Stag do in Carlingford

eamonnmcclurey

Hi, I'm planning a stag do in Carlingford next month and a group of us is flying into Dublin Airport. I've been reliably informed that the best and most cost effective way to get to Carlingford is to get a bus to Dundalk, (have a pint in Dundalk) and then get a taxi to Carlingford! There will be about 15 of us, would it be expensive to get a mini bus from Dublin straight to Carlingford? On our return journey our flight leaves Dublin airport at 13.10 on a Sunday, and not wanting to get up too early on sunday morning after a heavy night on the yag and assuming we need to be at the airport an hour and a half before (11.40) and not wanting to get up too early what would be the fastest and most cost effective way back to Dublin on the Sunday morning?

Also any suggestions where 15 lads can stay in Carlingford, or where not to stay! I've looked at the FOY centre which seems adequate and only €25 an night but there's a couple of more mature gentlemen amongst the group who may wish to stay somewhere slightly cosier!

Many Thanks

Eamonn

ssmith6287

yeah yer better off getting the bus from the airport to dundalk. What airline are ye flying with. Presuming its ryanair or aer lingus then ye shud check in online before ye leave. that way you only have to arrive about 30 mins before yer flight. Not sure how it works but a Taxi that takes 8 from dublin to drogheda which is about half way to carlingford costs 80€

eamonnmcclurey

Cheers! Just noticed there's a train from Dublin to Dundalk which i'm sure would be quicker not sure about cost though. This would be better on the sunday morning so we wouldn't have to get up so early to catch the bus! Anyone know if it's expensive?

Eamonn

ssmith6287

erm yeah the train goes to dundalk, but ye have to go from the airport into the train station, which on a bad day cud take from half an hour to 2 hours. Bus leaves Dublin Airport for Drogheda every 20 mins, think an express leaves evry hour which goes straight to dundalk. But ye can get a train from drogheda to dundalk or even the bus. Motorway it only takes about 20 mins and think it costs €5

eamonnmcclurey

Sorry, the bus only takes 20 minutes and costs €5? or by car?

Eamonn

amacachi

Most taxi companies in Dundalk will do a minibus run to the airport for 100 quid.

There's a bus every hour from the Airport to Dundalk, fastest and cheapest way to Dundalk.

Mr Magnolia

You could get the public bus from the airport to dundalk and a taxi from there to Carlingford. If it were me I'd organize a Dundalk Minibus from the airport to carlingford and avoid all the messing. The train isn't practicle as ssmith pointed out.

Try:

Blue Style Cabs
9 Crowe st Dundalk Co. Louth
(042)9326666

and

Sevens (042) 9377777

Here's a list of numbers if you're not happy with them.


The 4Seasons have recently opened in Carlingford, they'd be worth calling for accomodation. Don't know that place you're staying in but at €25/night you know what to expect

Let us know if you've any more questions

Dingatron

I wouldn't leave it too late to checkin for you flight back either. 30 minutes is not enough time to get through security and get to your gate in Pier A or D on a Sunday afternoon.

DundalkDuffman

Shevlins or Dundalk Cabs will probably do you a decent deal on a Sunday morning collection in C'fore to the airport. If thats not working for ya then check out service 100X to the airport, its only over an hour from Dundalk and drops you right at the arrivals hall. As someone says, online check in is the way to go but don't underestimate the time it'll take to get to your gate. Enjoy and make sure you check out PJs for afternoon scoops!

eamonnmcclurey

Thanks, very helpfull.
Now about accommodation, there will be about 15 of us going but were not a particularly rowdy lot, quite a few mature gentlemen amongst us. Ideally being in the same accommodation would be good but not essential as long as we were all close by. Is Carlingford a big place? Any suggestions? I've been informed the Four Seasons is full.

Eamonn

miceal

Carlingford is small, it is only a Village.

It has a good buzz about it at the weekends though

Follow the linky for more accommodation

http://www.carlingford.ie/accommodation.htm

eamonnmcclurey

Thanks all, most helpfull! Now what can 20 fella's do in Carlingford on a saturday afternoon? Don't want to start drinking too early but thought maybe there might be a nice hike we could do and visit a couple of pubs on the way, watch some football on sky perhaps? Any suggestions?

