Best way to spend a weekend in Castlebar

ProudDUB

Howdy.

Will be in Castlebar next weekend for the Dubs vs Mayo match. Arriving lunch time Sat. Going to the game at 7pm in McHale Park. Staying over night. Getting the late afternoon train back to Dublin on Sunday. We have never been to Mayo before.

Any ideas for what to do on Sat afternoon? Any good galleries open, exhibitions on, markets taking place etc etc

Any ideas on where to stay that has us close to shops/pubs/restaurants, and is also within walking distance of McHale Park? (How far is the stadium from the town center btw & is it walkable, especially late in the evening after the game ?)

Any ideas for somewhere nice to eat after the game. It should be over 8.30ish.

Any ideas for things to do on Sunday morning & afternoon. We won't have a car, so things will need to be within walking distance of our hotel and the train station.

Thanks.

( And oh yeah, Up de Dubzzzzzz !!!!! :D:D )

mountainy man

National Museum of country life is very good its about 3 miles outside the town so mabey taxi would be needed not sure about busses, good restaurant/cafe and gardens there , worth a visit and is free.

statto25

As Mountainy Man said the Musuem in Turlough is good but will need a taxi to get out there.

Mc.Hale Park is about a ten minute walk from the center of town. There are three hotels, Welcome Inn, TF Royal Hotel and the Harlequin Hotel. All three are in town and equal distance from the ground and all the shops and pubs/restaurants. There are plenty of other hostels in the town also all 10 mins walking from Mc.Hale Park.

There are plenty of restaurants open after the game from Chinese to Indian to Pub food (Coxs Bar)

I don't know about things to do on the Sunday to be honest. I'm not usually up in time to do anything!

signostic

A Sunday morning walk around Lough Lannagh should clear the head, Also check out Lough Lannagh Village for B&B (15 min walk from town centre and about 25min walk to McHale Park)

Graciefacey

I'd suggest staying in the harlequin or the travellers friend both are very central. There are some lovely shops and cafes in castlebar to keep you occupied. The train station is less than fifteen minutes walk from town, you'll be passing by mchale road on the walk into town (across from londis) and mchale park is at the other end. The stadium is roughly a ten minute walk from the centre of town its well lit so you'll be okay walking back in the evening time. For food the restaurant in the harlequin is lovely, you're right across the road from mcdonalds if you're stuck.

ManFromAtlantis

cant believe you've never been to castlebar ! where do you do your christmas shopping?
anyways, johnnie mchales pub opposite the welcome inn hotel is a grand spot to drown your sorrows and a good pint of guinness taboot.;)

threebeards

ProudDUB wrote: »

Going to the game at 7pm in McHale Park. It should be over 8.30ish.

Just bear in mind that the game has been brought forward by half an hour to 6.30pm to accommodate the rugby on TV (France v Ireland) which is kicking off at 8pm. You wouldn't want to come all this way to miss the first half hour

A good GAA pub to go to, especially before the game, is Mick Byrnes on Main St. McHale Park is about a 10 minute walk from there and the general rule of thumb in Mick Byrnes is, if you're lost, follow the person that leaves the pub before you - they're bound to be going to the game as well.

Johnny McHales was mentioned before - it's a good spot and there's a good band playing there on Saturday night as well.

Enjoy your weekend.

Samhain

Saturday afternoon would be a good time to hit the museum allright. There is alot more choice for food on Saturdays as alot of places dont seem to do food on a Sunday.

One of the better places for food on a Sunday would be The Voyage Restaurant on Chapel St. Not open long but i have heard very good reports from it.
http://thevoyagerestaurant.com/
Also, seasons restaurant on Main St is meant to be allright too - http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/46638

Mickeroo

A walk around lough lannagh and a trip to the museum are your best bet, otherwise I'd got to westport for the day tbh!

tucked

This might be a laugh for Sat night!

http://www.theroyal.ie/february-2012/11thbe-my-valentine-singles-bash.html

It also has the TF hotel adjacent and harlequin hotel close by.

Not much to do really on a Sat afternoon besides the museum as mentioned unless your into bowling/quasar at Mayo leisure point, about 10/15 mins walk from town centre.

There's also regular buses on Sat night to/from Westport which probably has more to offer pub/live music/entertainment wise.

ProudDUB

ManFromAtlantis wrote: »

cant believe you've never been to castlebar ! where do you do your christmas shopping?
anyways, johnnie mchales pub opposite the welcome inn hotel is a grand spot to drown your sorrows and a good pint of guinness taboot.;)

Where do I do my Xmas shopping? Look at my user name dude. Grafton Street all thee way bay-bee !!!

