I am planning an extended summer stay in Ireland for 2-2 1/2 months. I am in hopes of a cottage so that we can experience Ireland as much as locals possible yet as cheap as possible! I will have my 20 yo daughter, 16 yo daughter and 13 yo special needs son. There is a possibility my 24 yo might join us as well. Can you direct me to any programs or ideas you have? Our travel dates are somewhat flexible after the 2nd week of June till end of August.
I want to immerse ourselves as much as humanly possible with the Irish culture!
Answer:
A cottage, or self catering stay, in Ireland is a terrific idea!
The first thing I want to mention is that summer is the busiest season in Ireland, so costs are likely to be higher. If at all possible, you might want to look at shifting your stay toward the beginning or end of tourist season. It will likely save you money on both airfare and lodging.
During your time in Ireland, do you plan spend that time in one place, or split it between a few? Decide what is on your “must see” list- that will help you choose your best home base.
For self catering, I have a few suggestions.
- If you think Connemara might be in your plans, the Connemara Language and Cultural Center might be a good option. The cottages are quite nice. We were just there- our cottage had 3 bed rooms and 2 baths. And while you likely wouldn't want the language courses (English & Irish), the cultural activities they offer could be of interest.
- Adare Manor, in Adare, County Limerick, has self catering villas and townhomes. Adare is an easy day trip from quite a few of Ireland's most visited sites- Bunratty castle, the Cliffs of Moher and Killarney.
- Sykes Cottages lists self catering cottages across the country, and Rural Retreats offers some beautiful lodgings, as well.
To best immerse yourself in the culture, I suggest finding local festivals or activities. Many areas have a free “What's On” publication filled with activities and events.
Do you have a question about Ireland travel? View the Ireland Travel FAQs page or email your question to IrelandCoach(at)IrelandFamilyVacations(dot)com. I will reply directly to you as well as add your question to this page- because if you need an answer, it’s likely someone else does, too!
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Have a look at this house you may just fall in love with the area and how easy it is to most places with 1.5 to 2 hours ir kilarney and cliffs of moher etc
http://www.tripadvisor.ie/VacationRentalReview-g186621-d4057944-Ballynagreena_Pallasgreen_Limerick_Ireland-Limerick_County_Limerick.html
Absolutely beautiful property, Miriam! It’s definitely one we will put on our “must stay” list!
We stayed at a very nice cottage (8 days) in County Kilkenny that was 3 bedroom, 2 bath. I know that at least one of the cottages was rented out for longer stays. It is called Croan Cottages. The cottages are part of a small family farm. My kids loved the animals and the bocce field that they had set up.
Thanks for the recommendation, Amy! If you enjoyed it, I’m sure other families will, as well!