However, I do agree you should ALWAYS obey the traffic lights and crossing signals. Bus drivers will make a point to get as close to you as they can when they catch you jay-walking. I’m talking about centimetres. Do not do anything that will slow down a Dublin bus because one of two things will happen, guaranteed: A) You will get an involuntary nose job from a Volvo B9TL, or B) an Eastern European driver named Crazy Ivan teach you some new swear words you’ll never forget.

Since I have designed and edited Maureen O’Hara’s official website for the last 17 years, my mission in Ireland was coached by “herself.” It doesn’t get much better than that.

Now that Ms. O’Hara has retired and living in the village of Glengarriff..there is much happening there now as they have begun publicity and fund raising for a proposed museum and film school in her honor. So…at certain times of the year the average tourist can indeed meet Ms. O’Hara when she appears at her film festival in the month of June…and other special events in the Fall. She celebrates her 91st birthday this August 17th.

Checkout her official website on Face Book or Maureen O’Hara Magazine on line. Lots of recent pics and things happening.

And hey!! Fly to Dublin Airport!! If you wanna spend 4 or 5 hours getting a bus from Shannon (not including the wiaitng around for the bus) to Dublin, knock yourself out!!

And yeh, Temple Bar!! over priced!! Oven O’Neills which is five minutes walk outsiude Temple bar, is far better!

DON’T look on street corners for street signs. We found them mounted on walls, on the ground, halfway down the road – it’s bad enough driving when you’re scared witless, but then you’ve got your head on a swivel trying to figure out which street is which.

I went about 5 years ago – do GPS’ help with this now?

Wouldn’t you rather tell your friends about awesome places that they haven’t been? I’ll confess I’m not much of a shopper, so I can’t tell you where to get the best woolens, but the view from the Avoca at Moll’s Gap in Killarney is awesome, and they have tea.

Buy maps and do just a bit of research before you go, or get in tune with small, local tour services. The internet is full of stuff. And another, far more important “Don’t” is:

DON’T ever say you are only going once.

BUT, that said, if you do fly in to Dublin and rent a car, MAKE SURE you pre-pay for the M1 “toll road” and simply drive around the city [presuming, of course, your actual first destination is NOT Dublin proper...] While driving “on the left” may be unusual for many, it turns out it’s not that difficult – the YELLOW line is STILL on the left side of the car, makes things easy for U.S. drivers

If you actually are headed into town, there is a free bus service run by “paddywagon” bus tours (yeah, perhaps the cheesiest name ever…) runs every couple of hours, stops at 7 or 8 in the evening though. (I think they operate in conjunction with a hotel chain – I suspect they’ve been contracted to be the hotel’s “airport service shuttle”, and since there are usually extra empty seats aboard, well…)

Definitely dodge the taxis if you have the initiative and time, as you meet friendly people at every step of the way and the trains are cheaper. I helped a lady haul her bags up the stairs at the Dart station and got some inside info on a small, local church ruin to add to my sketch book, and where to go to get the key to the gate.

That being said, don’t think that the train is going to take you everywhere you want to go, or that it isn’t going to be an uphill climb when you get there. (I stayed in Killiney for a while.) Taxis are awesome when your feet are tired and the day is damp and chilly. And every taxi driver I’ve met has had some good info on local sites and pubs.

My “don’t” for Dublin? Whatever you do, don’t stop for the weather. It is unlikely to get any better or any brighter. Bring rain gear and keep on going. The tea and biscuits taste better on a wet day anyway.

One other tip I add, is don’t spend your first days of your Ireland vacation in Dublin while tired and disorientated. Save Dublin to savour at the end of your vacation when you are in he Ireland vibe and used to the time change, currencyand oter things.

Our main service is getting people out west to Co. Sligo for their first couple of days to settle in quietly, get into the Ireland vibe instantly and smoothly and then we take them onto their car or tour. Thanks for the plug for Knock airport, our local airport !!!

The best taxi cab story I heard was some clients taking a cab to the airport at the end of their vacation and asking his advice for the best “traditional Irish music”. He insisted they bought Daniel O’Donnell, so they did, 5 cds . Google him and listen to some audio and youtube of him .

However, I do agree with the don’t drive in Dublin. We got lost on the way to the airport to drop the car off and had a tour of Dublin I’m not sure I’d like to repeat. Finally flagged down a truck driver to ask for directions. He asked us how we ever got to where we were.

Nicole – I agree, Dublin is pretty easy once you get your bearings. Once you figure out where everything sits in relation to the river, that can help you keep your orientation.

Mindie – If I had known that little tidbit about Cleary’s when I wrote this, I would have definitely finished the post with it. Love it!

Kerry – Great tips as usual. Thanks!

Deborah – Sounds like you saw a lot in a whirlwind tour of Dublin. Sounds like you have a great to-do list for next time

if you take Dublin Bus — the city bus service, bus marked 747 is most common airport to city center one — into town from the airport, your ticket will allow you unlimited Dublin Bus travel for the rest of the day.

One additional Don’t….. Don’t stand under the clock at Clearys for too long unless you’re looking to attract a lover. It’s bewitched.

More anon.

I know the on/off buses are in other cities, but my first experience was in Dublin and I loved the ease of it. We were in Dublin for one full day before we took off to see the rest of the country and the bus allowed us to hit all the high points while choosing to spend more or less times at the places that did or did not interest us. For instance, while the Gaol was cool, the tour was a bit long for us on our one day, so we ducked out and headed back to the art museum before getting back on the bus.

Must confess, I haven’t been to Gravity Bar at night… and since the visitor centre closes at 5 (7 in the summer) and the hop on/off bus is usually done by dark, I think a lot of tourists don’t make it there at night. Sounds like something to make plans to check out.

Amongst the things you should do, I’d count some of the sights of County Wicklow. Glorious countryside and not too far from civilisation.