Dublin Neolithic

[InPR]

I've booked a cruise that will include a stop in Dublin, which I was excited about not only for the city but the prospect of visiting nearby Newgrange/Tara. However, I noted that it wasn't an excursion offered by the cruise and, after doing some research, I've come to realize that several factors contributed to making such a visit problematic at best: the limited number of visitors allowed per day, coupled with a first come / first serve ticketing strategy, and local tours that would run longer than would be comfortable without fear of missing the ship. I'm beginning to think it's an excursion best postponed for a separate land-based visit. That being said, I still wonder if I can't experience a bit of the Neolithic/megalithic Ireland within the more immediate confines of Dublin. Anyone have any experience with this? It would be nice if, like the ruins of ancient Greece or Rome, there were hidden little gems nestled in the midst of a city park or just off a bustling high street. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Pet Nit Noy]

I've booked a cruise that will include a stop in Dublin, which I was excited about not only for the city but the prospect of visiting nearby Newgrange/Tara. However, I noted that it wasn't an excursion offered by the cruise and, after doing some research, I've come to realize that several factors contributed to making such a visit problematic at best: the limited number of visitors allowed per day, coupled with a first come / first serve ticketing strategy, and local tours that would run longer than would be comfortable without fear of missing the ship. I'm beginning to think it's an excursion best postponed for a separate land-based visit. That being said, I still wonder if I can't experience a bit of the Neolithic/megalithic Ireland within the more immediate confines of Dublin. Anyone have any experience with this? It would be nice if, like the ruins of ancient Greece or Rome, there were hidden little gems nestled in the midst of a city park or just off a bustling high street. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

In your research, did you investigate Day Tours Unplugged? They offer private shore excursion to Boyne Valley Newgrange Tour with guaranteed admission. The standard tour duration is 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM. It appears you would be joining a group of no more than 15, and the hours of the excursion won't be flexible. However, if you organize a group on your roll call, the company will offer the same itinerary with a timeline that fits your port call hours with no stress. (No pricing information on a private roll call excursion, but there's a link for inquiries.)

 

You may have to do a bit of marketing if you post on your roll call. "Everyone" knows the name Stonehenge, but I suspect Newgrange is less well known. It deserves to be better known considering that the site still allows people inside the actual tomb.

 

Awesome experience! In fact, my husband and I were so moved that we signed up for the Winter Solstice real experience later that year. (We didn't win.) Having visited Dublin for four days, I'd begin my day with the Newgrange excursion and fill in whatever I could see in Dublin itself in the remaining hours of the port call. YMMV.

 

Here's the link to the company:

http://www.daytoursunplugged.ie/private-tour-shore-excursions/boyne-valley-tour-private-newgrange-day-tours-dublin.743.html

 

The exhibit of Neolithic gold on the ground floor of the National Museum of Ireland is the only neolithic place/display I can think of in Dublin.

Edited September 18, 2016 by Pet Nit Noy

[InPR]

Thanks for the info! I'm going to check out that company. I like the quick turnaround. Some of the other companies had you visiting 4 different sites over 8 hours or so. With Newgrange only being an hour from Dublin, I was hoping for something more along the lines of 4 or 5 hrs, so this might work much better (assuming we get ashore in time).

[prish]

Thanks for the info! I'm going to check out that company. I like the quick turnaround. Some of the other companies had you visiting 4 different sites over 8 hours or so. With Newgrange only being an hour from Dublin, I was hoping for something more along the lines of 4 or 5 hrs, so this might work much better (assuming we get ashore in time).

 

We did Newgrange and the Boyne Valley as a shore excursion, we had a small group of seven put together from our RC. The tour operator was Derek of Beautiful Meath, he took care of the tickets, etc and we had a wonderful day. You can check him out, there are also several others who offer similar tours, look for reviews on Trip Advisor.

 

http://beautifulmeath.com/

Edited September 18, 2016 by prish

[InPR]

Woah! The first link is $300 and the second is nearly $400!! Yikes! Definitely want to avoid that. Really just looking for reliable transport at this point. It's only 6 euro to get in, so if I can just find a way to get there and back. They say you can take a taxi to the site, but it's problematic finding one back. They say you can take this bus to this other bus that will take you out there, but being a regular bus (with all its timetables and stops) time might get eaten up waiting around. Also, you're not guaranteed entrance once you do get there. These prices. Yeesh!

