Ireland - tips?

[DrFarkoff]

We’re a little north of there. Carrickfergus, Dungloe, Leanane and Belfast for just a short whistle stop trip. One of the lads likes a good craft beer so I feel sure he’s already on the case.

See there you go, Hilden brewery Near Lisburn, Whitewater brewery Belfast

I work in Carrickfergus and Live about 15 miles away on Islandmagee and my folks have a place in Dungloe

For here, Get an I Link 2 card 1st time use £12.00 and covers you all day to last buses, Gliders, trains for a huge area all the way to Midnight
Leave the bikes and take the train into Belfast and on to Lisburn and stop off at Hilden and do a brewery visit come back to Belfast Have lunch at the Morning star near the Centre Or St Georges Market, there is a free exhibition in the city hall which very worth visiting Plenty of Decent beers in the city if you manage to avoid the tourist traps and of course travelling to the more extreme areas (We have both types of Bigots here!)

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Yeah Rome doesn’t have much in the way of beer either. I don’t mind the odd pint of Guinness but it’s very rare. I’m sure somewhere will sell beer. Lager is to me is just fizzy piss, cider? Well you can’t make beer out of apples.
My brother lives in Ireland and tells me there are some proper beer brewers. That’s my quest, to find beer in Ireland.

Some great craft beers in Ireland

 

[Harvey Mushman]

Going to Ireland next month. Haven’t been there for ~ 30 years, and never on a bike. Belfast to Rosslare via the West coast.

What’s the gen on things like filtering? Any other traffic or riding tips? Where to look for cheap fuel (if any?)?

Spare bulbs? Yellow jackets? First aid kit? Anything else like that?

Any “must do” or “must not” s? Particularly thinking of driving, but anything else?

Anything else to know?

Cheers

Tips?
Keep left. Pass right..
DO Stay as far away from Dublin as you can.
Do Visit Cork, like...
DO beware of idiots on phones in cars,
DON'T ever, ever, EVER,.. refer to any part of the island as Southern Ireland.
Do Wave at other bikers, (even tossers on wankpanzers like myself...)
Do Visit Cork, like...
DO Visit 'Not Cork' parts too, like... (except Dubland as mentioned...)

DO Expect to get wet, but at least the rain is warmer in July.

Seriously though, there is great value to be had on the WAW, despite what some say. Of course it's a tourist thing but the roads and scenery were there long before the WAW branding. Take in the Beara peninsula, do Healy Pass from south to north and into Helen's restaurant/B&B between Tousist and Lauragh for seafood platter. On the ring of Kerry try Ballaghbeema Gap and Ballaghisheen pass to Waterville, eat in the Lobster Pot, then Waterville to Sneem very slowly and enjoy the view.. Avoid the Gap of Dunloe it's covered in horse shit and american pedestrians... but Lord Brandon's Lodge is nice, and the Black Valley to get there is like Mordor...
Use the Tarbert ferry from Clare to Kerry, it saves time and is a nicer spin.
Sheeps Head peninsula south to north if possible.
Crookhaven & Barleycove is a great spin. And good grub in Crookhaven Inn. Just beware of dining hours (lots of places stop lunch at 4 and don't serve dinner till 5 or 6)
Gougane Barra. (Sconesville....)
Clonakilty-Ring-Courtmacsharry-Timoleague-Harbour View-Ballinspittle (wave at the moving statue) to Kinsale.
And on the way back to Rosslare take off the N25 from Dungarvan and follow the Copper Coast road from Stradbally to Annestown on the route to Tramore. Lots miss this. Good coffee, toasties and pastries in Bunmahon in Gourmet House Coffee. Tell Orlaith I sent you. She's a scream... and an ex-biker. Highly recommended.

For inspiration you could do worse than check out the "Ireland By Motorcycle, on and off the beaten track" group on FB, and also the Irish Photo Rally page on same.
Tank me later, like...

 

[SBD]

Thanks Harvey, that’s great!

The route has the Tarbert ferry, and we’re not “doing” Dublin. I used to visit Valencia for the diving, and so have driven the ring of Kerry a few times. Trying to avoid being stuck behind a coach…

There’s some great tips in your post, having booked our hotels/b&bs I’m refining the route at the moment so I’ll check out your recommendations.

Cheers!

 

[landmarkjohn]

What’s the gen on things like filtering?

If you’re on a road that requires filtering you’ve gone wrong. but as said it’s not frowned upon.

