Less known road trip - Ireland

I'm thinking about getting out there and actually seeing my own country! Finally.

So what things/places would you suggest to see? Good (cheap) places to eat? Other than the obvious tourist sights. I'm talking about the less-spotted Ireland (North&South). For example in Down, Nendrum is rather cool, particularly beautiful on a sunny summer evening. Or St Patrick's statue at Saul - fabulous view of Strangford Lough, if you can manage the climb up the hill. The Post Office at Lisbane is really nice and not hugely expensive.

I have an old LP guide. Have car and no time limit :-) (Well, I could do it in small bits if necessary or just wander round Ireland as the wind takes me). Accommodation would be cheap, hostels/tent/sleep in car (if necessary though wouldn't be happy about that here?! And not sure whether you're actually allowed to?!) Like historical sites, beautiful scenery/nature, pretty little villages (ok, just about everything, I'm open to any suggestions). Not big into pubs/drinking. Like theatre, fairs/festivals. Let's say, starting in September.

Yes, I know this is really quite an open ended query, but there's bound to be some places around where you live that are quite nice but not 'big' enough that you'd recommend to a tourist coming for 2 weeks.....

If you travel around the coast of Ireland by the small roads, you will have an amazing journey, of course you need to see a few of the sites further from the shores as well. Two places that really blew my mind when I did this, was Down Patrick Head, in County Mayo, better than the Cliffs of Mohr and no one there except me, and the Dursey Island cable car on the Beara peninsula.

the Dursey Island cable car on the Beara peninsula.

That whole route from Cork city along the coast via Kinsale, Baltimore, Schull, Bantry, Dingle, etc, is amazing and won't be overrun at that time of year...loads of hostels along the route, as well....you could maybe time a trip to coincide with the September Racing Festival at Listowel which is great fun, if that's your kind of thing...also keep an eye out for the Harvest Time Blues Festival in Monaghan Town which always has a great line-up...

Excellant. Thank you for the replies.
(and I don't mind a racing festival or two :-) )

wanders off to find my map to see how many roads I will need to colour in

(and I don't mind a racing festival or two :-) )

Bear in mind, Sor, if you do time your wanderings to include Listowel races, then make sure to have accommodation sorted in advance...gets very busy down there for race-week...

Hello Sor :-)

Tis a bit far down the road, but I quite like Tralee. Reasonably priced hostel there with eccentric writer types and so on. Gorgeous mountain and green scenery, the former around the village/town, the latter through landscaping in lovely parks and such.

I would avoid the people south west of there, who in my experience are generally as unpeasant as Dubliners, but Tralee itself is -admittedly small but- pleasant. Especially on a sunny day. I had a mad adventure there, and if youre taken in by ambulance, the hospital ward has a lovely view of the mountains :p

Otherwise I would recommend pretty much...anywhere in Donegal, which Im sure youve either seen or heard about, and the people there are some of the loveliest, most charming that Ive encountered.

Other than that, I would go to a place where Sinn Fein gets the most voters, or a strongly Republican place near or in the North. I dont know where youre from, but few places Ive stayed seem to have retained the identity more than they, and from a world-class perspective, the grassroots is surely Irelands greatest attraction.

Phoenix Park is the only thing worth seeing in Dublin. Really. But it really is magnificent.

PS. I like your attitude! Best wishes on your adventure :-)

DS. Dando

Other than that, I would go to a place where Sinn Fein gets the most voters, or a strongly Republican place near or in the North.

In that case, allow me to extend a very Waterhazard welcome to the ever contrarian and seldom lauded town of Dundalk, Co Louth...

Ooo, Dundalk. Is that newsagents on the north side of the town still open? The one that you had to go through Dundalk when heading north that people stopped at to get ice-cream? Or maybe that was just us! (Coming back from the races with my Dad and uncle we always stopped for ice cream).

Have to admit though, Im not big into the green and orange cultures. Wish they'd all just get a grip and live in the present and not the past! But if there are places of significant historical relevance, then yes, I'd go there. But if it's just a town flying bedsheet sized flags (of either colour), well, for me, living in the north, it's depressing rather than interesting and there are so many of them!

If you're a tourist though, 'culture' towns and events are very much worth seeing.

Hi Sor, not sure which newsagent's you mean as there are a few...also, there are a number of service stations on the old Newry Road close to the racecourse which might qualify...but the whole road system has changed now, of course...btw, the aforementioned, modernised all-weather racecourse complex is now one of the finest dual purpose (horses and dogs) facilities of its kind in Europe, and worth a visit if you have an interest in this kind of sport...

Couldn't really describe Dundalk as a tourist town, although the local museum is excellent but mainly centred on the town's industrial past...the best attractions in this part of the world are outside the town at Castle Roche, Slieve Gullion Forest Park and the very scenic Cooley Peninsula with Carlingford at its apex...

By the way, Dundalk is not an overtly Republican town, despite how it might be perceived...the character of the people is more of a dissenting, contrarian nature, but it's a very warm place although the reserved demeanour of the inhabitants means it takes a while to find this out...))

To summarise, best to visit the town as a gateway to some of the fine countryside on its doorstep...farther south, Drogheda makes a better stopover as there is more in the town itself and many historic gems dotted in and around the Boyne Valley, which I'm sure you're well aware of! :)