DundalkDuffman

http://www.carlingfordholidayhomes.com/HenandStagPackages.htm

Check out the adventure centre as well, and I think that the Tain centre is still running, for a small village there are lotsyou could get up to.

eamonnmcclurey

Thanks, very helpful. Just a few more questions. Is there any kind of dress code in the pubs or restaurants in carlingford? Were only taking hand luggage as the airlines charge you for taking suitcases, so a few of the lads have been asking if they can get in most places with trainers on etc.

Also do any of these pubs show live Premiership football on a big screen, we fancied catching the Everton v Fulham game or Spurs v Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, or even Cork City v Glentoran in the Setanta Cup Final. I've read the Taafes Castle has a 'seperate sports viewing area for sports fans' or am expecting too much?

Eamonn

ibh

eamonnmcclurey wrote: »

Thanks, very helpful. Just a few more questions. Is there any kind of dress code in the pubs or restaurants in carlingford? Were only taking hand luggage as the airlines charge you for taking suitcases, so a few of the lads have been asking if they can get in most places with trainers on etc.

Also do any of these pubs show live Premiership football on a big screen, we fancied catching the Everton v Fulham game or Spurs v Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, or even Cork City v Glentoran in the Setanta Cup Final. I've read the Taafes Castle has a 'seperate sports viewing area for sports fans' or am expecting too much?

Eamonn

In Carlinford itself, trainers should be fine for the pubs. Don't know if the four seasons would be a bit more picky. If you're heading to Dundalk at night then you'd be better with the Brogues on, they like to use any excuse to turn people away.

Football shouldn't be a problem on Saturday, it'll be on in all the pubs.

eamonnmcclurey

Well what can I say? Thanks to all of you who helped me plan my stag do in Carlingford! What a great weekend! It took a bit of planning but I couldn't of done it without you all! I'd certainly recommend Carlingford to anyone for a boozy weekend everyone made us feel most welcome and we encountered no problems at all. We booked O'Connor's Coaches to take us from Dublin Airport to Carlingford, nice Mercedes mini bus driven by Mr O'Connor Jr met us at the airport and took us to Carlingford in about an hour and collected us again on Sunday morning to take us back for 420 euros in total, considerably cheaper than all other quotes we had! (Molly Malone's Coach Hire originally quoted us around 250 euros but then cancelled a few days before!! Thought it was too good to be true!) As for our stay in Carlingford, amazing! We arrived about 7pm and had pre-booked a table for 15 at the Carlingford Arms, food was great and the staff (all dressed is fancy dress for halloween) were extremely generous with extra portions of everything! As for the rest of the night, well I can't remember! We started drinking again about 11 in PJ O'Hares and even dared to taste the famous carlingford oysters. We went for lunch in McKevitts Village Hotel (again we'd pre-booked) which has a big screen with sky sports and watched the match! From there we went to Taffes Castle and watched the Man Utd v Hull City game (what a game) again on the big screen (plenty of Man Utd fans in Carlingford) and carried on drinking! That evening we had booked a table upstairs in PJ O'Hare's, very nice, then we went downstairs and partied the night away! I didn't realise just how much you guys celebrate halloween in Ireland! There were stories of cars and houses being set alight last year, dunno how true that is?? I stayed with half the group in the Adventure Centre for only 36 euros a night, which was clean and spacious and very welcoming! 2 bunk beds to a room with ensuite facilities! The rest of the group stayed in Annesely House, a self catering cottage than can accommodate 7 for only 400 euros though they did have to put money in a meter for electricity! But they said it was very warm, clean and comfortable! I would definetely suggest carlingford to anyone who wants that stag/hen do with a difference!

Mr Magnolia

Good stuff. Thanks for the report, very glad you all enjoyed yourselves.

The stories about the fires could well have been true, a lot of young lads use halloween as an excuse and just run-a-muck altogether.