Hi There!
There are loads of lovely places in Ireland. I'm just back from New Year's in Westport, Co. Mayo and would highly recommend this small town. It's big enough to walk around & enjoy the shopping, has a load of great restaurants and a great choice of accommodation: Hotels with facilities(swimming pool,gyms etc) or apartments for rent. I've visited a few times but this was the 1st time staying in an apartment and it was great.
Put in a search for Harbour Mill or Cinnamon Wharf Apartments or just accomodation Westport to see the range.
Westport still retains a quaint 'Irishness' but stocked with all the up to the minute things you'd want.
The scenery in this area is stunning---- drive out past Croagh Patrick and round past Killary Harbour( the only fjord in Ireland .... boat trips available) to Clifden: another little gem.
There are other boat trips to other nearby islands or visit pretty Cong where 'The Quiet Man' was filmed.
This is just a taster of things to do.
We travelled from Belfast: a 4 hour journey if you don't stop, just to give you an idea of times from ferries. Or there's an airport at Knock for those who'd be happy to fly.
Hope this has been of some help!

I have to agree, Westport in County Mayo is very nice, it's like stepping back in time. The people there are very friendly. If travelling to this area, drive over to Achill Island, another lovely place to visit(when it's not raining!!)

If one of you is flying to Cork you are best travelling to West Cork or Kerry, Westport is about 6 hours drive from Wexford and in the oposite direction from Cork.
Lots of places to Consider in West Cork-baltimore,Clonakilty, Roscarbery.

We have been to a nice place called Castletownshend-Small old world village with three pubs and two award winning Restaurants Restaurants.
We stayed in a 4 bed house in a development called the Lawn, It is newly built and you can walk to the pub /Restaurant. The house is rented by the owner on the web do a google search for "Ashgrove Castletownshend".

If you have a car Castletownshend allows you explore all the sights in west Cork in under an hours drive. You can also book Whale watching trips at the local harbour

In Kerry the further west you go the better, My favourite places are Dingle, Kenmare or Derrynane on the Ring of Kerry

head to batimore, very fiendly and lots for the children to do. From here you can access kerry, barleycove, mizen head etc.

Can you not sail to rosslare instead, its only 3 hrs drive to cork then?

If you are going to Naas try and stop by Dublin if you ve never been too as its no distance from Naas now only an hour or less depending on time of day.

I agree re Westport as it is in the opposite direction whilst it is a fantastic place to go, there are plenty of beautiful places in the south both Cork and Kerry areas.

Catherine

Hi, I live in Naas, Co. Kildare. We are only about 25km to to Dublin City. There is a good choice of public transport, either bus or train. You can buy a train ticket in Sallins ( about 1km from Naas) which is good for the light rail in Dublin city as well. The motor way from Dublin to Naas has recently been upgraded, so you can drive with ease.

As you are travelling to Rosslare, those flying could fly from Manchester with Aer Arran to Waterford. This would be a good place to base yourselves. There is a fabulous beach and some amusements for the kids at Tramore, as well as a Splashworld - look it up on the internet. Dunmore East is a lovely fishing village with a nice quiet beach and some lovely small restaurants. Both are half an hours drive from Waterford. In fact, you could base yourselves at either of these places - Tramore and Dunmore East have holiday cottages and holiday villages with accomodation for rent, as well as hotels. Theres a wealth of things to do - Waterford is a lovely city with great shops if the ladies get tired of sightseeing. You can also visit Passage East, and take the ferry to Ballyhack, or perhaps enjoy the great beach at Woodstown, or drive to the historic city of Kilkenny, about an hour away. For the guys, there are some great golf courses - Tramore has a championship course, as well as fine courses at Waterford, Dunmore East, Faithlegg and Waterford Castle - and that's just to mention a few! Although I do agree that Westport is a beautiful spot, its one hell of a drive- it might not look far on the map but on Irish roads its a long way! Believe me, I'm Irish but in the UK for 20 odd years so I've done all of this many times. I recommend you base yourselves in the SE - theres loads to do and it would be much more relaxing than all that travelling. Whatever you do, enjoy!

Have you decided what you are doing ?

Hello Yorkshire Family

Stumbled on your enquiry by accident. Nearly anywhere you go in Ireland is worth visiting especially for golf, self catering etc.

But, be careful as Ireland can be expensive for the unwary. I had an example recently in West Cork when booking a hotel room in person I was quoted an inordinate amount by the hotel receptionist. I refused to pay the price. In the same hotel foyer (five minutes later) I used the internet to book the very same hotel at less than half price already quoted.

When I returned to the same receptionist to book in I informed her of the situation and my huge saving and of her attempt to 'rob' me all she could say was "aren't you the cute hoor . . ." (please note:-her words not mine).