Customer Reviews:
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 A good but incomplete guide to Ireland, February 15, 2009
By M&M (Washington, D.C.)
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This is definitely the most entertaining guidebook I have read. The book also gives some excellent suggestions, such as step-by-step guides for areas such as the Ring of Kerry. If you are willing to buy and read through more than one book, I would recommend it as one of those books. If, however, you are only buying one, I would not recommend this book, for two reasons. First, the author focuses on his favorites in Ireland. Although you still have enough to choose from, he does not even mention some of my favorite sights in Ireland. I recommend reading a more exhaustive guidebook so that you can plan your trip based on your own preferences. Second, the author seems to have great affinity for the city. Although all of Ireland is amazing, the time I have spent in the city was the least amazing. The suggestions in this book are a little slanted toward the cities, so they might lead you off track if you prefer less of the city and more of the countryside.
42 of 42 people found the above review helpful.
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 Best of the three guide books that I used for my trip, June 14, 2009
By Knud A. Hermansen
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This was the best of the three guide books that we brought with us. What I liked best about this guidebook was its succinctness and ratings. Rick Steve's gives his judgment on a lot of what he thinks is worth seeing and what can be skipped over. For those who want an A to Z list of what is offered in a country you will want to supplement this with another guide, but you will definitely want this one. For a traveler with just a week or two seeking to view a significant portion of a country though Rick Steve's ratings were instrumental. He rates each site by his own system that gives more triangles to more important sites.
Among other features of this guide that I liked were some of his self guided tours. We used his one for O'Connell Street in Dublin and the Slea Head Drive on the Dingle Peninsula. Both gave detailed information and pointed out many sites that we learned most tourist went by (without even realizing that there was something worth seeing). He also gives ratings for many interesting attractions (walking tours, pub crawls) that really added to our trip.
The one thing I would like to see that was not in this guide is Rick's opinions on accommodations and restaurants.
13 of 13 people found the above review helpful.
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Invaluable!, May 29, 2009
By Michigan Wildflower (Lapeer, MI)
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We just returned from a 13 day 1,200 km trip around Ireland. I can't say enough about how spot-on Rick Steve's book is. His advice about the clockwise drive around the Ring of Kerry beginning in Kenmare was brilliant; we only came head to head with 2 tour buses. We stayed primarily in B & B's recommended in the book which were very easy to reserve with Rick's email addresses. The hand-drawn maps were really valuable in helping to find the B & B's and other locations within towns/cities. Having said all of this, the first 2 days of driving in Ireland were a bit nerve-wracking. We stopped and bought one of the "learner's permits" for the car and that reduced the honking. By day three we had both the driving and the navigation (and the roundabouts) down, and it was just pure pleasure. If you want to get a bit off the beaten path and see some of the most breathtaking scenery in Ireland don't miss the Skellig Ring, Valentia Island and the Mayo Loop!
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Ireland guide!, March 30, 2009
By A. Mccormick (Missouri)
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My husband and I just returned from 18 days in Ireland. This book helped us determine much of our travel- what was worth seeing and what wasn't. We didn't pay a whole lot of attention to where he recommended staying and eating- there are more than enough places to choose from.
The handdrawn maps were very helpful- although we'd definitely recommend picking up a 'real' map if you are driving (and a GPS!). We had the best time and would recommend this book to anyone traveling to Ireland!
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick seems to be with you always, May 1, 2009
By Jay H. Colborn (Tallahassee, FL)
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This book is perfect for someone going to Ireland, and I think suffices without anything else. It is much shorter than Frommer or Fodor books, but he has all you need. He is much more honest and frank than anyone else, and you have the feeling he was just there last week, and writing to you personally, as you read the book. I suggest you order just this one book first, and if you feel you want to know more about various places (I doubt you will, unless you are especially interested in all the places), then get Frommer or Fodor. The latter two are more sterile and dry, but are loaded with much more information that Rick Steves. Rick's books are pitched to someone who wants to learn a lot about Ireland, TO SEE THE BEST OF IRELAND ONE CAN SEE IN 1-4 WEEKS. He prioritizes places, saying what you should see in one week, two weeks, etc. He does not try to cover all the places you would unlikely want to see. Frankly, I bought Rick and Frommer, and will read Rick before I go, and use Frommer as a reference when I want to know more.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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 Great resource!, March 12, 2009
By Topaz10 (Chicago)
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I love the style and ease of Rick's books. His suggestions are always right on and true to his experience. This was a very handy book.
