Brian
I'm not a grump. I don't mind hearing from people via e-mail about their experiences, or little requests for help, but I am not a travel agent--they charge. I would be happy to plan your entire vacation for you, but put the check in the mail first!!! :-)
My vacation started out miserably. It was my own fault, and I recovered fast, but let it serve as a lesson. I bought a new set of Fat Boys, slicks for mountain bikes, and self-sealing intertubes for my bike. I put them on the bike, took the bike apart, and packed it up.
After my ten hour flight, I got off the plane in Shannon with the grand plan to bike seventy miles. First off, the bike boxes are not my favorite. I personally hate them. UAL requires them, and the bike bounced around, destroying the box. I like the plastic bag option. Someone stole my helmet from the now unsealed box. Thanks United!
Secondly, to my surprise, both tires were flat. No they were not inflated in transit, I erred when replacing them, pinching the tubes. "Great," I thought, and proceeded to put the spare tubes I packed on the bike. All set, and ready to go I started on my way with my trusty map and got lost trying to find a back road. Psssst, another flat. I went to the bag and got the patch kit. My last patch, and it didn't stick. I was cold, tired, jet-lagged, and miserable and, being a city-rat, in the middle of the very-very rural Ireland without much of a plan. I called a cab from a local pub, and headed for a B&B. I rested, and was pretty much ready to go the next day.
Yeah, I know, you aren't dumb enough to do things like this, and/or young enough to have more stamina. But believe me, these flats were the first that I had ever pinched while changing. A quick inflation would have shown me the error I had made--that's all. You can't be too prepared.
I was also suffering a double dose of culture shock--an American urbanite in rural Ireland. It took me a day or two to adjust before saying, "Forget it," and taking the train into Dublin, to visit a friend. My second piece of advice is, "If you are from the city, start in Dublin, if you're from the country, start in Shannon." This will help you make the transition better.
The last piece of advise, don't do anything your first day. It's a long flight, and you need to have your wits together for the trip. Get a cab, book a B&B, get your bearings, head to a pub and get some local advise.
Believe it or not, I prepared pretty well. You must take energy food and drink if you plan on using it. The bike shops just stared at me when I asked for Power Bars, and I didn't see Gatorade. I knocked down my last GU on my last day, and they help, especially on 100 mile days.
I was lucky and had no rain. No one I know from Ireland believes me when I say this. It won't happen again, rain gear is a must. Also, don't make fun of high-tech bike gear like jersey's and shorts--they work. and help wick sweat and make you much more comfortable.
But don't take too much. I didn't take camping gear or even a sleeping bag in order to save on weight and to cover more ground. I recommend using hostels instead if you want to cover miles. My panniers were enough, and I clipped a backpack on my rack with my valuables, so I carried them with me. I did take a cable lock, and I always felt secure.
One thing I saw and wish that I had packed was a security rope or something. This goes around your neck and holds a pouch, so you can carry and protect your tickets, passport, and money. You can check it in as well, but you do feel more secure, especially at hostels.
I also should have ordered Irish pounds to take with me, to avoid the hassle of exchanging money right away. Also, while there, don't be afraid to cash in larger amounts of traveler's checks. The banks are your best value, but won't be open when you are done cycling.
It is free to travel with a bike overseas, and it is worth taking your own, for comfort and quality. My bike was outfitted well, too. I have a mountain bike with slick tires, and I put Look-style clipless pedals on. This let me do miles, and the inflexible road shoes gave more power to the pedals. I didn't do much walking while on the road, and I had a pair of shoes handy just in case. Slicks reduce your rolling resistance, and help you move faster and do more miles.
Now some advice for the destination.
If you fly into Shannon, go to Ennis. The Ardlea Guest House (Clare Road, #065-20256) was a good place--they run a tight ship! Then go to Kiernan's and tell them Brian from San Francisco sent you. They may forget me, but it might get me a free pint the next time through! The Guinness is to die for there.
I can't say enough about the Abbey Tourist Hostel (#065-22620). I felt so comfortable there, and met so many great people. In my opinion, hostels are the way to go, especially when going it alone. I liked this hostel, as well as Ennis, so much, I kept going back while on my way touring the west. As hostels go, this one has a heart and a soul.
I know what I said about the city/country advise, but I still loved Ennis. It is small, but not too small, less touristy than Galway (But don't miss Galway either), but with enough outlets to help any tourist. And friendly...wow. Don't miss Ennis, it's only a cab away from Shannon Airport.
Like I said earlier, I went to Dublin right away. This is a CITY. Forget your romantic notions, and expect a CITY with all the modern urban problems. One more time...CITY. Be careful.
Wow, and what a city! The place rocks, and the clubs go on all night. The Guinness is the best in the world, and history oozes all around. Museums, theater, and the music...all killer. I recommend Oliver St. John Gogarty's pub--the place is great and goes until half one (1:30 a.m., a little slang). It is near St. Stephen's Green. I stayed with friends, so I have no advise on lodgings.
Here is your next lecture--etiquette. Learn your history. Just because your great-grandma was from Ireland doesn't mean the knowledge is genetically sealed in--it's not. Learning a little will help you enjoy and appreciate your trip. Tim Pat Coogan is a great writer on political history. Michael Collins is a great book.
