Poker Tourist in Ireland???

Johnny Hughes

It is my dream to come to Ireland as a tourist from Texas. I want to play some poker and see the sights. Maybe even promote my upcoming novel in some card room or other. I would like to stay in a mid-range hotel a short walk from the casino, or stay in the casino where the poker is best, if I could afford it. The plunging dollar doesn't help matters. I am one of these Irish Americans, romantic about my roots. I wrote a few articles for Player Europe, an Irish magazine and I loved that. Any suggestions for the best spot for poker and a room???

Johnny Hughes, Lubbock, Texas

BIG-SLICK-POKER

Waterford

E mail me if u are heading down south ill sort u out

neill_kelly@hotmail.com

We have a club down this end

5starpool

If you stay in the City Centre in Dublin then there will be a few places within 10 mins walk of each other that you can try out to see which you like best. I recommend a hotel in the Merrion Square area (I'm sure google or somesuch can get specifics).

Also, if you are here for a couple of weeks then there are other areas of Ireland that have thriving poker clubs as well such as Cork and Galway and I'm sure others will be able to recommend areas of interest there.

I'm sure you will have a blast either way.

Lafortezza

Are you the Johnny Hughes from NVG on 2+2?

DeadParrot

http://www.thepokerforum.com/johnnyhughes.htm
http://www.virtualubbock.com/stoJHughes_Titanic.html
This guy?

BIG-SLICK-POKER

lafortezza wrote: »

Are you the Johnny Hughes from NVG on 2+2?

Thats the only guy i know also??

http://www.thepokerforum.com/johnnyhughes.htm

Johnny Hughes

I won't mention any of that at customs. I am sure I can slip in.

NickyOD

Where you visit depends entirely on what's happening where in Ireland at that time. When are you planning on coming?

Script no more

Nice new club in Wicklow town call if your around that area. 083 3017500

Doc Farrell

5starpool wrote: »

If you stay in the City Centre in Dublin then there will be a few places within 10 mins walk of each other that you can try out to see which you like best. I recommend a hotel in the Merrion Square area (I'm sure google or somesuch can get specifics).

Also, if you are here for a couple of weeks then there are other areas of Ireland that have thriving poker clubs as well such as Cork and Galway and I'm sure others will be able to recommend areas of interest there.

I'm sure you will have a blast either way.

stay near Merrion Square or St. Stephen's Green if you can. good luck.

hotspur

Johnny you should know that casinos are very different over there than what you are used to. They are all quite small and the poker action for cash games tends to be very small usually i.e. €1/€2 pot limit hold em. There are no casino resorts so you won't be staying in a hotel that is attached to a casino.

If you are basing yourself in Dublin then Dublin city centre is relatively compact. It is divided in 2 by the river Liffey, the casinos you would wish to visit are in the city centre on the south side of the river. But they are walkable from pretty much any city centre hotel to be honest.

The 3 main casinos in Dublin city centre to play poker in are:
The Fitzwilliam
www.fitzwilliamcardclub.com/
The Sporting Emporium
www.thesportingemporium.com/
Cool Hand Luke's 81 MERRION SQUARE DUBLIN 2 IRELAND (2 mins from Fitzwilliam Casino)

Dublin is a huge tourist destination so there are innumerable hotels. Rather than take a random recommendation from 1 person or 2 I would advise using Tripadvisor which ranks hotels in terms of ratings from users and includes their reviews. This is a wonderfully useful site and I use it every time I book a hotel: www.tripadvisor.com

Hope you enjoy your trip.

Caboose

Why not make it a tour of all Ireland? There are casinos and card rooms in most counties and cities across Ireland and events being run in hotels all the time.

If you're in Cork at any stage let me know and we'll sort you out down here. Killarney and Waterford are only an hours drive or so from here and you can make your way up the country.

No doubt there will be a few mad poker heads willing to share the travel and accom with you. I know a good few who have been wanting to do such a tour in Ireland.

Caboose

ocallagh

Take a week out in Dublin and try out The Fitzwilliam, The Sporting Emporium, The Jackpot and also Cool Hand Lukes. All of them are within 10 minutes walk of each other and St Stephens Green is central to them all. As hotspur mentioned Trip Advisor will find you a good hotel. Look for something near Stephens Green, Baggot Street, Merrion Square or Grafton Street.