Edited September 18, 2016 by InPR

[Pet Nit Noy]

Woah! The first link is $300 and the second is nearly $400!! Yikes! Definitely want to avoid that. Really just looking for reliable transport at this point. It's only 6 euro to get in, so if I can just find a way to get there and back. They say you can take a taxi to the site, but it's problematic finding one back. They say you can take this bus to this other bus that will take you out there, but being a regular bus (with all its timetables and stops) time might get eaten up waiting around. Also, you're not guaranteed entrance once you do get there. These prices. Yeesh!

 

http://www.daytoursunplugged.ie/private-tour-shore-excursions/boyne-valley-tour-private-newgrange-day-tours-dublin.743.html

 

That's the link I said I'd include, but didn't. The price for a private car that holds 1-4 people is 250 Euro. If you can find three like minded cruisers from your ship via Roll Call, you're down to 62.5 Euro per person. The cost of 1-7 in a mini-van is 280 Euro bringing the cost down even more.

 

If you aren't familiar with Roll Call, just ask.

[InPR]

It would probably just be the two of us, but you're right: If I can wrangle some others from the roll call....LOL.

[Pet Nit Noy]

Woah! The first link is $300 and the second is nearly $400!! Yikes! Definitely want to avoid that. Really just looking for reliable transport at this point. It's only 6 euro to get in, so if I can just find a way to get there and back. They say you can take a taxi to the site, but it's problematic finding one back. They say you can take this bus to this other bus that will take you out there, but being a regular bus (with all its timetables and stops) time might get eaten up waiting around. Also, you're not guaranteed entrance once you do get there. These prices. Yeesh!

 

Not sure where you've getting your prices.

 

If the time of the Day Tours Unplugged matches up with your in port times, the cost will be 100 Euro.

 

A private car holding 1-4 persons will be 250 Euro (279 USD). But not one of us recommending private excursions expects you to shoulder the entire cost of the car alone. We expect you to find some other folks via your Roll Call to share the cost of the transportation. Yes, it will cost more than a taxi but it comes with a guaranteed admission.

[InPR]

I'm being pessimistic, assuming there won't be others to split the cost with. So, it seems like the best option thus far IF I can wrangle some others to join in. We are still far out enough that I'm hoping I can get others to join us on this trip.

[InPR]

I'm also looking at a company called Over The Top that seems to be just a minibus that takes you from point A to point B. But guaranteed entrance is a compelling selling point for the two other companies linked within this thread.

[Pet Nit Noy]

I'm being pessimistic, assuming there won't be others to split the cost with. So, it seems like the best option thus far IF I can wrangle some others to join in. We are still far out enough that I'm hoping I can get others to join us on this trip.

 

As I've already written, Newgrange isn't as well known as Stonehenge, so you'll have to do a bit more marketing when you make your pitch on your Roll Call. I thought the experience was marvelous. There's a model that gets visitors ready for the experience in the tomb itself and, there's the marvelous recreation of the Winter Solstice phenomena using artificial light.

 

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Edited September 18, 2016 by Pet Nit Noy

[Deb0702]

I've booked a cruise that will include a stop in Dublin, which I was excited about not only for the city but the prospect of visiting nearby Newgrange/Tara. However, I noted that it wasn't an excursion offered by the cruise and, after doing some research, I've come to realize that several factors contributed to making such a visit problematic at best: the limited number of visitors allowed per day, coupled with a first come / first serve ticketing strategy, and local tours that would run longer than would be comfortable without fear of missing the ship. I'm beginning to think it's an excursion best postponed for a separate land-based visit. That being said, I still wonder if I can't experience a bit of the Neolithic/megalithic Ireland within the more immediate confines of Dublin. Anyone have any experience with this? It would be nice if, like the ruins of ancient Greece or Rome, there were hidden little gems nestled in the midst of a city park or just off a bustling high street. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hello,

 

We recently returned from a Celebrity British Isles cruise and stopped in Dublin on August 10. Our ship was in port 0630-1845. We took a cab with drop off at Trinity College, where we had time to see the long room and the Book of Kells, right when it opened. We shopped for souvenirs, then walked to our pick-up point for our bus tour to Newgrange. We went to Newgrange on the Mary Gibbons tour. I'm a huge lover of old stones and I just had to see this place. We also went to the Hill of Tara. It was a great tour and I was so glad we were able to make it happen. After the tour we returned to Dublin and wallked around for a bit, stopping at Temple Bar for a Guinness. Then we took a cab back to the ship. Our day was complete! :)

[InPR]

As I've already written, Newgrange isn't as well known as Stonehenge, so you'll have to do a bit more marketing when you make your pitch on your Roll Call. I thought the experience was marvelous. There's a model that gets visitors ready for the experience in the tomb itself and, there's the marvelous recreation of the Winter Solstice phenomena using artificial light.

