Southern Ireland

Blue Knight said:
If motorhomers wish to drive the Wild Atlantic Way, including the areas from Donegal to Letterkenny to Inishowen, in the north, then a degree of consideration needs to be given to the locals since there are thousands of residents up there who are living in crumbling new houses and crumbling housing estates.

We were up there last week and there's literally thousands of homes which are falling down around people's heads because of the MICA block scandle - Google it.

.....so if you are turning up in your posh MoHo then give some consideration to the locals who live in a state of hell because they can't afford to move and no one will compensate them for a new home.

Very sad indeed - it was an eye opener for me!
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My family in Donegal have this issue, it is truly dreadful and government compensation as yet is totally inadequate. Some families are paying mortgages on worthless houses. However the compensation scheme is being reconsidered following publicity.
However please don’t think all is doom and gloom up there, crowds on Tullagh beach last weekend (normally unheard of!) and campers up at the Point.
 
Downsie said:
There used to be a fast ferry from Holyhead to Dublin but I can’t see that at the moment. So a long time for the dog to be left. My son and family live in Donegal, on Inishowen in the far north and it is a long trek up from Dublin. Better to go Cairnryan to Belfast or Larne which is by far the shortest crossing and we only have a 2.5hour drive on the other side.
Also bear in mind that you don’t need an AHC to enter Northern Ireland until at least 1st October. There is a whole thread on here about the Northern Ireland protocol.
I think it could be feasible to get an EU passport in Ireland which would cover you then for your trip around mainland Europe.
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Thanks for the info. We already have an EU doggie passport for the little terrorist.

I would leave her up to 4 hours on a ferry crossing, as she does 4 hours in the van regularly when we go out cycling, when temperature permits. However, I like the idea of going from Cairnryan as we could add in a little mini tour of Dumfries and Galloway too.
 
Greetings peeps welcome from Bexley
 
ontheroadagain said:
Holyhead to Dublin is 3.5 hours but if you are leaving a dog in your motorhome, it will be in it for approx. 4 hours.
Cairnryan to Belfast crossing is only 2.25 hours.
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Are you sure about those crossing times? Last time we went over those crossings were very similar at around 90 minutes.

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Back in the day when I worked for a holiday company, Stena had the Stena Fastcat, which I think was about 90 mins. Irish Ferries was always about 4 hours. We only used this route though so I had no knowledge of the others.
 
Think you have enough advice, most of it fairly accurate. As a local from NI don’t forget to come North as well. Motorhome parking Ireland. App is fairly essential (subscription version better) for wildcamping. Go inland for sense of isolation (as well as costal routes). Brit stops not well covered here. Lot more motorhomes around this year but you will still find it a considerably less crowded than NC500 or parts of England. You have done the wise thing waiting till September when schools are back…I’m heading back out then too. Sites will have lots of vacancies then as well if you need a couple of Aire facilities and you want to get away from the MH/ caravan atmosphere which I hate. Couple of midge nets might still be needed in Sept but Irish midges are like pussycats compared with Scottish cousins.

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Downsie said:
Also bear in mind that you don’t need an AHC to enter Northern Ireland until at least 1st October. There is a whole thread on here about the Northern Ireland protocol.
I think it could be feasible to get an EU passport in Ireland which would cover you then for your trip around mainland Europe.
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I emailed 5 Vets with a view to going over & getting an EU passport for our dog, only 1 responded (Gleno Vet Centre) who said they could only issue an EU pet passport if you were a resident in Northern Ireland.
 
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Go to Ireland quite a lot.

Stena's Holyhead Dun Laoghaire fast ferry (90 minutes) doesn't run anymore. Shame as it was the best service. Quick and you arrive south of Dublin so traffic was lighter and M50 was easier.

Holyhead to Dublin takes about 3 hours, but navving through Dublin isn't fun, unless you pay the tunnel toll. Once outside of the M50 (their version of the M25, except busier and a toll road) the roads are pretty clear and you can be in Galway City in about 3 hours. Stena and Irish Ferries both do this run.

Pembroke Dock to Rosslare is 4 hours and an hour quicker to get to if you are coming from the South West, South or South East. If you are starting in the South of Ireland, it is the better option.

