Interesting stops on the 2.5 hour drive between Dublin and Galway?
July 10, 2023 1:37 PM Subscribe
Will be driving from Dublin to Galway in August. It's not a long drive but we'd like to take in some stops along the way (nothing too far off the M6/R420, please.) We love quirky places, ruins, museums, good food, music, arts and crafts. Any recommendations?
Best answer: I'll chime in for Clonmacnoise also, despite having been quite reduced by making it into tour-bus friendly raree show: installing a gift shop and information film-show and replacing the high cross with a fiber-glass replica [original preserved in the basement of the Natl Museum in Dublin!]. Blotting that out, it is a fantastic, evocative place: you can stand on the little rise and imagine the long-ships rowing round the last reach intent upon plunder.
Further East, Clara Bog is 1km S of the R420 at the town/village of Clara & is one of the best preserved + easily accessible [board-walk; information posters] raised bogs in Ireland. Stop for the dragonflies and a gentle walk.
posted by BobTheScientist at 3:12 PM on July 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Further East, Clara Bog is 1km S of the R420 at the town/village of Clara & is one of the best preserved + easily accessible [board-walk; information posters] raised bogs in Ireland. Stop for the dragonflies and a gentle walk.
posted by BobTheScientist at 3:12 PM on July 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Not on the way, but just north west of Galway City is Spiddal, where Ros na Rún (a wildly popular Irish-language soap opera) has been filmed for like the past 27 years.
posted by toodleydoodley at 5:12 PM on July 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by toodleydoodley at 5:12 PM on July 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: And if you like Irish pop music, the N17 highway is there, which was immortalized in the song "N17" by the Saw Doctors in 1991 (I think).
posted by wenestvedt at 3:44 AM on July 11, 2023
posted by wenestvedt at 3:44 AM on July 11, 2023
Best answer: We did this drive on our trip to Ireland in 2017. We took country roads for most of the way once we were outside of Dublin proper. My best advice is to be open to spontaneity. Look out for the (tiny) road signs for castles, churches, and other historical landmarks, and be ready to pull off and explore. On that drive we happened on a truly magical ruined castle where we were the only people around for miles, a cool old church, and a nice short hike through incredible green. Have fun!
posted by codhavereturned at 5:59 AM on July 11, 2023
posted by codhavereturned at 5:59 AM on July 11, 2023
Best answer: If Clonmacnoise and Athlone don't suit, you could come off the motorway a little earlier at Moate and check out Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park. I've not been, but looks like a decent option. Sculptures, walks, cafe etc.
posted by knapah at 12:46 PM on July 11, 2023
posted by knapah at 12:46 PM on July 11, 2023
Best answer: I just did this drive to and from on a tourist trip (I'm from the States). There's not a lot of tourist interest on the way, honestly, and the locals I asked for advice rolled their eyes. Consider taking advantage of the well built road and just getting to one coast or the other, where there is more to do.
On the way to Galway we stopped in the Athlone town center. Not much to recommend it as a lunch stop (Maisie's). Perhaps if we'd gotten more involved with the town, touring the castle, etc? Was a miss for us. We did take a detour south to see the Clonfert Cathedral, a small yet oddly grand old country church. It was pleasant but not worth the long drive on tiny little roads to get there.
On the way back we took an hour detour to visit the National Famine Museum in Strokestown Park. This was OK and I'm glad I went for the history lesson. But as a museum it's pretty limited, mostly a bunch of text and not much in the way of artifacts to look at.
What did work for us was Keenan's, a pub (and hotel) where the N5 crosses the Shannon. I wouldn't make a special trip just to go there but it was a great stop for a break and some lunch. Lovely room, nice people, good food.
In my notes I have the following other ideas, not visited: Conmacnoise, Corlea Trackway, Kilbeggan.
posted by Nelson at 3:04 PM on July 11, 2023
On the way to Galway we stopped in the Athlone town center. Not much to recommend it as a lunch stop (Maisie's). Perhaps if we'd gotten more involved with the town, touring the castle, etc? Was a miss for us. We did take a detour south to see the Clonfert Cathedral, a small yet oddly grand old country church. It was pleasant but not worth the long drive on tiny little roads to get there.
On the way back we took an hour detour to visit the National Famine Museum in Strokestown Park. This was OK and I'm glad I went for the history lesson. But as a museum it's pretty limited, mostly a bunch of text and not much in the way of artifacts to look at.
What did work for us was Keenan's, a pub (and hotel) where the N5 crosses the Shannon. I wouldn't make a special trip just to go there but it was a great stop for a break and some lunch. Lovely room, nice people, good food.
In my notes I have the following other ideas, not visited: Conmacnoise, Corlea Trackway, Kilbeggan.
posted by Nelson at 3:04 PM on July 11, 2023
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posted by knapah at 2:19 PM on July 10, 2023 [2 favorites]