We are headed to Ireland in August for 3 days . Mayo County Baleena . We have friends that we are visiting. So we fly into Dublin at 11:00 PM . They are suggesting that we drive directly to Baleena a 3 hour drive because when we are there it is their big holiday time week and the roads will be full in the morning . Has anyone made this trip or what do experienced Ireland drivers think of this drive at night from four crazy Texans ?
Question On Ireland
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davebarnes
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You will tired and jet lagged.
Consider the train to Ballina.
Consider the train to Ballina.
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Souschef
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After our experience spending a week in Ireland, I would suggest getting a hotel for the night. You do NOT want to be driving at night on narrow, unfamiliar roads on the left hand side.
Ronstar
Moderator Emeritus
No way. Our group barely handled driving in Ireland in broad daylight.
timo2
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I wouldn't drive on the wrong side of the road at night. The parts I messed up on were the intersections. Just get an early start the next day.
on another note, I liked the 'carveries' in Ireland. https://www.dailyedge.ie/best-carveries-sunday-lunch-ireland-2001482-Mar2015/
on another note, I liked the 'carveries' in Ireland. https://www.dailyedge.ie/best-carveries-sunday-lunch-ireland-2001482-Mar2015/
Nemo2
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HarveyS
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If no jet lag and you have a committed co-pilot/navigator.... follow the local's advice. Make sure you can pick up the car that late at the airport.
Alternatively, pick up the car, get a hotel at the airport, and depart at 5 am. That will (I assume) beat most of the traffic.
Alternatively, pick up the car, get a hotel at the airport, and depart at 5 am. That will (I assume) beat most of the traffic.
COcheesehead
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Ireland has better bus than train service. Check it out. Driving a rental in Ireland is challenging. Not intuitive and the road are narrow and winding.
Agree with the comments about driving while tired on the "wrong" side of the road. One other thought: any chance of flying into Shannon (in County Clare) instead of Dublin? You'd be much closer to Mayo.
Enjoy! It's a great country.
Enjoy! It's a great country.
Bamaman
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We were driving a rental car in Ireland a year ago. There's no way I would begin a 3 hr. trip that late at night.
Of all the places I have rented cars.for vacation, driving in Ireland was the most.difficult driving. Roads are terribly paved, narrow and not.well marled. IDeep ditches on both sides of the road or high rock walls and bushes close.to the roads. It is not pleasurable as a place to travel.
And most drivers are not used to driving in the "other" side. of the road.
Of all the places I have rented cars.for vacation, driving in Ireland was the most.difficult driving. Roads are terribly paved, narrow and not.well marled. IDeep ditches on both sides of the road or high rock walls and bushes close.to the roads. It is not pleasurable as a place to travel.
And most drivers are not used to driving in the "other" side. of the road.
donheff
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I think you need to judge your own comfort with left side driving. I have never had a problem with it and would take my friends advice in your case. My memory of Ireland is that many roads are narrow so caution is in order. But late night travel also involves a lot less traffic which is a factor in your favor. Early the next morning may be when all the holiday goers hit the road. Adjusting to left hand traffic in daytime crowds could be worse than night travel.
Cortina
Recycles dryer sheets
Hmm , speaking as a local
It's a four hour drive + stops .... I don't care what Google maps tells you or others ... it's a four hour drive ++. (it's Ballina by the way)
No real fun at night - you want to see things. Possible yes , sensible - no.
Get Hotel at airport - no point in a 5 am start , everyone will be asleep. Your only "traffic" will be on the M50 (Dublin ring road) , and that will start to get busy at 0730 / 0800 0r later depending on what day of the week it is. Will only be busy for first 20 miles (approx) . Get on road after a 7am breakfast and enjoy the trip !
HawkeyeNFO
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That's actionable intel, Friar. Best suggestion I've seen on this one. Ryanair flies cheaply into all kinds of little airports in Ireland. No need to put up with the hassles of Dublin.
Cortina
Recycles dryer sheets
That would turn the 4 hour drive into a 3 hour one - yes it would avoid Dublin ..... is this good ??
I would let cost of flight decide where I went to (within reason)
but ..... what would I know !! ??
HawkeyeNFO
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Might be a bit more scenic. Any flights into Knock airport that might be convenient?
2.5 plus nowhere near as much traffic. Depends when the flight to Shannon gets in. Not many 24 hr truck stops in Ireland.
BigNick
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Not from Amsterdam. From AMS Ryanair only goes to Dublin and Malaga. AMS is an expensive airport, so Ryanair has historically avoided it. They send people who want to go to Amsterdam to Eindhoven instead, which is a good two hours from AMS by bus.
To get to Knock from AMS you would probably need to go to London Stansted with EasyJet, then get your bags, clear UK immigration (no Schengen!), and change to Ryanair. Allow two hours minimum for this changeover, as immigration at STN can be horrific, especially in summer.
And to the OP: By the time you've landed, perhaps a bit late, retrieved your luggage and cleared Irish immigration (no Schengen, 11:30pm, not many officers on duty), it will probably be too late to collect a car. But in any case you really do not want to be driving Irish country roads at 3am. Get a hotel and pick up the car when the rental desk opens the next morning.
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