Of all the James Joyce-related activities in Dublin, which are the most worthwhile? There are two at

When I told my niece Brittani that I'd take her anywhere for her 21st birthday, she chose Ireland. She's a big reader, so we'll definitely traveling wilburys mp3 be checking out James Joyce's Dublin and Frank McCourt's Limerick. I'd also like to allow some time for unplanned traveling wilburys mp3 adventures and mingling with locals. Catherine traveling wilburys mp3 Credeur, Shreveport, La.
There's so much to see: Limerick, traveling wilburys mp3 Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Blarney traveling wilburys mp3 Castle, Galway's Gaeltacht [Irish-speaking region], and County Kerry. Can you help us prioritize? Covering all this in a week would zap any chance of downtime. Cork is cool, but since you're going to the bigger cities of Dublin and Belfast, save it for another trip. That means missing Blarney Castle, but you'll be able to see other castles (with fewer crowds). Visiting traveling wilburys mp3 the Gaeltacht and Kerry could feel redundant. Do the Gaeltacht this time, Kerry another.
Will we have trouble booking our lodgings while we're in Ireland? traveling wilburys mp3 Finding last-minute accommodations is only really tricky during summer. If you want to stay in B&Bs--which are definitely the way to go in Ireland--you should consider the voucher system from Dooley Vacations . You buy vouchers for however many nights you need, the company sends you a guide with listings for more than 1,500 B&Bs, and you book directly with the owners (877/331-9301, dooleyvacations.com , vouchers from $100 per night).
Of all the James Joyce-related activities in Dublin, which are the most worthwhile? traveling wilburys mp3 There are two attractions every Joyce fan should visit. The James Joyce Centre , a few steps from where he went to school north of the city center, has exhibitions, a library, and lectures (35 N. Great George's St., 011-353/1-878-8547, jamesjoyce.ie , $7.25). For atmosphere, however, you can't beat The James Joyce Museum traveling wilburys mp3 in Sandycove, eight miles southeast of Dublin. The museum is in a 19th-century tower that serves as the setting for the opening chapter of Ulysses (011-353/1-280-9265, for directions search for joyce museum at visitdublin.com , $10.50). To get a feel for Joyce's Dublin, take one of the walking tours led by The James Joyce Centre ($14.50), or pick up The Ulysses Guide: Tours Through Joyce's Dublin by Robert Nicholson. It's a fun little book that re-creates some of the walks that Joyce's characters took around the city.
Brittani is intrigued by the Limerick that Frank McCourt described in Angela's Ashes , but I've heard the city doesn't offer much for tourists. Although Limerick has improved a great deal since McCourt's self-described miserable childhood, it's still one of Ireland's poorest and most blighted cities and doesn't hold much appeal for the average visitor. McCourt fans, however, traveling wilburys mp3 will enjoy the Angela's Ashes Walking Tour (St. Mary's Action Centre, 44 Nicholas St., 011-353/6-131-8106, $14.50).
I'd love to see the Blasket traveling wilburys mp3 Islands. Are they accessible year-round? The nearly uninhabited Blasket Islands are one of Ireland's most striking sights, but ferries only run April to October and even then can be canceled if the waters are rough. You'd probably be better off going to the Irish-speaking Aran Islands, or Oile in rainn. Located off Galway, traveling wilburys mp3 they're a great option in the off-season. Inis M r is the most populated and most commercialized island, but it has one of the more spectacular prehistoric forts in Europe--D n Aengus, on the edge of a 300-foot-tall cliff. The other two islands, Inis Me in and Inis O rr, have fewer than 350 people each and give a more authentic sense of island life. Both can easily be covered on foot in a few hours. The views (of the Connemara coast, the Burren, and the Cliffs of Moher) are among the best in Europe. Irish is the main language, but most locals are fluent in English.
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