Any other traffic or riding tips? Where to look for cheap fuel (if any?)?

If there is a possibility that someone can pull out in front of you they probably will. It’s a cultural thing, just the way it is, don’t get excited. Fuel is fill up where you can, doesn’t vary too much, expect to pay €1.80 a litre.

Spare bulbs? Yellow jackets? First aid kit? Anything else like that?

C’mon now Ted!

Any “must do” or “must not” s? Particularly thinking of driving, but anything else?

Anything else to know?

Cheers

I drink Smithwicks these days. Much easier on the system than Guinness when you get up to a half dozen or so.

Have a great trip.

 

[sanqhar]

Signposts are in kilometres. The state of many roads is such that if you treat them as miles then you will get your journey timings right.

tom

 

[busy builder]

In Tiparary today, it's bloody hot.

 

[glenn2926]

In Tiparary today, it's bloody hot.

It’s a long way too.

 

[Happy-Wanderer]

Going to Ireland next month. Haven’t been there for ~ 30 years, and never on a bike. Belfast to Rosslare via the West coast.

What’s the gen on things like filtering? Any other traffic or riding tips? Where to look for cheap fuel (if any?)?

Spare bulbs? Yellow jackets? First aid kit? Anything else like that?

Any “must do” or “must not” s? Particularly thinking of driving, but anything else?

Anything else to know?

Cheers

I guess, by now you may already have visited and now returned, but for anyone planning a trip to the Republic, I would advise using extreme caution on the roads, whether on two wheels or four. It is not that long ago that learner car drivers could drive alone, unaccompanied with just the addition of an 'L' plate, and that mindset towards the roads still seems to exist, with one notorious Irish M.P suggesting that people in rural areas should be allowed to ignore the drink-driving law, as they need to get out for the evening pub 'craic'.

RTE the Irish public broadcaster, carries almost daily reports of often horrendous road deaths, persistent drink-driving and a large increase in uninsured and unlicensed drivers being caught. You would think it was Afghanistan. The Garda have little in the way of electronic driving/vehicle records, so forged documents are also a problem. On the Irish equivalent of a motorway, you will often find people parked on their phones, drinking coffee, asleep or having a pee! It is just as bad for pedestrians with light-controlled crossings being frequently ignored by drivers. After one experience, I vowed never to visit again. For sure, for sure, it is in parts a beautiful country, with generally friendly people who like to chat even to the English colonialists, but it is also over-priced and over-hyped too in my experience. Personally, I much prefer Scotland, miles better.

Having said all that, I do hope you had a great and memorable time there, and without incident to you or your motorcycle.

 

[younger06]

I guess, by now you may already have visited and now returned, but for anyone planning a trip to the Republic, I would advise using extreme caution on the roads, whether on two wheels or four. It is not that long ago that learner car drivers could drive alone, unaccompanied with just the addition of an 'L' plate, and that mindset towards the roads still seems to exist, with one notorious Irish M.P suggesting that people in rural areas should be allowed to ignore the drink-driving law, as they need to get out for the evening pub 'craic'.

RTE the Irish public broadcaster, carries almost daily reports of often horrendous road deaths, persistent drink-driving and a large increase in uninsured and unlicensed drivers being caught. You would think it was Afghanistan. The Garda have little in the way of electronic driving/vehicle records, so forged documents are also a problem. On the Irish equivalent of a motorway, you will often find people parked on their phones, drinking coffee, asleep or having a pee! It is just as bad for pedestrians with light-controlled crossings being frequently ignored by drivers. After one experience, I vowed never to visit again. For sure, for sure, it is in parts a beautiful country, with generally friendly people who like to chat even to the English colonialists, but it is also over-priced and over-hyped too in my experience. Personally, I much prefer Scotland, miles better.

Having said all that, I do hope you had a great and memorable time there, and without incident to you or your motorcycle.

Wow!!!

It's amazing how any of us survive over here!!

You've painted a picture there that is not far off a Mad Max movie.

Every country has its issues with rule/law breakers on the road.


No matter what country you are in.......ride your motorcycle like every is out to kill you.

Sent with a Zen10

 

[drimcong]

and; on narrow there is no give, cars insist on moving, expecting you to stop and let them pass. with bicycles there is a 1.5m rule, that some car drivers might respect by now. too many SUVs with drivers who neither know where they are nor having any consideration. with car to car encounters, there is a marked different behaviour.