 

Gentle recommendation: When you want to reply to a specific person's comment, consider clicking on the blue lozenge in the lower right hand corner of that person's post. It reads, "Quote."

 

This will open a reply form for you that copies the text. If you're careful to preserve the information in square brackets at the beginning and end of that person's post, you can even edit out some of the text that isn't related to your reply.

 

Thanks for the information. I don't often post in these boards. I'll see if I can drum up recruits from my own ranks and if that fails, I'll look to pitching it to those in the Roll Call. Your help has been invaluable. You've directed me to companies I wasn't finding in just Google searches. I kept seeing that Mary Somebody tour company, which was getting a lot of mixed reviews on tripadvisor and the like.

[InPR]

Hello,

 

We recently returned from a Celebrity British Isles cruise and stopped in Dublin on August 10. Our ship was in port 0630-1845. We took a cab with drop off at Trinity College, where we had time to see the long room and the Book of Kells, right when it opened. We shopped for souvenirs, then walked to our pick-up point for our bus tour to Newgrange. We went to Newgrange on the Mary Gibbons tour. I'm a huge lover of old stones and I just had to see this place. We also went to the Hill of Tara. It was a great tour and I was so glad we were able to make it happen. After the tour we returned to Dublin and wallked around for a bit, stopping at Temple Bar for a Guinness. Then we took a cab back to the ship. Our day was complete! :)

 

I had read mixed reviews about the Mary Gibbons tour, but you liked it? I wish there were a Celebrity ship doing the British Isles like this Princess we're booking (or the Norwegian we're contemplating switching over to). They're both British Isles intensive. The Celebrity I found online didn't do nearly enough British Isles / Ireland but did Amsterdam and Zeebrugge (which I've already done). If it had done solely Ireland, Scotland, and England, I would have booked in a heartbeat. We have Elite/Diamond on Celebrity/RC so that would have been great. I should send them feed back on their itinerary (LOL as if they'd listen).

[Deb0702]

I had read mixed reviews about the Mary Gibbons tour, but you liked it? I wish there were a Celebrity ship doing the British Isles like this Princess we're booking (or the Norwegian we're contemplating switching over to). They're both British Isles intensive. The Celebrity I found online didn't do nearly enough British Isles / Ireland but did Amsterdam and Zeebrugge (which I've already done). If it had done solely Ireland, Scotland, and England, I would have booked in a heartbeat. We have Elite/Diamond on Celebrity/RC so that would have been great. I should send them feed back on their itinerary (LOL as if they'd listen).

 

We had a wonderful itinerary on Celebrity. We started in Amsterdam then went to Gurnsey, Cobh Ireland, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Shetland, Inverness Scotland, Edinburgh (overnight), then Zeebrugge and done. It was a great cruise, especially the overnight in Edinburgh for the military tattoo. I rank it right near the top of our all time best ever cruise experiences. Are you contemplating a cruise that goes to Edinbugh in August for the tattoo?

 

If you solicit me to write a review of Mary Gibbons tour I will do it. Just start a new thread with the subject line along the lines of "Has anyone done the Mary Gibbons tour to Newgrange?" I will respond to it (give me a couple of days) with our experience and a couple of pics. I learned the hard way just last week that were not supposed to post unsolicited reviews. I posted an unsolicited review of our tour operator in Belfast and it was promptly deleted.

[Bob++]

This site may be of interest: http://irisharchaeology.ie/2011/05/dublin-the-prehistoric-city/

[InPR]

This site may be of interest: http://irisharchaeology.ie/2011/05/dublin-the-prehistoric-city/

 

Thanks! That's rather fascinating. I saw another site that showed examples of standing stones smack in the middle of a housing estate.