Thanks for all the tips, info and suggestions everyone. I know now where I'll be quaffing the champagne and celebrating a joint Dublin/Ireland win on Sat night.

Have to go and lie down now. The prospect of spending a Sunday going to a museum of country life AND walking around a lake is almost too much excitement for this Dub to contemplate.

mallachyrivers

Mickeroo wrote: »

A walk around lough lannagh and a trip to the museum are your best bet, otherwise I'd got to westport for the day tbh!

They said they were going to Castlebar! If I was going to London to watch a game i wouldn't like to hear that I'd be better off going to Paris!

ProudDUB

Yeah, our train home leaves around 4ish. I don't think that a Sunday trip to Westport is on the cards seeing as we don't have a car and would be reliant on buses/taxi's to get from A to B. The rugger game on Sat night probably won't be over until around 10ish. That is probably too late to consider heading on over to this Westport place of whom you all speaketh. :rolleyes:

Mickeroo

mallachyrivers wrote: »

They said they were going to Castlebar! If I was going to London to watch a game i wouldn't like to hear that I'd be better off going to Paris!

If Paris was in england and less than 20 minute's drive from London I would recommend they visit it too. :rolleyes:

Since they don't have a car it doesn't matter. You'll need to drive/get a taxi to the museum too OP, would also recommend Mchales as a good spot for a pint.

mallachyrivers

There are plenty of other pubs apart from McHales and Byrneseseses!

jenno86

mallachyrivers wrote: »

There are plenty of other pubs apart from McHales and Byrneseseses!

Try P Morans on Rush St, Sam Adams or The Cobweb on Linenhall St. All about 30 seconds walking distance from each other.

mallachyrivers

jenno86 wrote: »

mallachyrivers wrote: »

There are plenty of other pubs apart from McHales and Byrneseseses!

Try P Morans on Rush St, Sam Adams or The Cobweb on Linenhall St. All about 30 seconds walking distance from each other.

Or even ray prendergasts on castle st. Newly refurbished and all, slot of good pubs in castlebar!

dylanchloe

I would def recommend a walk around Lough Lannagh, if you get good weather you will have lovely views of Croagh Patrick.

Coxs, Bosh and Bar One are lovely pubs which do good pub grub, they're all on linenhall street.

Enjoy

ProudDUB

Why didn't any of you shaggers warn me about THE FOG? Bah humbug !!!!

ManFromAtlantis

aaaaaaaaaaahhh class. the ole castlebar fog trick.

well foggydub you never asked about the fog did ya. no you were more concerned about christmas shopping on grafton street.

that'll learn ya.

greenpilot

Best way to spend a weekend in Castlebar?

Westport...:D

threebeards

:rolleyes:

greenpilot wrote: »

Best way to spend a weekend in Castlebar?

Westport...:D

Very productive

nuac

I heard that Westport Hoteliers negotiated a package with Irish Rail for travel and accommodation for the weekend, including bus over to the match.

Congrats to them on their initiative

mayo.mick

Hopefull they do the same again for the rematch, great support from the dubs.

irishgeo

hopefully its next saturday night again along the rugby as i have nothing on.

mayo.mick

irishgeo wrote: »

hopefully its next saturday night again along the rugby as i have nothing on.

As far as i know next saturday is the only free slot setanta have.

ProudDUB

ManFromAtlantis wrote: »

aaaaaaaaaaahhh class. the ole castlebar fog trick.

well foggydub you never asked about the fog did ya. no you were more concerned about christmas shopping on grafton street.

that'll learn ya.

Not to worry. I spent my resulting free time, yes you guessed it... SHOPPING !!!.

I got all kinds of great deals on the official DVD of our win of Sam. And the pictorial photo book of our win of Sam. And the collection of essays about our win of Sam. And the official calender of our win of Sam. And the official coffee cup commemorating our win of Sam. And the official license plate commemorating our win of Sam. The list goes on and on and on....

I hope and pray that you get to experience a shopping spree just like it one day. God bless you my child ! :D:D

ManFromAtlantis

nice one. you did'nt buy the ciarán mcdonald mug did ya ? jus aksin like;)

mallachyrivers

nuac wrote: »

I heard that Westport Hoteliers negotiated a package with Irish Rail for travel and accommodation for the weekend, including bus over to the match.

Congrats to them on their initiative

Yeah i hope it will get them far! nothing ever happens in Westport but all the cool people seem to go there! Let them!

ManFromAtlantis

Well proudyboy you coming back to castlebar for tomorrows game.? Free entry to theatre of dreams coz of the abandoned match last time.