fly over -- heck, we have tickets -- on May 18 and back on June 1. We're flying into Dublin, down south to places like Powerscourt and Glendalough, west over to (roughly) Limerick, down to Dingle (my wife has to visit Ye Olde Familye Stompinge Groundse), over to Cork, up to Belfast, and back down to Dublin. Perhaps not in that exact order.

Fares are horrible. Outrageous. And Ireland isn't a cheap place to visit. PM me for more info.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 09:36 PM

Coincidence or fate? That was the exact time I was thinking..leave about the 16th,..stay a week..be back by 23rd for niece's wedding on 24th, a couple of days at Folklife and then back. I think I would just head straight to Dingle and stay there. mg

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: PoppaGator
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 10:05 PM

Ireland's least-well-known international airport is in County Mayo, near the shrine of Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland. I know about it mostly because it's pretty close to my family's old homestead in Ballyhaunis. We didn't fly in or out for our one visit four years ago, but I always have it in mind for the future.

If you don't mind traveling with a planeload of devout Catholics, including plenty of priests and nuns, you might consider looking for a low group fare with a pilgrimage. Once off the plane, I'm sure you could forgo the scheduled activities, rent a car, and drive south through Mayo, Galway, Clare, etc., and on to Dingle. Just a thought...

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 04:39 AM

It is better to Dingle hopefully than arrive?

I'd've thought a plane-load of people with a direct line to the Man Upstairs would be the perfect way to travel if you're at all nervous of flying!

Mind you, some of those nuns are real potty-mouths when they get stressed out.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: maeve
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 08:55 AM

I hope this trip materializes for you, Mary. You've been wanting to go for quite a while.

mave, listening to "Tie Her Up"

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 08:59 AM

Oh you lucky thing. I loved the Dingle peninsula even if we didn't see the dolphin...

GO TO KINSALE. That is all I have to say. Eat fish there.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Anne Lister
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 09:15 AM

I'd say go over to Beara (next peninsula over from Dingle) if you have a chance. Stunningly beautiful, far less crowded.

Anne

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Emma B
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 01:50 PM

I'll second Tabster. West Cork is stunning and not nearly so 'touristy' and a meal in Schull won't cost you the arm and leg it will in Kinsale!

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 03:42 PM

Thanks but my traceable ancestor came from Dingle, and one from Tralee, probably one from CLonmel, which might be the orphan girl in the famine, and one probably from King's County..Devery is the name. mg

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: irishenglish
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 03:47 PM

I know fares are horrible, but I was over in January for my honeymoon and we really lucked out and got a great fare on Aer Lingus, if you can believe it! Once there though, it is expensive these days.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 04:03 PM

You may have heard that the church records of St. Mary's, Dingle, were destroyed in the Troubles. They were not, and they are all in order. If you're looking for a relative I'd start there; the sexton is very helpful and knowledgeable.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 04:44 PM

I will go there for sure...the records of a lot of Dingle area are housed for some reason in the Memorial Univeristy archives at St. John's..something to do with a maritime museum..I don't know. That is how my cousin traced our ancestry. mg

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Thompson
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 05:19 PM

Fares from where?

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 05:51 PM

Seattle Washington or Portlnad Oregon USA. mg

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: alison
Date: 27 Mar 08 - 02:09 AM

I stayed in a lovely independant hostel just outside Dingle a few years back. In an old farmhouse, very cheap, and even cheaper if you wanted to pitch a tent in the garden. the dingle tourist office put us onto it...

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Thompson
Date: 27 Mar 08 - 03:56 AM

Take a look at Aer Lingus fares - on a quick look, over to Dublin on April 14 is $229, back on April 21 is $274.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Thompson
Date: 27 Mar 08 - 04:00 AM

And Shannon for April 16, returning to Washington on May 12 is $310 each way.

I'd travel to Shannon, myself. Teenshy little airport, very nice. If you really want to see Glendalough (just south of Dublin) you can get the bus across (cheaper than the train; lots of independent buses) then either get the St Kevin's bus or - better - hire a car for a couple of days.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Mar 08 - 09:37 AM

If you hire a car remember to drive on the wrong side of the road. If you don't you'll learn a lot of new words, including legal terms.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Mar 08 - 03:17 PM

It occurs to me to ask: how are you planning on getting TO Dingle? Bus? Rental car? Swim?

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 27 Mar 08 - 05:57 PM

Well, the major part of the trip will be by air..from Portland or Seattle..Portland is easier to get to but I have to be in Tacoma for my niece's wedding and Folklife at the same time. THis assumes cheap flights, and time off work, and an income tax refund...

I will not be driving....even if the roadways were the same (I thought they were in Ireland) I would be too jet-lagged etc. so from Shannon or wherever I will take the bus or train..oh a donkey cart would be great though. I will probaly have about a week there at the most so will pretty much focus on that area..although if I made it to King's County..Offally..I could probably crack the code of my great-grandfather, John Devery..I know his parents' names..Bridget Whalen and Michael Devery..and some relative who ended up in Iowa with him..Owen Devery who is from King's County for sure but I am not sure how they are related...

