Let’s be up front about the biggest drawback to cycling in Ireland: the often nasty weather.  Cool and wet seems to be the norm.  We highly recommend that, as best you can, to take advantage of (instead of fighting) the strong prevailing west or south west winds.  Now lets talk about the two areas that make cycling (or travel for that matter) a joy in Ireland; First, the people.  They’re warm, friendly, helpful, well informed, approachable and entertaining.  This is all available to you at the nearest pub.

Second, there’s the safety question; we feel it’s the safest place on earth.  There’s an honesty here that you can’t find elsewhere.  You can simply trust the Irish.  Finally, there is an extensive quiet back road system that serves the cyclist well.  A good map would be enough but armed with the CTC (Cyclist Touring Club) route descriptions from the web http://www.ctc.org.uk/, and/or their 1979 out of print guide book The CTC Route Guide on cycling in Britain and Ireland guide book; you can easily negotiate this Emerald Isle with a minimum of hassle.  But remember, bring your raingear.

We rode in Ireland in 1985, 1989, 1993 and 1996.  Our route descriptions always start with the most recent trip.

Roads: 9

Dingle Penninsula - great riding

These are not the well engineered, fast moving highways I’m talking about.  Rather it’s the tiny country roads that interconnect to bring you hours of uninterrupted biking pleasure.  Almost all these byways are paved but you are riding every hill and dale since these secondary roads follow the terrain.  Especially in the west, you can simply meander on these minor roads.  Even the highways are usually ok to ride although they usually don’t offer a paved side shoulder

Traffic: 8
Outside of Dublin, really the only large population concentration, there are simply no places that you can’t get to on quiet roads.  There are enough minor roads to take as alternatives to the main roads.  In the west, even the main roads are usually quiet enough to ride if you need to cover more territory.  In Dublin, there are bikers so with a planned route off the main arteries you can get around.  An exception to this lack of traffic can be encountered around the touristy but beautiful Ring of Kerry especially in high season

Weather: 2

Dingle

Ah, here’s the rub.  Although the sun can shine with clear brightness in Ireland it has to be admitted that it is not renowned for doing so.  “Soft Day” is what the Irish call a morning when dampness in the air blurs the view.  The east side of the island is sunnier but, especially in the west, the lush fields and hedgerows are testament to the regular downpours of rain.  Good wet weather clothes are a must.  The weather is cool and often showery in the summer.  We’ve had good luck in May.

Winds: 3

Ring Of Kerry

The rain clouds are blown inland by frequent strong west or southwest winds.  Especially in the west, the winds can rip off the ocean.  If you are flying in, it’s best to go east from Shannon rather than west from Dublin.

Scenery: 8

The countryside is made up of a central rolling plain guarded by mountains on either end.  The most scenic riding areas are the counties of Wicklow, just south of Dublin, Cork in the south, Kerry in the southwest and Mayo and Galway in the northwest.  All offer scenery that is a blend of wooded valleys and low mountains.  Additionally, throughout the Emerald Isle, the lush, green countryside is the highlight even though grandeur is mostly lacking.

Information: 9

Southern Coast of Ireland

The Bartholomew Irish Travel Map series covers Ireland and Ulster in five sheets.  The Irish Tourist offices offer friendly and efficient help in all matters including recommended bicycle routes and bicycle touring companies.  As in England, we still rely on the CTC (Cyclist’s Touring Club) for information.  We would still use the 1979 out of print CTC Route Guide to cycling in Britain and Ireland  by Christa Gausden and Nicholas Crane.   If you can’t find a copy, contact us and we can get you a copy.  All our described routes are basically taken straight from this guide.  But what ever you do, consult the CTC at http://www.ctc.org.uk/  Best of all, if you do get lost, the locals will set you on the right road with a twinkle in eye and a smile.

Road Safety: 7

General Safety: 10

With a rating system like our simplified 1 to 10 method, there must be at least one destination in the world which measures up to a “10” or our highest rating.  Well, for overall safety, Ireland is the place.  We recognize that there is always some crime but in places where you bike, that is in the countryside and smaller towns, there is virtually no crime.  Not even sneak thieves.  This is the honesty standard of the world.

Value: 5

Northern Highlands

With the boom times that Ireland is experiencing, the prices for accommodations and food have gone up.  Quality, cleanliness and freshness are part of the deal.  You will seldom be disappointed in any B & B or restaurant.  But you will pay.  Still, in the smaller towns, the prices are somewhat modest.  Dublin, on the other hand, has gotten expensive.