 

[younger06]

I guess, by now you may already have visited and now returned, but for anyone planning a trip to the Republic, I would advise using extreme caution on the roads, whether on two wheels or four. It is not that long ago that learner car drivers could drive alone, unaccompanied with just the addition of an 'L' plate, and that mindset towards the roads still seems to exist, with one notorious Irish M.P suggesting that people in rural areas should be allowed to ignore the drink-driving law, as they need to get out for the evening pub 'craic'.

RTE the Irish public broadcaster, carries almost daily reports of often horrendous road deaths, persistent drink-driving and a large increase in uninsured and unlicensed drivers being caught. You would think it was Afghanistan. The Garda have little in the way of electronic driving/vehicle records, so forged documents are also a problem. On the Irish equivalent of a motorway, you will often find people parked on their phones, drinking coffee, asleep or having a pee! It is just as bad for pedestrians with light-controlled crossings being frequently ignored by drivers. After one experience, I vowed never to visit again. For sure, for sure, it is in parts a beautiful country, with generally friendly people who like to chat even to the English colonialists, but it is also over-priced and over-hyped too in my experience. Personally, I much prefer Scotland, miles better.

Having said all that, I do hope you had a great and memorable time there, and without incident to you or your motorcycle.

Also........




You're barred!!!

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[younger06]

and; on narrow there is no give, cars insist on moving, expecting you to stop and let them pass. with bicycles there is a 1.5m rule, that some car drivers might respect by now. too many SUVs with drivers who neither know where they are nor having any consideration. with car to car encounters, there is a marked different behaviour.

Barred......

Sent with a Zen10

 

[Mzokk]

I'd have to say there is some drivel on these pages but Drimcong and the Happy Wanderer take the biscuit. I ride/drive North and South on a regular basis and apart from the road surfaces being better in the South now than the North or Scotland or the North of England I see no difference in driving standards between Ireland Scotland and the North of England, and if you use mainly "R" roads and "L" roads in Ireland you will rarely see traffic. Anyhow in looking towards Leenaun on the 19th June (Must have Just missed younger06).

Heading for Doolough.



Note how busy and full of drunks the roads were.

 

[younger06]

I'd have to say there is some drivel on these pages but Drimcong and the Happy Wanderer take the biscuit. I ride/drive North and South on a regular basis and apart from the road surfaces being better in the South now than the North or Scotland or the North of England I see no difference in driving standards between Ireland Scotland and the North of England, and if you use mainly "R" roads and "L" roads in Ireland you will rarely see traffic. Anyhow in looking towards Leenaun on the 19th June (Must have Just missed younger06).View attachment 334387

Heading for Doolough.

View attachment 334388

Note how busy and full of drunks the roads were.

We probably met each other on the road......I would have been the Grey Skoda Superb....overtaking you, recklessly....in reverse....while sculling a can of Bulmers.



Just sayin'

Sent with a Zen10

 

[Flintlock]

A couple of weeks ago - between Taliban checkpoints & drink drivers, I thought I wasn't going to make it home

Hell on earth.

 

[younger06]

A couple of weeks ago - between Taliban checkpoints & drink drivers, I thought I wasn't going to make it home
View attachment 334396
Hell on earth.

(you definitely have a bit of Irish in ya)

Sent with a Zen10

 

[Mzokk]

We probably met each other on the road......I would have been the Grey Skoda Superb....overtaking you, recklessly....in reverse....while sculling a can of Bulmers.



Just sayin'

Sent with a Zen10

That's why I was in the car the optics are easier fitted to the dashboard than the handlebars. On the bike I have to fill a camel back with Buckie.

 

[Happy-Wanderer]

Also........




You're barred!!!

Sent with a Zen10

Barred? Not, I hope from that part of the island that is still within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland!

 

[Happy-Wanderer]

I'd have to say there is some drivel on these pages but Drimcong and the Happy Wanderer take the biscuit. I ride/drive North and South on a regular basis and apart from the road surfaces being better in the South now than the North or Scotland or the North of England I see no difference in driving standards between Ireland Scotland and the North of England, and if you use mainly "R" roads and "L" roads in Ireland you will rarely see traffic. Anyhow in looking towards Leenaun on the 19th June (Must have Just missed younger06).View attachment 334387

Heading for Doolough.

View attachment 334388

Note how busy and full of drunks the roads were.

Surely, biscuit should be 'cookie' given just how many people over there dream of becoming Americans. I'm sure the DG of RTE will consider adjusting his news broadcasts to take account of your fairyland view of the place.