A friend of mine will be traveling to Ireland November 21st on his own and I’m trying help him figure out where to stay. He plans to rent a self-catering cottage during his stay and would like to find the perfect town/village to stay near. He’s looking for….
– A town with a good selection of restaurants, shops, pubs, music
– Something that won’t be too ‘dead’ in late November during the low season
– Somewhere near the sea
I was thinking of Westport and Clifden, but are there others in Clare or Mayo or even Donegal which might be a good choice?
Thanks!
one Answer
nikki,
I’ve not ever been in Ireland in November but my gut feeling says to stick closer to larger towns in the off season. I would say, of the places you listed, that Clifden, Galway or Ennis in Co Clare are the places your friend should look into.
Most self catering cottages in Mayo will not be open in November (for starters) and it’s a good bit out of the way up there. Even Westport, as lovely a small town as it is, is a bit remote when the weather is bad and there’s not much else to do. Not sure how long your friend will be in Ireland or will want to rent but I would start with those bigger towns, or areas close to them and see what he can find that is even open then.
Donegal is a lovely place but I know from a friend who grew up there that the place is wicked cold in the winter and pretty miserable weather through most of that time. I think she much prefers it here in Southern California!
Safe travels,
Wendy
PS Be sure to check out Katherine’s Events page as well as the Irish Tourism Board’s events pages. That may help to narrow down an area &/or give your friend some ideas and fun stuff to look forward to whiles he’s in Ireland.
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