You should definitely get down to Waterford, Kerry, Cork and Galway. Dublin >> Waterford >> Cork >> Kerry >> Galway >> Dublin would take a week to do and going that route you won't spend longer then 2 or 3 hrs in the car each day except for the return from Galway City to Dublin which will take 4/5rs.

Keep an eye on this forum: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=630
It will list any major upcoming tournaments. Also, www.AntesUp.com have some listings.

robinlacey

i enjoyed your stories about the old days of poker on twoplustwo johnny,keep up the good work!

Mr.Plough

Caboose wrote: »

Why not make it a tour of all Ireland?

so just dublin then?

5starpool

ocallagh wrote: »

you won't spend longer then 2 or 3 hrs in the car each day except for the return from Galway City to Dublin which will take 4/5rs.

Do you drive like an old woman?

ocallagh

5starpool wrote: »

Do you drive like an old woman?

Apart from the speeding, I like to think so!

Johnny Hughes

This makes me want to come to Ireland even more. Everyone on here is very nice. If I posted on an American forum, half the people would attack me. It will be after the first of the year, but the Merrimon area looks ideal as a start.

Can you walk between casinos safely, carrying money?

I start out with American Express Traveler's Checks. Will the casinos cash them?

Can you take an inexpensive bus to the other parts of Ireland?

Will everyone laugh at my Texas accent?

Johnny Hughes

NickyOD

Johnny Hughes wrote: »

This makes me want to come to Ireland even more. Everyone on here is very nice. If I posted on an American forum, half the people would attack me. It will be after the first of the year, but the Merrimon area looks ideal as a start.

Can you walk between casinos safely, carrying money?

I start out with American Express Traveler's Checks. Will the casinos cash them?

Can you take an inexpensive bus to the other parts of Ireland?

Will everyone laugh at my Texas accent?

Johnny Hughes

The 4 main poker rooms in Dublin city are all withing walking distance of each-other. I'd have no problem carrying cash in the area but if you look very american and wear a ten gallon hat I'd recommend getting a cab.

You can travel by bus or by rail cheaply to other Irish locations. Dublin is actually a very good starting point as it's pretty much 3 or 4 hours from all other major cities.

Your biggest expense will be accomodation. I'd recommend Bed and Breakfasts/guesthouses. Hotels in Ireland are pretty **** in general.

I won't laugh at your accent unless you shout Yeeeehawwwwww when you win a pot.

DeVore

Give it a month


Actually I think you will find Irish card rooms similarly more about having a laugh then getting in-your-face about cards.

Can you walk between casinos safely, carrying money?

Reasonably safely but like all capital cities Dublin is not without its crime. Merrion Square is quite a safe area of town. Be smart about carrying money but it will be a lot safer then most places.

I start out with American Express Traveler's Checks. Will the casinos cash them?

Some of the employee's from the Casinos who post here will probably answer that, I can't be sure but the banks certainly will.


Can you take an inexpensive bus to the other parts of Ireland?

Yes. Trains are better (but more expensive). Trains cost between 20 and 65 euro return, buses 8-30 euro. If you are a tourist you can almost certainly get better value by buying some month-long "rambler" type ticket.

Will everyone laugh at my Texas accent?

Oh God yes. Do you have a Ten Gallon Stetson? If so bring it too.
Its our revenge for Darby O'Gill and the little people.

DeV.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

hotspur

DeVore wrote: »

Its our revenge for Darby O'Gill and the little people.

Darby O'Gill and the Little People is the greatest thing in the world, not just greatest film mind, greatest thing!

sendic

Johnny Hughes wrote: »

Can you take an inexpensive bus to the other parts of Ireland?

the national bus company (www.buseireann.ie) also do tours. have a look here

http://www.buseireann.ie/site/your_journey/day_tours.asp
and here
http://www.cietours.ie/home/

There is a link at the top of those pages to iarnrod eireann (national railway). I have no idea what their tours are like but I'd imagine they're pretty good. There are also lots of private tour companies that will do a travel/accomodation deal.

Good hotels in Ireland are usually very good but expensive. Cheaper hotels are usually not so great. As Nicky said bed and breakfasts are the way to go but they do tend to want you to leave early (8-9am) which is fine if youre sightseeing but probably not so great if you've been out playing poker til the wee hours.

http://www.discoverireland.ie/ is a good tourism website.

looserock

There is a least one hotel casino, well guest house actually.

http://www.newbaycountryhouse.com/casino.html