Cheezy wrote:Mind the Kinsale roundabout is now a doddle, it used to be a nightmare!, which anyone who knew Cork used to talk about.
Ah, the "magic roundabout"
Yes, it's all a bit tame now, especially with the Jack Lynch tunnel, no need to go through the city centre at all.
Unfortunately it's the wrong time of year for seeds, and anyway they are more expensive than buying on-line from the UK.
Strangely Ireland is not well off for self sufficiency stores or markets, although most small towns have well stocked co-operatives for farmers which are relevant for smallholders as well of course, but you won't find any of those in Cork city.
I agree that the English Market is well worth a visit and there are plenty of book stores as well, but be aware that there is VAT on books in Ireland.
Also a word of warning if you drive on any motorway around Dublin, they are all tolled but there are no toll plazas anymore.
In their stupidity the Irish NRA decided that everyone can pay their toll by either going on-line to their website or pay by mobile phone.
And what's more if you neglect to pay the charge goes up in leaps and bounds and apparently they pursue non payers world wide.
It's fine for locals as they have smart cards on their windscreens, but poor old tourists (and country bumpkins like me) have 24 hours to figure out how to pay.
See
http://www.eflow.ie/news/downloads.htm for the most idiotic scheme anyone could think up.