Fluids: 9

Do I start with the Guinness or the water?  If I were Irish, I’d start with the Guinness but as a biker, the water comes first.  All tap water is clean and tastes good.  Anything else you crave is available everywhere, tea, coffee, juices, sodas and bottled water.  In the Pubs where the Guinness and other beers etc. are dispensed, you can satisfy not only your post ride thirst but your curiosity about the area.  The whole town eventually comes into the Pub and curiosity draws them to you.                         

Food: 6

Accomodations: 7

Campgrounds are spread out but with permission you can camp just about anywhere.  All forms of accommodations are available but the B & Bs are ubiquitous.  The smallest hamlet will have a room either in someone’s home or above the pub.  They vary but we never stayed in a dirty room; threadbare, maybe but never dirty.  Your hosts will always be friendly, warm and helpful and this is why we only stay in B & Bs.  Also there are the big breakfasts with a big helping of conversation. 

People: 10

Cylist Ferry near Dingle - wave and they will come

Culture: 8

The cyclist ferry helps cyclist avoid the heavy traffic and stay on small backroads.

There is a distinct and comely way of life here.  Let’s call the pubs the cultural laboratories of Ireland.  The spoken word is an art form that is colorful and playful.  Then there is the ancient culture of the Celts, the old Christian foundations, and many rich remains of the earlier centuries A.D.  Superimposed on this is the English occupation and the Irish fight for independence.  This made “Irish ness” distinct, Irish music and dance is truly celebrated everywhere.  The written and spoken word is art.

History: 6

Ireland is full of relics from its unique history.  The Celts in Ireland were left unmolested in the earlier centuries A.D. and Celtic Christianity flourished, producing distinctive styles.  You’ll find monastic ruins, stone tomb chambers, old Irish cathedrals and castles.  The small size of the many Irish cathedrals and the cottages in the countryside don’t mean that they are not historic.  There is an ancient way of life that in many ways is undisturbed today.

TOTAL SCORE 107

May 1996

Western Ireland

Into Shannon Airport then to Dingle then we cut across the River Shannon by Ferry then to Cliffs of Moher and Doolin.

We followed the CTC Guide so the route descriptions are left out and we refer you to the proper routes in this 1979 excellent guide.  We have the route marked on the maps below.  You have to join CTC (Cyclist Touring Club) to get their new route descriptions. Their web address is:  http://www.ctc.org.uk/.

Shannon Airport to Limerick

39Ks

Route #317

Limerick to Ardagh

46Ks

Route #304

Ardagh to Tralee

68Ks

Route #303

Tralee to Dingle

46Ks

Route #302

Dingle to Dingle

59Ks

Route #295

 (see above map)

Dingle to Tralee

46Ks

Route #302

(see above)

Tralee to Tarbert (for the car ferry across the Shannon River) to Kilkee

 52Ks

Out of Tralee on L104 but cut off to Ballybunnion then L105 to Tarbert.

Take car ferry.  On the other side pick up route  #318 to Kilkee.

Kilkee to Ennistimon

48Ks

Route #320

Ennistimon to Doolin

60Ks

Route #321

May 1993

Western Ireland

We flew into Shannon Airport then along the west coast to the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Galway, Clifden and Westport.  We repeated this trip in 2000 and it remains the same.

We followed the CTC Guide so the route descriptions are left out and we refer you to the proper routes in this 1979 excellent guide.  We have the route marked on the maps below.  You have to join CTC (Cyclist Touring Club) to get their new route descriptions.  Their web address  is: http://www.ctc.org.uk/.

Shannon Airport to Clarecastle

39Ks

Route #317

Clarecastle to Kilkee

61Ks

Route #318

Kilkee to Ennistimon

48Ks

Route #320

Ennistimon to Kinvara

74Ks

Route #321

Kinvara to Galway

34Ks

Route #322

Galway to Screeb

52Ks

Route #323

Screeb to Clifden

72Ks

Route #324

Clifden to Westport

115Ks

Route #325

Westport to Dublin by Auto.

May 1989

Southwest Ireland and across to Dublin

We landed in Shannon and encountered bad weather: on and off rain and very strong westerly winds.  This changed our trip.  We followed the CTC Guide so the route descriptions are left out and we refer you to the proper routes in this 1979 excellent guide.  We have the route marked on the maps below.  You have to join CTC (Cyclist Touring Club) to get their new route descriptions.  Their web address is:  http://www.ctc.org.uk/.

Shannon Airport to Ennis

17Ks

5Ks out to the Hwy N18 then left for 12Ks to Ennis.  A few hills and a busy highway.

(maps above)

Ennis to Gort

21Ks

Out on busy N18.  Strong southwest winds make it an easy ride.  11Ks to junction just after Crusheen to Tubber at 12Ks then to Grot 21Ks.  In Gort, pick up routes from CTC Book.