my only negatives are that the maps weren't great (but he does warn that they are not to scale), however, the roads in Ireland are CRAZY and even a more accurate map wasn't that much help. Also, this book isn't as thorough outside the large cities. But overall, it's a great book.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Guide, July 11, 2009
By Chappy Bill (Eau Claire, WI)
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Rick has a slug of useful tips and information, some of it much more valuable to the traveler who is driving than taking a tour. I can't wait to take it to Ireland with us when we go.
He talks about when not to tip (when ordering and eating at the bar in a pub), expect it to rain instead of hoping it won't, and you probably won't want to eat their "fry" for breakfast every morning, unless you're trying to become a sumo wrestler!
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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As solid as a slowly poured Guinness, April 14, 2009
By swissviss
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Rick Steves, oh Rick Steves, when do you ever go wrong?
Certainly not this time around.
The 2009 Ireland book was concise, cleverly written (the passage describing what "really" happened at the Giant's Causeway is an excellent example of Rick's witty, tongue-in-cheek prose), and thorough.
It also held true to it's concept, which is to mention the more affordable options when visiting. He spends plenty of time listing all the popular attractions in the Republic, and yet still takes the time to explain the political bouts of The Troubles, provides a guide to the all-gaelic road signs for the West, and accurately listed entrance times, prices, and ratings for the attractions we visited.
We even booked The Whins b&b in Dunnfaneghy as suggested, and were glad we did! Overall, fantastic book. If you are looking for a simple, concise, witty, and budget-minded guide (with still a few suggestions for a splurge or two), pick this one up and leave it at your last locale for others to put to good use! You help the world and your karma. Double score.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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 Lopsided and Incomplete, June 18, 2010
By Allison Clark
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I have to say that I did NOT find this guide to be that useful. Basically, it's one guy's opinion of what he would do if he went to Ireland. Since he (and his fellow writer) have been to Ireland multiple times before I did not find that viewpoint to be helpful. I appreciate what he's trying to do - expose the reader to the culture of Irish folks versus seeing the checklist of Ireland tourist traps. HOWEVER, I want to see the tourist traps, too!!
He has some good reviews of Blarney Castle, what pubs to hit in each town, and a good comparison of Kerry vs. Dingle (Dingle!). I gave him a couple of stars because those sections did prove to be helpful. I bought this and Eye Witness Travel - I can tell you right now which of those I'm going to be taking with me when I go (hint: not Rick Steves).
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steve's Ireland, December 26, 2008
By Nancy L. Singleton
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great book with alot of information...loved the recommendations for B&B's and tour buses....will really use it in April
2 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent beginners guide, September 22, 2009
By jchicago (Chicago, IL)
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This will be my first trip to Europe and love Rick Steves' program on PBS. It was an excellent book and has helped a lot in the planning of my up coming trip for great travel times and when events are "in season".
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent book, July 17, 2009
By Satisfied customer
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Rick Steves Ireland 209 is an excellent book. Very informative and written to cover all the topics needed to travel in this country. I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking of going there.
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves Ireland, May 19, 2009
By C. Palmer
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Rick is one of the best low budget tour guide publishers. I always find his books to be first rate and useful when traveling in Europe. He has an effective quality control system to make sure the hotels, etc he recommends remain up to his standards.
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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A highly refined product, April 14, 2009
By Robert P. Weissburg
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This is my first Rick Steves book. I have watched his TV shows and DVD's, but hadn't seen any of the books. I have many other companies travel books and mostly rely on Lonely Planet guides, which are very useful.
