St. Patrick’s Day really isn’t like the American holiday you see: it’s a religious holiday, and all. Many historic places are shut down from October-March, so you’ll really get more bang for your buck if you go after April. I hear May and September are great. We rented a car and drove around the island for two weeks. That’s really the best way to see Ireland.

It depends on what you think is really Irish.

Dublin is a modern city. Its similar to a British city but has its own quirks and idiosyncrasies. But only in the middle. The outskirts have turned in to everywhere USA. But with crappy traffic and almost non-existant public transport.

You can get pockets of olde Ireland but to get what you may think is the real deal go to Galway or Cork or Donegal. Or Kerry. Or West Mayo or Galway. There is a lot to see, you just need to say exactly what you want. I am leaving great places out.

Rail is expensive, slow and only connects the main cities. Not for those in a hurry.

If you only have a short time go to Kerry by air and either rent a car or taxi around. Be aware that few of us can drive safely and we drive on the wrong side of a very narrow road.

I go to Kerry a lot for work and I fly instead of the misery of driving. But the train is a good way to see the countryside. If you are not in a hurry.

www.irishrail.ie
www.aerarann.com
www.aerlingus.ie
www.ryanair.com
www.ireland.ie

I may be critical but I still live here and I find new places all the time. Come visit.

I want to parrot what Birdofparadox said: this is a religious holiday in Ireland, and the Irish can be quite religious. Most people will be indoors and most establishments will be closed. Moreover, if you see people partying, it’s likely that there’ll be a higher percentage of outsiders who came to party for the holiday than Irish who are out on the town. I made the mistake of being in Ireland on Good Friday and it took an excruciatingly long time to find a suitable place to eat.

If you really wanted to see Ireland, go at another time of the year. Go to NYC or Boston for St. Patty’s. Also, getting around Ireland in a rented car is fun – the roads are not crowded and well labeled. Plus, there’s the freedom to pick up and go when you want.

I think the rail system is relatively minimal, but the thing to remember is that (especially by US standards) Ireland is very small. I found the buses to be neat, quick, and relatively frequent. I took the bus from Ennis to Doolin on the west coast and then from Doolin to Dublin. Both were quick trips. I agree that Dublin is Irish and that it is more a big city than anything else. I highly recommend getting out of town. I liked Doolin a lot; you can see the Cliffs of Moher while you’re there, and it’s a launching point to the Aran Islands (you could even start from Doolin and return to Galway).

I spent St. Patrick’s Day in Galway and was glad to be there rather than Dublin.
Many things were closed, but there were parades and music and lots of locals hanging out.

I was able to take the train from Galway to Dublin later in the week, but I had to wait quite a while. I’d suggest what others have – flying into Shannon and taking a bus to Galway.

It isn’t Tempe, I’ll tell ya! So green! So many gardens and castles and abbeys and such nice people! Red heads! Lots of them. Rolling hills, rock wall fences.
No rails to speak of, not at all like Germany, or Italy. We flew in to Dublin, rented a car, and flew out of Shannon. We stayed in Limerick: good access to the South (beautiful coastal peninsulas)Central (County Tipperary, Kerry, Cashel Rock) and West (only about 1 1/2 hours from Cliffs of Moher another hour and you are in Galway) driving made me really tense, as I had trouble getting used to the rearview mirror being on my LEFT… driving on the wrong side of the (very narrow) road was occasionally trippy, like when a car or lorry rounds the curve ahead and you flash on “Am I wrong, or is he, or is it really OK?”

I’ve always enjoyed the energy in Dublin around St Patrick’s Day. When I lived in Dublin, I got to see some amazing Patrick’s Day fireworks. The celebrations extend for nearly a week so you can lose yourself in all the partying, if high tempo club action makes your nights.

I live in Cashel now, surrounded by some amazing ruins like people have captured on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/cashel

Things are quieter in Tipperary and the Patrick’s Day parades are more like a procession of farming implements and vintage cars. It’s fun and the local pubs are warm to the occasion. You could actually stay in Cashel and connect by bus into Dublin, Cork, and Limerick on day trips.