Another good author is John Kee. His companion book, Ireland, a History, is excellent. Even better--but considerably longer, is his Green Flag Trilogy. It is in much greater depth, and it is fun to know these things there. Joyce and Roddy Doyle are good for fiction. And believe me, knowledge of the history and culture will be appreciated by the Irish.
Culture Shock publishes a guide on manners you need, and one of AOL's Travel places (channels?) has a list of do's and don't's. It is very good. And if you don't know already, don't talk about politics and religion in a pub, especially if you don't know much. And "The Struggle"? Let it go, don't bring it up. Someone else may, but proceed with caution. The Republic was outraged by the Manchester I.R.A. bombing.
And use your head. Ireland is a country as well, not just a tourist destination. Have respect. Don't go to Mass in shorts, and be nice with the cameras. A pub isn't a Disney attraction. Have patience, you'll fit in easily if you don't over do it. My friend kept pointing out the loud, obnoxious, American tourists in Galway with the embarrassing phrase, "There's your people." Let's do better, huh?
After a solid weekend of partying, I rubbed the head and went to Galway, bike in tow. Notice the German accents. This is where I really started to bike. I ended up doing 350 miles in my second week. I stayed with friends here as well, so don't have good advise on lodging. The pubs are great here as well. The Quays (Keys) is modern and well done, it is a no miss place. McDonagh's Seafood Bar, 22 Quay , has great fish and chips. Eyre Square is nice, as is the river and bayfront.
Don't rule out day trips or bussing around. You can cover more ground or explore a city even more. I didn't get to Cork because I biked too much. It's a shame, but I enjoyed the cycling. This is where the cycling comes in.
I did a day trip to Corkscrew Hill from Galway. Galway is the fastest growing city in Europe, so there is traffic. I traveled along Galway Bay to the hill. It is in the Burren. Beautiful. The Burren is gray, and the mountains are gray. The wildflowers are purple and yellow, and it is to die for. I dropped my camera in Dublin, and really regret not having a photo of it. The hill itself is a climb, but it is one of the best views in the country. You'll see. DO NOT MISS.
The next day, I biked to Gort, then cut over to Lisdoonvarna. This a spectacular ride.[Don't call cycling a "ride" while there, it is a slang term for something ;-) Fanny is a slang term for a part of the female anatomy, so fanny pack has a different meaning as well. Use your imagination.] Then I missed Doolin (sob) and hit the Cliffs of Moher. They are absolutely stunning! Then, after roaming around, I biked to--you guessed it---Ennis.
I didn't feel like cycling the next day. This is more advise, don't be afraid to take a day off. I met a Dubliner, or Jackeen, and had a grand time. We played music all day, talked about life in general, etc. There was an English guy there to, as well as a good Kerryman. Great craic (conversation, not the white stuff).
More advise, train. Train hard. If you don't, you'll tire out, and not enjoy yourself as much. It pays off. My 200 mile weeks and grueling stairmaster sessions, along with the weights, were the difference between a good time and a great time. If you underestimate how much you need to train, take days off and bus with the bike. You'll see more. Some of my trips are long, so you may want to plan on doing them in two days instead.
The next day, I traveled to Dingle via the Tarbert ferry. I used the main road, but there is a river road. We crossed the Shannon into County Kerry. Green it is. I took the main road again, in order to cover miles, I used the main road to Tralee, then biked out the Dingle Peninsula, over Connor Pass, to Dingle town.
Dingle is worth the visit It is a thumbs up, must do. I didn't have time to do the Ring of Kerry, and Dingle's scenery is very good. Connor Pass is grueling, but it is a rush to make it to the top, take in the view, and listen to tourists climbing out of cars complaining how tough the drive up is. And get a load of the sheep. They are all over the roads, and just stare at you. They are one of the mainstays of the west.
The guys that run the An Caladh Spainneach Hostel in Dingle (066-52160) are good people and the hostel is nice. Dingle is okay as a town, but it is Very touristy. A little too much for my tastes. Inch is down the road, and you might want to try that or another town to stay in. It is a young party town, though, and the locals showed me a grand time. My hostel mates were from Germany, and they partied on the beach all night. I had to get back the next day, so it was beddy-bye for me.
It was Saturday, and my flight was on Monday morning. I could have tried to make Cork, and spent a Saturday night. It was long, but possible. However, Clare was playing Cork in Gaelic Football in--yeah, Ennis--, so I biked back to the Abbey. I took the southern route on Dingle this time, stunning. I biked through Castleisland, only because it's a friend's hometown, and the ride to Listowel is very scenic. I recommend it. The Tarbert Ferry is great to take, so I did it again. I wanted to miss Limerick's traffic.
If you can, see a football game or a hurling match. It is fun, and the stands are pretty full--the pubs are fuller. The game was a tie, but the fans were great. It was a good event to participate in, and the people are out in droves celebrating life.
Back to Kiernan's for my last night, watching the Clare guys in Yellow and Blue good-naturedly heckling the Cork fans in Red and White. The music in Kiernan's is outstanding, but try other pubs as well. Well, it was back to reality, so I went to Shannon the next day and flew away (tear in eye).
I hope this helps. I can be stern, but the advice is sound, especially if you like pubs (ha, ha). I gave as much information here as I could so everyone can have an excellent time like I did. I just don't want the typical e-mail message, "I'm going to Ireland, Any tips?" in my box. Unfocused e-mails will be ignored, focused questions will be gladly answered.
Slainte
Brian