Irish holiday

[rockchick]

We are thinking about a camping trip to Ireland this summer and I've never been so was hoping for suggestions? We live in south Wales so are looking at ferries - swansea to cork would have been ideal but that doesn't seem to be running any more. So then we're on to fishguard or pembroke to rosslare. Is it worth driving across to cork or is there somewhere closer to rosslare that we can camp and have access to a surfing beach? Wher else should we be looking?

[Odsox]

Swansea Cork ferry stopped several years ago ... it was a sort of love/hate relationship with most people. The ship and crew were all Greek and most of them couldn't speak English and the food onboard was crap
but it cut out the long drive to Rosslare and again from Fishguard or Pembroke to the M4 and it was a night sailing ... go to bed in Cork and wake up in Swansea.
Anyway, through my ramblings, there is a good chance that it will start up again and possibly even running by April this year.
See ... http://www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com/
Surfing beaches tend to be in the west, Kerry is probably the closest to you and Clare is better, but I can't think of any around here in .. too rocky foreshore.
Bring your wellies and a mac though cos we don't see much >>

[JulieSherris]

There's great surfing to be found along the coast of Galway - in fact, there's a group that visits Galway & Sligo each year from Hawaii!!

Doolin is a top surf spot..... as for the ferries... well, I can't help there because we've always done the Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire fast Stena Line - approx 50mins...

But you'll love Ireland - what's not to like?
And if you find yourself in Galway & fancy a cuppa tea, give me a shout!!

[Odsox]

Swansea Cork ferry stopped several years ago ...

Breaking news today ... Swansea Cork ferry will be back, probably starting at Easter.
The consortium raised the final 3 million Euro needed last night.

[shell]

well,Kerry is lovely but bring your umbrella,just in case,i hear theres a great campsite in cahirsaveen,the beaches in kerry are fab,the beach of inch,glenbeigh etc,then theres muckross in killarney,ladies veiw,fabulas scenery,if your around your welcome to pop in for a cuppa and bite to eat,pm me if your around,Clare is good too,thats where we went last year,kilkee,lovely little town,we went driving up to the borders of galway,all great scenery,breathtaking actually all along the west coast,pity it rains so much but then that is why its so very green,and it really is

[Green Aura]

If you get to Dublin in the evening, go on the ghost bus - the best couple of hours we spent there (apart from seeing Green Day, which was the purpose of the trip).

They were so good - very informative and hysterically funny.

[rockchick]

Thank you for lots of info (and offers of hospitality!). Will hold off booking anything yet and see what happens with this swansea cork ferry thing, as that would make life soo much easier. Will let you know when we finish ruminating and actually make a plan!