If you’re coming for the holiday itself, you should plan to hang out in some city centre and watch the parade because members of every generation will pass by. It’s a living tapestry of colour and culture.

If you’re coming to fill your camera, you need to see more than city views. Like many who have responded, I wouldn’t consider a visit to Ireland complete without going west to Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Burren. But you won’t find a rail line connecting those points.

I use Irish Rail a lot and it costs as much as long haul Amtrak in the States. Bus journeys are the least expensive way around the country but if you aren’t headed between major cities, you need to plan for occasional hour-long waits for transfer services. And in March, your toes will get cold on the concrete unless you find a cafe where you can nurse your cuppa between bus journeys.

I hope you have a pleasant stay!

I think the best place to stay near Dublin is a small town about 20 miles north called Skerries. It is a quiet seaside place with the perfect B&B there (http://www.redbank.ie/)! I think the rail goes out there but I don’t remember. The public transit system is called the DART, so you may Google it to find more info about that. In addition, they guy that runs the place (Terry) is the nicest you’d ever meet. He is also an executive chef who has represented Ireland in international food competitions, so you can take a good guess on how great the breakfast is!

Go to Dublin, see the parade.

Then hop on a train to Sligo. Then take a bus to Donegal in Donegal County. Quintessential Irish Country. The trains stop at Sligo, the only way to get further north in the Republic is via bus to Donegal County. That’s how remote it is, lots of Gaelic spoken there. Coal run fireplaces. Sheep.

St. Patricks Day in Dublin! When I planned my trip several years ago people told me not to go as it was an American holiday. I arrived in Dublin the day before, I left my inn one hour before the parade… I never did get to see it because there were so many people lined up thick I saw the tops of the floats! So, my advice to you, go to Dublin and experience the mirth and merry. Everything is shut down until the parade is over and then the pubs open up. There are a lot of Americans that are in the parade and are there to celebrate. To experience Ireland, anywhere you go in the outer areas will give you the experience you are looking for. A family took me in, the 20 somethings teased me about wanting to hear traditional music….keep in mind there is the tour book Ireland and a contemporary one too, there is room for both! Have fun!

Sounds like Boston is a good bet. Pretty good transportation. Way better food. Transportation in Ireland can be a real drag. There’s an old train with only a few tracks and the buses stop at every bush, so it could take you 8 hours to get 30 miles. Rent a car. Learn to drive on the left side of the road. Go West young man.

you are really better off renting a car if possible. There is no real
rail system and bus’ing it I have heard is no fun. I have done
several trips and have always rented a car as its really fun to just
go exploring on your own. I would say depending on time, drive from
Dubling along the southern coast to galway and then take a ferry out
to the arin islands. Its worth staying in a B&B in galway to get some
local flair! Jury’s Inn is ALWAYS a safe bet when traveling and
looking an affordable no frills place to stay, similar to holiday inn
in states. Along the way stop off in Waterford, Wexford and Cork.
Cork is a good place to stay but beware the Metropol and book in
advance. We didnt book ahead and wound up staying at the Metropol
which my GF swares reminds her of the shining.

Good Luck and Have fun!!! Dont forget to hit up some of the best pubs
in Dublin before heading out.

I was just in Ireland for St Patricks last year! It’s true that they don’t celebrate like us (my friend’s Irish flatmates – she was studying abroad there – commented on our green clothes and gaudy clover necklaces. They themselves were wearing all black to go out). But even so, it’s really cool. We were in Galway, which is a smaller city but a very popular place to celebrate apparently. During the day we watched their parade (once again, much different than ours, you should see one!), and at night, we went out. It does get super crowded, but luckily, we stayed in the same bar from that afternoon, so we had seats! We were at Quays, a big but cozy pub, and once it started getting crowded, we moved upstairs to the upper floor to get seats for dinner, and to watch a live band play irish songs (as well as a few like brown eyed girl) and some irish dancing! Even LATER that night, we hit up one of the many clubs in the area. Overall it was a super fun day, and I definitely reccommend Galway to you!