Did Cairnryan to Belfast (Stena, bit over 2 hours) decades ago, but don't remember it at all!

Never done Fishguard to Rosslare (Stena, 3 and a half hours), Liverpool to Dublin (P & O, more than 7 hours) or Cairnryan to Larne (P & O, 2 hours), or Liverpool to Belfast (7 hours).
 
Thanks to the OP and all that have contributed. We have quiet an exciting plan in our heads now, but it all depends on our house build being water tight and lock up-able. 🤞🤞🤞

Oh and Colin's Irish passport coming through in time. 🍀☘☘☘
 
Armytwowheels said:
Thanks to the OP and all that have contributed. We have quiet an exciting plan in our heads now, but it all depends on our house build being water tight and lock up-able. 🤞🤞🤞

Oh and Colin's Irish passport coming through in time. 🍀☘☘☘
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You should be able to track Colins passport via the Irish passport site. I had to check with them when all my documents came back but not my husbands. They were very good and tracked them down and sent them back.
 
Red Sonja said:
You should be able to track Colins passport via the Irish passport site. I had to check with them when all my documents came back but not my husbands. They were very good and tracked them down and sent them back.
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Hi Sonja.
We have been tracking it and it has stopped moving on the monitor, but I believe once it is on the monitor thingy, it means all documents have met requirements?

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I came back on the Belfast-Liverpool crossing last night, which is a great crossing for getting a nights sleep before driving again and I was surprised to see dogs roaming around inside on deck 7 this morning with no objection?
 
Get if the ferry and turn left follow the coast road and enjoy, there are some places to wild camp better still join Brit Stops and enjoy the Puds Hospitality
 
We toured both southern Ireland and northern Ireland 3 years ago.it was fantastic. Often, we stopped at small harbours, and made a point to ask the harbour master if it was ok.we were never refused. If you have a large. M/h , ask the locals which way is best when you do the ring of Kerry route, so you don't keep coming face to face with buses. Have a great time.
 
mickflip said:
Hi we have booked a ferry to Southern Ireland for last week in August, first two weeks in September. Never been before. Are we likely to be able to wild camp? Has anyone got any ideas for a route or suggestions of what not to miss?? Thanks Mick
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Sign up for free to Total Motorhome Ireland on Facebook and website they have marked Google maps of wild camping, aires and campsites. They also have places marked for gas.

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Fionahef said:
Sign up for free to Total Motorhome Ireland on Facebook and website they have marked Google maps of wild camping, aires and campsites. They also have places marked for gas.
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www.totalmotorhomeireland.ie

Total Motorhome Ireland | TMI

Total Motorhome Ireland has the most up to to date info for Motorhome life in Ireland both North and South. Irish Pub Stops and many others.
www.totalmotorhomeireland.ie www.totalmotorhomeireland.ie
 
Fionahef said:
www.totalmotorhomeireland.ie

Total Motorhome Ireland | TMI

Total Motorhome Ireland has the most up to to date info for Motorhome life in Ireland both North and South. Irish Pub Stops and many others.
www.totalmotorhomeireland.ie www.totalmotorhomeireland.ie
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In 2018 we did an 8 week tour of North & South & used the Total Motorhome Ireland Facebook Map which was full of quirky places to visit. For sure the welcome you receive from the Irish people will make your trip memorable.
 
In terms of wild camping in Ireland we had no problems on the West or Southern coasts but we're warned by an Irish Motorhomer to be careful around Dublin and along the East Coast North of there. This advise seemed to be correct as we had trouble in two or three places along there, one of which resulted in damage to the van, so take care. Brilliant place to tour though and great scenery so enjoy yourselves.

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Margaux2 said:
Don’t mean to hijack your important questions Mick but think this may also help you , We too are thinking about Ireland! Are the roads any worse than Cornwall or the Scottish 500 for a 9m Motorhome,does anyone know please?
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We did the Scottish 500 and then the ROI Atlantic Way in a 6m Fiat Maxi. As soon as I got home to Cornwall I got a VB Air suspension upgrade, and considered myself lucky to still have all my teeth...
 
Are there no issues with the Irish Passenger Locator Form, which says you have to say where you will be for 14 days?
 

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