Motorhome Holiday in ireland?

[emnc]

We're a family of 5 from Galway, three kids aged 5, 9 and 15.
We've done many sun hols, but this year, we'd like to stay at home.
We've been boating on the Shannon many times and love it, now we'd like to try a motorhome hire. I like the idea of stopping wherever you want and moving on at your own pace. Ireland has so much to offer. Has anyone out there tried it? any recommendations.

 

[Lex Foutish]

Most families I've seen who do it in Ireland attach bikes onto the back of the motorhome so that, when they arrive somewhere and park up, they're still free to explore their new surroundings.

 

[Bessa]

Yes a motorhome gives great freedom, more than boating as you are not limited to where you can go. Along the Shannon and the canals are the best places to park up, as most of the beach areas have No Camping signs all over the place. Its a pity we do not have areas for motorhomes to park like they do in France eg. at the beaches. Maybe our local councils should do something about it, and then maybe we would have a lot more tourists coming in their vans from mainland europe.

 

[Ruam]

Along the Shannon and the canals are the best places to park up, as most of the beach areas have No Camping signs all over the place.

It is very easy to find beautiful places to park along the beaches/coast in the west of Ireland. We have had fantastic holidays with the children in our campervan both abroad and in Ireland. We have travelled all along the west coast and never have had problems finding nice places to stay.

We live in Galway too and within two hours drive you can be in the most beautiful almost deserted places in Mayo or Galway.

Someone else mentioned having bikes, this is a great idea as it gives you mobility.

Ruam

 

[kilty]

A word of caution, only park in campsites. A motorhome can be seen by certain thugs as easy pickings; there was a bad case near Jonesboro a year or so back where a couple from the UK were badly beaten by a gang of thugs who were trying to rob them. They had parked in a layby or a carpark, can't remember exact details. It wasn't a campsite anyway, you would be advised to stick to campsites.

 

[Ruam]

A word of caution, only park in campsites. A motorhome can be seen by certain thugs as easy pickings; there was a bad case near Jonesboro a year or so back where a couple from the UK were badly beaten by a gang of thugs who were trying to rob them. They had parked in a layby or a carpark, can't remember exact details. It wasn't a campsite anyway, you would be advised to stick to campsites.

While that attack was very distressing, I don't think it is very typical of camper vanners experience in Ireland. I have had a campervan for about eight years now and I have never had any trouble parking anywhere. You would obviously not park in the centre of a city.

For me the beauty of a camper van is getting away from it all, there are really fantastic places along the west coast where you can park for free along some deserted beach, collect driftwood, light a fire and watch the sun sink into the ocean. Nothing beats it when the weather is fine.

Ruam

 

[Stapeler]

We've travelled most of Ireland in a Motorhome over the years. We've always had positive experiences. We mostly stay in camp sites but have also stayed in the marinas along the Shannon, quiet mountain villages and coastal harbours. Quiet a few pub/restruants will allow over night parking when you ask permission, they appreciate the fact that you're spending cash in their establishments.
A few bicycles are great to have, we also pack an inflatable and few life jackets.
This year we're hoping to see a bit more of NI, Donegal and the north west.

 

[mathepac]

It is very easy to find beautiful places to park along the beaches/coast in the west of Ireland....

At least they are beautiful until you find a bunch of ugly motor-homes parked in or on them selfishly spoiling the view for others and leaving burned rubbish and /or the contents of the chemical toilets after them.

Check out postings and newspaper articles about Garrykennedy, Dromineer, Youghal Bay, Portumna, etc along Lough Derg / the Shannon.

I agree with another poster, kilty, who suggests they park only in designated caravan parks, but for different reasons.

 

[Bessa]

It is very easy to find beautiful places to park along the beaches/coast in the west of Ireland

Ruam

Ruam can you share with me where you were wild camping on the west coast, i was down there last summer for a couple of weekends and the dreaded NO Parking signs were up everywhere.

 

[Ruam]

At least they are beautiful until you find a bunch of ugly motor-homes parked in or on them selfishly spoiling the view for others and leaving burned rubbish and /or the contents of the chemical toilets after them.

Check out postings and newspaper articles about Garrykennedy, Dromineer, Youghal Bay, Portumna, etc along Lough Derg / the Shannon.

I agree with another poster, kilty, who suggests they park only in designated caravan parks, but for different reasons.

For a start I have a small Volkswagen camper van, it's not a big motorhome. Whenever I go anywhere I leave it in exactly the same way I found it. I don't leave any rubbish after me and I think people who do should be prosecuted.

Ruam

 

[Stapeler]

At least they are beautiful until you find a bunch of ugly motor-homes parked in or on them selfishly spoiling the view for others and leaving burned rubbish and /or the contents of the chemical toilets after them.

Check out postings and newspaper articles about Garrykennedy, Dromineer, Youghal Bay, Portumna, etc along Lough Derg / the Shannon.

I agree with another poster, kilty, who suggests they park only in designated caravan parks, but for different reasons.

I believe that anybody caught lighting fires, littering and emptying chemical toilets etc. should be charged with littering. As for blocking views I think there are some campers that could be more responsible.
I can't understand why so much public money has been spent on marinas and waterways yet little support is given to provide suitable public camping facilities throughout the country.

 

[Bessa]

Thank you for the info Ruam.

 

[emnc]

Stapeler,

Can you recommend a good Hire company. As we live in Galway, it would be handier to pck it up here. And that way, we could use our own Bed linen, which seems to be a huge extra charge per person. Do you think as a family of 5, kids 15, 9 nad 5, that we would have enough space in a 5 berth. Would we get a little clausterphobic after 10 days - 2 weeks? Thanks

 

[Stapeler]

Stapeler,

Can you recommend a good Hire company. As we live in Galway, it would be handier to pck it up here. And that way, we could use our own Bed linen, which seems to be a huge extra charge per person. Do you think as a family of 5, kids 15, 9 nad 5, that we would have enough space in a 5 berth. Would we get a little clausterphobic after 10 days - 2 weeks? Thanks

I can't really recommend a hire company as I've never had to hire one. Galway campers and Pat Horan Motors (near Protumna) would appear to be quiet local to you.
A family of five in a five berth is fine in good weather where you can dine outside. They can get a bit cramped if you need to convert a bed back to a kitchen table for breakfast

 

[Murt10]

.
I can't understand why so much public money has been spent on marinas and waterways yet little support is given to provide suitable public camping facilities throughout the country.

Probably to keep our own national nomads away.

They turn up from nowhere, make the place a absolute and complete dump, get involved in all sorts of anti-social behaviour and finally when the place is completely trashed, and they can bear it no longer, they move off to somewhere else and leave the local council to pick up the cost of clearing up after them.

Murt

 

[Bessa]

Probably to keep our own national nomads away.

They turn up from nowhere, make the place a absolute and complete dump, get involved in all sorts of anti-social behaviour and finally when the place is completely trashed, and they can bear it no longer, they move off to somewhere else and leave the local council to pick up the cost of clearing up after them.

Murt

This does not seem to be a problem in France, as a lot of the motorhome parking areas are for 24 hours where you must leave for most of the day and return again in the evenings. I also saw an official guy ( probably local council ) take reg. numbers in the mornings. We could create seasonal employment here, and charge the vans a nominal sum to overnight.