What could be better than springtime in Ireland -- home to a thousand shades of green?
How about a fly-drive package there in May for $364?
Sound too good to be true? Well, stranger things have happened -- especially in Ireland of late. Who would have guessed that the land of saints and scholars would become one of Europe's top technology centers in a matter of fifteen years? Since Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Google, and other American companies started running European operations in the Emerald Isle, one of the continent's poorest nations has transformed into one of its wealthiest -- with a higher gross domestic product per head of population than Great Britain, according to a recent issue of Smithsonian (March 2005). Ireland couldn't be more in demand than it is at the moment, with Irish pubs the latest craze in places as far-flung as Buenos Aires and Tallinn; Irish expats returning to the old sod in droves, and young natives staying put and finding ripe opportunity at home -- even with competition from an unprecedented number of foreigners rolling in for a piece of the action. You could make the argument that there's never been a more exciting time to visit, and plenty of gorgeous countryside, castles, and ancient artifacts remain for exploration.
Go-Today's "Ireland Fly & Drive Supersale" (tel. 800/227-3235; www.go-today.com) will spare you that one very popular shade of green in your wallet. For travel between May 1 and May 23, the price includes round-trip airfare, from Newark or JFK, and a seven-day Hertz manual economy car rental, with unlimited mileage, for $364. You'll fly into Shannon, on the west coast, near the cliffs of Moher. Alternate U.S. departure cities are available, at extra cost: Boston is $389; Washington, DC, is $449; Chicago is $519; Los Angeles and San Francisco are $549. Taxes of $160 round-trip are not included. The purchase deadline is April 13, but space is limited, so don't hesitate on this one.
Sceptre Tours (tel. 800/221-0924; www.sceptretours.com) offers an ideal companion package for lodgings. The very flexible Emerald B&B plan is made for road trips: six nights accommodations, at establishments throughout the island, are $537 (taxes included) for two people in May. For less than $45 a night per person, all you have to do is prebook your first night at the three-star Great Southern Hotel in either Shannon or Dublin. From there you can choose your lodgings as you go, with vouchers for overnight stays at an assortment of 500 farmhouse bed and breakfasts throughout the country. Irish Farm Holiday's website (www.irishfarmholidays.com) lists the properties and locations, so you can plot out your road trip and reserve your room in advance. The program also allows you to wing it, and make up your itinerary as you go, providing space is available.
The farmhouses are private homes with three to six rooms for rent. Most of them are in the country, and many are working farms. The price includes a hearty, home cooked Irish breakfast. Dining is communal, but most rooms come with cable television and coffeemakers. The only drawback is that not all rooms have private bathrooms.
For a loo of your own, look into Sceptre's Town and Country bed and breakfast plan. Six nights are $550 for two people (taxes included). You'll stay in townhouse bed and breakfasts as well as farmhouses, in rooms with private bathrooms and other standard amenities. You can choose from more than 2,000 properties, listed on Town and Country Trade's website (www.tandctrade.com). Breakfasts are continental-style with this package.
If you want to splurge and spend your last night in a castle, six nights are $489 a person with the farmhouse package, or $493 a person with the town and country package. You'll spend the final night of your trip at Adare Manor, which Condé Nast Traveler named the number one luxury resort in Europe in 2002.
For any of these deals, call Sceptre to make reservations or go to "Build your own vacation" on Sceptre's website. Their featured deals include car rentals, so you'll have to do a little legwork to get the prices described here.
Go-Today is also offering several decent air-hotel packages for spring travel to Eire. Their Dublin getaway features round-trip air to Dublin and three nights at the four-star Cassidy's Hotel, a modern townhouse in the city center, for $519, from Newark or JFK. The price is good for travel from April 1 to May 29. Six nights in Dublin, at the two-star Jackson Court Hotel are $659, from Newark or New York JFK.
Go-Today has its own Irish Castle Getaway cum car rental as well. Round-trip air, a three-day economy car rental, and three nights at the four-star Kinnitty Castle, are $989 a person. Kinnitty is a 13th-century Norman castle in Birr, County Offaly, between Kildare and Galway. The price is valid for travel from April 4 to May 29.
All these Go-Today specials include daily breakfast and hotel taxes. Air taxes and fees of $190 round-trip are not included. Departures are from Newark or New York JFK; see the website for alternative departure cities, at extra cost.
Now that you know where to go for the best deals, head to our Ireland Message Boards to talk with fellow travelers.