The organization of this book is really impressive. It is clearly the product of years of refinement and thoughtful design. Rick is all he is cracked up to be.
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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The best for vacations less than three weeks, March 21, 2009
By Patvid
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I have used many Rick Steves' books over the years, including the 2008 edition of this one, and have found them more helpful and accurate than any other travel guides. For the average person with only one to three weeks vacation time, these books will help plan a realistic itinerary that saves valuable time and money. They are particularly useful for first-time visitors to a country. Unlike other travel books, they do not attempt to cover every possible place in Ireland in detail. What they do is tell you what you need to know for a fun and informative trip in concise, well-written chapters.
The recommendations for hotels and restaurants were almost always right on target. On occasion, I was not entirely in agreement with Rick's recommendations, but that will happen with any travel book that expresses honest opinions. (His website allows feedback on the books, and he seems to take it seriously when updating the books.)
I just wish Rick Steves put out books for areas outside of Europe. Highly recommended!
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves', always a sure thing for great travel books, January 27, 2009
By S. Brooks (South Padre Island, TX United States)
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I used his Spain book last year and it was great. I'm looking forward to following his advice for Ireland on my next trip. Easy to read. Great suggestions.
1 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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very helpful, October 18, 2009
By travel girl (cincinnati, OH USA)
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I found this book to be very helpful. Rick's self guide through the Rock of Cashel was great!
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Best travel guide, October 15, 2009
By M. Dotson
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Just finished my trip to Ireland. Rick Steves' travel guides are always the most up-to-date
information you can get. His suggestions for restaurants, prices, preferred transportation
and sleeping arrangements are honest and dependable. Had a great vacation using public
transportation and staying in B&B's.
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Ireland Travel Guide, September 3, 2009
By winston
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Excellent book, provided us with some real great places to stay and visit, and the town maps were pretty useful as well!
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Rick Steves is the BOMB!, October 2, 2010
By R. Barnhart
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If you travel at all...from novice first-time traveler to seasoned world traveler...Rick Steves ROCKS! If you do not purchase this before your trip...your loss. RECOMMEND IT!
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great to have this book in Dingle., November 10, 2009
By Steve Garfield (Boston, MA)
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This was a great guide to have with us on our trip to Ireland. It was like having a tour guide in our car with us. We really liked the tour of the Dingle peninsula. Really allowed us to do it ourselves. Thanks!
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Book Review: Rick Steve's Ireland, 2009, April 17, 2009
By Loves to Travel (Washington State)
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As usual, Rick Steves has written another excellent guidebook, which we find very helpful in planning our trip.Rick Steves' Ireland 2009
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Dublin planning, March 13, 2009
By Jim C (Mountain View, CA, USA)
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We were looking for places to visit in Dublin and found the book very helpful.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Never arrived, October 28, 2009
By world traveler (Baltimore MD USA)
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I ordered this a month ago and it never arrived so now I am without it for my trip to Ireland tomorrow. However, I did get a refund.
0 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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A must-have, August 20, 2010
By Anaphilina (Utah, USA)
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If you're going to Ireland, you must have this book. Rick Steves' writes the very best guide books for Europe available.
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Rick Steve's Ireland, June 9, 2010
By whistleman (Indianapolis, IN)
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The absolute best of the travel guides we used while traveling Ireland. Entries were fair, concise and accurate. Read this before you plan your trip and your day... you'll enjoy the tour so much more.
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Irish Rover, May 25, 2010
By Robert Norville (Virginia Beach, Virginia USA)
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Rick Steve creates great travel guides that incorporate humor and information in a very readable format. He did the same with his "Ireland 2009". I've always been pleased
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Rick Steve's Ireland 2009, May 1, 2010
By Charlene T. Reimer
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My kind of travel ... Rick Steves stresses people and reasonable travel. His books are comprehensive and easy to follow. His suggestions are great and exciting.
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