Galway Oyster Festival 9/28 - 9/29
Sep 16, 2002, 7:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Birming'am
Posts: 294
Galway Oyster Festival 9/28 - 9/29
Checking to see if anyone else is going to this year's Galway Oyster Festival (http://www.galwayoysterfest.com/date.asp) ?
I would also appreciate any tips re: train schedules (Shannon - Galway), inexpensive hotel (most likely in Shannon) and the festival itself (I'm only planning to go to the oyster tasting).
Thanks in advance,
loco
I would also appreciate any tips re: train schedules (Shannon - Galway), inexpensive hotel (most likely in Shannon) and the festival itself (I'm only planning to go to the oyster tasting).
Thanks in advance,
loco
Sep 16, 2002, 9:00 pm
#2
In Memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA USA
Posts: 638
Loco,
I stayed at a few hotels in the Shannon area two years ago. I would not recommend the Great Southern which is on airport property (very very tired) but if you don't mind taking the bus or taxi to Limerick there are many places to stay in town with alot of character. I stayed at the Royal George which is the heart of Limerick and it was fine. Judging from the below website it looks like the hotel has just been renovated.
http://www.royalgeorge.com/
I stayed at a few hotels in the Shannon area two years ago. I would not recommend the Great Southern which is on airport property (very very tired) but if you don't mind taking the bus or taxi to Limerick there are many places to stay in town with alot of character. I stayed at the Royal George which is the heart of Limerick and it was fine. Judging from the below website it looks like the hotel has just been renovated.
http://www.royalgeorge.com/
Sep 17, 2002, 5:04 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Plat, UA *Gold, Marriott PLT, Hyatt mid-tier whose stupid name I cannot ever recall
Posts: 1,409
Have you checked out the Jury's in Galway?
"NEW* Autumn/ Winter Midweek Special: ONLY 69 PER ROOM!" Valid from the 1st Sept - 30th Nov 2002, subject to availability.
Room only rate, rooms can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children or 3 adults
"NEW* Autumn/ Winter Midweek Special: ONLY 69 PER ROOM!" Valid from the 1st Sept - 30th Nov 2002, subject to availability.
Room only rate, rooms can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children or 3 adults
Sep 17, 2002, 5:27 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: So Cal
Programs: AA, Starwood, Hyatt, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,826
Anything near the airport (Shannon or Dublin), expect prices to shoot up. And hotels there, especially the mass chain ones, cost the most of anything.
After you get to Galway (the train station there is used to accommodating travellers with an inexpensive luggage hold) try sticking with a B&B. Clean, comfortable and always a killer home-cooked breakfast the next morning for $20-30. And the Irish have latched quite handily onto the concept that if you call it a festival or such, they will come, and they do. All year long, if its not one event clogging a certain area with people, it's another - and that's not even counting holidays! So, if its a sellers' market in Galway, even going a little way out of town should get you the deal you want. Further, if you can be real nice and charming, you may want to try and get your B&B to pick you up at the train station. Even hackneys, which are alot better than taxis there, are super expensive.
Have fun in Ireland - wish I was there with you!
After you get to Galway (the train station there is used to accommodating travellers with an inexpensive luggage hold) try sticking with a B&B. Clean, comfortable and always a killer home-cooked breakfast the next morning for $20-30. And the Irish have latched quite handily onto the concept that if you call it a festival or such, they will come, and they do. All year long, if its not one event clogging a certain area with people, it's another - and that's not even counting holidays! So, if its a sellers' market in Galway, even going a little way out of town should get you the deal you want. Further, if you can be real nice and charming, you may want to try and get your B&B to pick you up at the train station. Even hackneys, which are alot better than taxis there, are super expensive.
Have fun in Ireland - wish I was there with you!
Sep 17, 2002, 10:22 pm
#7
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
I usually stay at the Kinlay House hostel in Galway which is right across from the tourist office. They do have private, single rooms (my dad has stayed here, before, too), and you can't beat the convenient location. Shows 38 Euros a night during high season for a single room.
http://www.kinlayhouse.ie/usitaccom/...y/location.htm
http://www.kinlayhouse.ie/usitaccom/...y/location.htm
Sep 18, 2002, 6:46 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 2,507
I have also stayed in the Kinlay House and recommend it in Galway. If you have a chance you should visit the Aran Islands, perhaps one of my favorite places in the world and right in Galway bay.
Chris
Chris
Sep 28, 2002, 8:21 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Birming'am
Posts: 294
So far here's what I'm finding out:
The bus ride from Shannon airport to Galway was 19 roundtrip. The trip takes about two hours.
The Best Western is not as accessible to the City Center by walking, though a cab ride is only around 5. The single room is not so bad for the price, though the shower is extremely compact (I'm finding out that this is typical for UK facilities).
Bed & breakfast signs are all over the place, not just the handfull that I thought were available from the internet. There still seem to be some availability.
The official oyster festival is too expensive, 80 for the oyster tasting. I was able to get a dozen oysters, a pint of guiness and chowder soup for 25.
Finally for now, the oyster itself is definitely worth all the effort. It just has the right brininess <sp ? blame the guiness> and sweetness.
Ok, time to walk around and get some more oysters.
The bus ride from Shannon airport to Galway was 19 roundtrip. The trip takes about two hours.
The Best Western is not as accessible to the City Center by walking, though a cab ride is only around 5. The single room is not so bad for the price, though the shower is extremely compact (I'm finding out that this is typical for UK facilities).
Bed & breakfast signs are all over the place, not just the handfull that I thought were available from the internet. There still seem to be some availability.
The official oyster festival is too expensive, 80 for the oyster tasting. I was able to get a dozen oysters, a pint of guiness and chowder soup for 25.
Finally for now, the oyster itself is definitely worth all the effort. It just has the right brininess <sp ? blame the guiness> and sweetness.
Ok, time to walk around and get some more oysters.
Oct 19, 2002, 4:55 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Birming'am
Posts: 294
applefan - the oysters were terrific, well worth the trip. Galway is amazing, as that it still has a lot of energy way past midnight. The only thing that dampened the whole trip was that it rained that Sunday (after being dry for over a month).
I was able to squeeze another dozen oysters before I took the bus to Shannon airport.
later,
loco
I was able to squeeze another dozen oysters before I took the bus to Shannon airport.
later,
loco
Oct 21, 2002, 1:26 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: So Cal
Programs: AA, Starwood, Hyatt, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,826
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by 0524:
I'll be in the bookstacks at Kenny's.</font>
I'll be in the bookstacks at Kenny's.</font>
Oct 21, 2002, 5:51 pm
#15
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: AA Plt 2-million miler
Posts: 4,258
The secret is out! Here is the website for Kenny's, one of the World's truly great bookstores:
http://www.kennys.ie/
http://www.kennys.ie/