Would appreciate any genealogical help in advance. I also am related to a Cornelius Lyons of Tralee, father of Maggie Lyons, born 1833 or so. So he might have been born late 1700s or early 1800s...mg

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: mg
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 03:24 AM

http://www.rainbowhosteldingle.com/faq.htm

would this be the hostel? I will try to stay there. mg

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Thompson
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 04:59 AM

You can get a bus from Shannon to Tralee.

Probably a good idea not to drive. The Kerry roads are notorious, with hairpin bends.

I well remember a long-ago cycling holiday with my teenage son. At one stage, as we cycled along a narrow mountain road, an articulated truck coming towards us started blaring its horn.

I was wondering what was wrong with the eejit - until another artic, racing up behind us, passed both us and the other truck at full speed, its slipstream nearly dragging us under the wheels. The first trucker was trying to warn the oncoming truck to slow, for our safety.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Emma B
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 06:55 AM

just one more thing
to look out for when driving along country roads :)

'A 28 ounce iron and steel cannonball the size of a tennis ball (a "bowl" or "bullet") is hurled down a country lane.'

By experience - very scary when driving around a corner!

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 08:59 AM

You should try driving the Conor Pass from the Castlegregory side to Dingle in the fog, with holidayers towing caravans coming at you! 'Tis enough to drive a man to drink, thanks be to God.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: ard mhacha
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 04:54 PM

MG Kings County is the old limey name for Offaly, if your inquiring as to where Kings County is make sure the people are at least over 80, and get yourself up to Donegal for the finest scenery in Ireland, I have seen them all and the north-west or for that matter the north-east is beautiful.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Thompson
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 05:58 PM

Hah, sissy, try *cycling* the Conor Pass. I've done it myself, and the only thing that saved me was a slab of Walker's butterscotch toffee.

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Thompson
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 06:36 PM

On another holiday the same son found a boule - the French equivalent of the Cork bowls (the Cork ones pronounced to rhyme with 'howls', by the way).

He was pedalling full-speed down a hill, and I - in a state of transcendent terror - pedalling after him, watching as the speedometer on my bike's handlebard passed 38MPH and my naked elbows felt more and more fragile and cringing.

In his fraying pannier, the boule swayed closer and closer to the back wheel.

My screams of warning - shrieks - howls - were carried away by the wind whipping past my mouth.

Eventually, half a mile past the hill, he pulled up and turned around, grinning. "Hey, that was fun!"

I pointed, panting, to his pannier, where the boule was within seconds of dropping through - or of crashing into his spokes and bringing him to a neck-breaking tumble if he'd been going at speed.

"Shite and onions," he said. "Why didn't you tell me, Ma?"

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Rog Peek
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 07:47 PM

The first time We drove over the Conor Pass, on our return to where we were staying I went down to the local for a pint.

Now my local where we go in Ireland was Dan O'Connell's in Knocknagree, now sadly closed, having been opened by Dan in 1963 with the intension of preserving the local set dancing, which, with the demise of the local dance halls was in danger of passing out of existence.   

So, I'm in O'Connells chatting with Dan and happened to mention that we had driven over the pass and how magnificent the scenery had been. So Dan says to me "Did you hear about the Yank who came over from the states with his Cadillac and drove through the pass?"
"No" says I
"Well" says he "This Yank was driving from Tralee to Dingle to take in the scenery when he came to a fork in the road where the sign post which pointed right had Dingle written on it as did the sign post pointing to the left.
Not knowing which one to take, he happened to spot an old man with his cow tethered on the side of the road.
'I'm going to Dingle old man' he said 'Which road should I take?
'Well' said the old man 'If you're in a hurry, then take the left fork, the lower road is more direct. If you want the scenery though, then the upper road is the one for you, that will take you over the Connor Pass.'
'Yea, the scenery's what I want' he said as he drove off towards the Connor Pass.
He'd been driving for a while taking in the magnificent views when with steam coming from under the bonnet (hood) of his Cadillac he was forced to pull over.
He got out of the car and lifted the bonnet when from behind him he heard a voice say 'It's your fan belt.'
He turned around to see a horse standing there.
'It's your fan belt' the horse said again.
When he looked down he was surprised to find that his fan belt had broken, when he turned round, the horse had gone. He had some spare parts in the boot (trunk) and so was able to replace the fan belt and carry on his way.
He felt pretty shaken by his experience as he drove over the pass and down the other side towards Dingle, so when he spotted a bar he decided to stop for a drink.
As he walked up to the bar 'Give me a whiskey' he said to the girl behind the bar. As she turned, 'No, make it a double' he said.
'Your looking a bit shook' she said 'Anything the matter?
As he sipped his whiskey he told her the story of his journey, the fork in the road, the old man, the breaking down, the horse, the fan belt……….
'What do you think of that girl?' he said
'Well sir, it's a good job you took the upper rod' she replied 'the horse on the lower knows feck all about cars!"

I heard Dan tell the story to visiting tourists more than once, I'll bet if he had a pound for every one he'd have been a rich man.

Anyway, if you on the Connor Pass, listen out for the horse!

Rog

Subject: RE: BS: My trip to Dingle hopefully
From: Rapparee
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 07:54 PM

Beware too of the pool where the bejeweled pooca lives and entices passers-by. The pooca captures them and imprisons them in the pool.