(Maps above)

Gort to Kinvarra

10Ks

Route #221

(Maps above)

Kinvarra to Galway

34Ks

Route #322

(Maps above)

Galway to Kilconnell

51Ks

Route #332

Kilconnell to Athlone

56Ks

Route #333

Athlone to Killucan

61Ks

Route #334

Killucan to Dublin

73Ks

Route 335

Dublin to Killarney

By train

Killarney to Killorglin

24Ks

Route #296

Killorglin to Kenmare (Ring of Kerry)

135Ks

Route 293

Kenmare to Bantry

140Ks

Route #292

Bantry to Ross Carbery

119Ks

Route #291

Ross Carbery to Cork

72Ks

Route #290

Cork to Ballyhooly (side trip to Fermoy out of Ballyhooly)

31Ks

Route #300

Ballyholly to Limerick (overnight in Fermoy then back to Ballyhooly)

79Ks

Route 301

Limerick to Shannon Airport

39Ks

Route #317

May 1985

Southwest Ireland

This was our first trip to Ireland.  We flew in and out of Shannon Airport in the west.  We had good weather and just wandered around with our then new 1979 CTC Guide.  You have to join CTC (Cyclist Touring Club) to get the route descriptions; it’s worth it!  Their web address is:  http://www.ctc.org.uk/ .   We followed the CTC Guide so the route descriptions are left out and we refer you to the proper routes in this 1979 guide.  We have the route marked on the maps below.

Shannon Airport to Limerick

24Ks

Route #317

Limerick to Ardagh

46Ks

Route #304

Ardagh to Tralee

68Ks

Route #303

Tralee to Dingle

46Ks

Route #302

Dingle to Dingle

59Ks

Route #295

Dingle to Killorglin

53Ks

Route 294

Killorglin to Killarney

24Ks

Route #296

We took a ferry which was marked on our Bartholomew Map that crossed the River Maine for a short cut to Killorglin.  It was an open row boat and we had to hail it from the opposite shore.  It’s probably not there anymore.

Killarney to Millstreet

42Ks

Route #298

Milstreet to Ballyhooly

54Ks

Route #305

Ballyhooly to Limerick

79Ks

Route #301

Limerick to Shannon Airport

39Ks

Route #317

Riding northeast out of Shannon Airport, a stiff Southwest wind at our back, we looked up at the passing patch of blue sky filled with hope and optimism.  A couple miles down the road, we turned west to head for the Dingle Peninsula.  The wind blew Sally and I to a stop.  Faced with brisk winds off the Atlantic, we simply decided to go with the flow.  Three days later, we were in Dublin.

We were full of anxious optimism as we steered eastward toward Athlone and Dublin feeling the warmth of the sun in that pocket of stillness created on a downwind run.  We rode on side roads, which meander, and when our vector and the wind vector varied, we shoved hard against the wind to steer straight.  

Then the cloud rolled in, one giant cloud about the size of the Atlantic.  We could deal with the wind by changing our destination; we could deal with the cold by buying extra sweatshirts; we could deal with clouds and sporadic rain by seeking shelter; but two all day rains were unbearable.  Both days started the same; threatening but not raining.  Damp turned to mist, mist turned to drizzle, drizzle turned to rain.  The first time, we got soaked and cold on our ride downwind to Athlone.  Once wet, the only way to keep warm was to keep pedaling.    The second time, we sought shelter – in the pubs. 

The pub was in the center of Balispittle.  There were several patrons at the bar.  The obligatory discussion of the weather commenced.  Patron 1 said “I never listen to the forecast because its either wrong or bad.”  Patron 2 continued “You know, Ireland is a beautiful country but for the weather.”  I reported that after our first day’s ride I had been told that the weather hadn’t been “fine” for 2 years.  At this comment, everyone including the proprietor thought a retrospective moment and then nodded in agreement.

Our pub conversation ranged onward.  The pub owner, seeing us glancing outside as the rain diminished back to a drizzle, recommended that we closely observe the statue of the Virgin Mary in a Grotto at the edge of town.  He had been instrumental in the making of this shrine some years before and since then there had been a number of reported miracles in that the statue was detected to move. 

We understand that most Irish people who can afford it make pilgrimages to the famous religious shrines of Ireland and Europe.  We asked if the pub proprietor had been to Lourdes in France where miraculous cures have been reported,.   “Of course” he replied.  All in the pub had been to Knock, a holy shrine in the northern part of the Irish Republic.  Everyone knew at least someone who had been to Rome.  Religion is palpable in everyday life.  Where else would you discuss religious shrines over beer?  Sunday church service creates traffic jams in every small village.

So now I think I understand the progression toward a miracle.  First Church, then the Pub for the rest of the day because of the poor weather and then on the way home the miracle is observed.