Ireland

[anthony187]

We are going on vacation with a bunch of friends to Ireland in late March. I want to ask her there. Any ideas on where a good place would be and good ideas on how best to ask?I have never been so I don''t know any places that would be suitable.

 

[PrincessDijon]

Your guess is as good as mine since I have never been there either....but congrats for starting your proposal journey!

 

[Rhea]

There are a couple of Irish people here. Bee* springs to mind. Where in Ireland are you going?

 

[anthony187]

Actually were back packing around the country will be there for about two weeks. So I am open to many locations.

 

[bootsiekin]

Do you want it to be private or somewhat of an audience? If you dont mind some people clapping, etc, if you plan to go to Blarney castle and do it at the top while waiting to kiss the stone! The Cliffs of Moher are also beautiful, but still would probably be people around. We took a "jaunt" (carriage) ride in Dublin that went through a nice park, maybe you could tip the driver to stop the carriage mid-way.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Try Sligo up north or Galway in the west. Both are lovely and you can get either the city or the country there. I was proposed to at a castle in Ireland and it makes a great story.

 

[bee*]

ooh which counties are you going to? Are you flying into Dublin? Personally I would ask her in Kerry. We go there for a week every year and if you go around the Conor''s pass area (you''d have to hire a car), the views are amazing. Otherwise depending on the counties- Dublin- go out to Dun Laoghaire and walk to the end of the pier. It can be so romantic there when there''s not too many people around. Wicklow-go to Glendalough for the day and do one of the walks. The views are brilliant. There are some lovely old houses and castles around the country. Galway is great but I always think of it as a part town rather than somewhere to propose but it depends I suppose on what you''re after. You can get a ferry out to the Aran Islands also and it''s great around there-really old Irish and what you kind of would picture if you haven''t been here before.

 

[anthony187]

Yes I am flying into Dublin. We are planning on going all around Southern and Western Ireland. I have read about Wicklow it looks beautiful from pictures. If I were to do it in Kerry is there anywhere that I would not have to rent a car? I have never drivin on the other side of the road and am not sure how much of a difference it would be.

 

[anthony187]

Also I have been thinking of doing it in front of the ancestral home of my family. It is a castle in Baldwinstown, County Wexford, but since I have never been there I am not sure what it looks like. I thought it would be a cool thing asking someone to goin your family in front of the castle were it all started. My family name is very important to me I even have my family crest tattoed on my arm. Does anyone know anything about this place? It would be very nice but, if it is really run down and not really romantic I don''t want to do it there.

 

[bee*]

There are bus tours that go around the Slea Head drive and they stop at some amazing locations but the only trouble is that you mightn''t get much privacy when you get out at some of the stops. You could also do one of the smaller tours and they might go to Inch beach, which is beautiful. I personally don''t think that you can go wrong if you go anywhere around the Dingle Peninsula. We just got back from our yearly holiday there a few weeks ago and there are literally people at every turn taking photos as the scenery is just so beautiful. If D was to have proposed in Ireland, he said that''s where he would have done it.

Baldwinstown Castle is actually right beside a riding center if I remember correctly. We went down there before in a group. The actually castle isn''t in great repair but you could definitely get a picture taken near it. The only problem again would be the lack of a car. Is there any chance that any member of your group could hire one? It''s quite near Rosslare which you could definitely get a bus down to (I''m not sure if the trains go there). It''s one of our main Ferry Ports to the rest of Europe. However the castle is a bit of a drive from Rosslare so I''m not sure how you''d make it there. That''s kind of the problem with having no car over here. You''ll get to see some lovely towns if you take one of the coaches, but to see the absolutely amazing scenery, a car is handy to have.

 

[Blackpaw]

Hi anthony - congrats on your upcoming engagement!! I was just in Ireland (left yesterday) with my SO and while we didnt see the whole country for sure, I could recommend Achill Island for a romantic, isolated proposal, or Ashford Castle for a fairytale style hotel/gardens proposal

We were based in County Mayo (in Westport - which is a very idyllic small town) and those two sights were nearby. But we didnt get to Kerry and like bee* said its meant to be bee-u-tiful

 

[bee*]

ooh Achill is gorgeous. My granny''s sister lived there and we used to visit her every year. I hope you had a good trip!

 

[Blackpaw]

Thanks bee* i did have a great trip!! Even got to watch the All Ireland juniors replay match...very exciting stuff!!

 

[bee*]

Delighted to hear that you had a great time. You''ll have to return

 

[misskitty]

The areas around Blarney Castle (not just the castle itself, but the surrounding gardens, too) are absolutely stunning. The gardens have so many sweet little places that would just be perfect for a proposal. I think the Wishing Steps would lend themselves pretty well to a proposal: http://www.blarneycastle.ie/attractions/view/12. Plus, you can lure her there on the pretense of wanting to see Blarney Castle and kiss the stone.

 

[krispi]

Date: 9/23/2008 4:25:46 PM
Author: anthony187
Also I have been thinking of doing it in front of the ancestral home of my family. It is a castle in Baldwinstown, County Wexford, but since I have never been there I am not sure what it looks like. I thought it would be a cool thing asking someone to goin your family in front of the castle were it all started. My family name is very important to me I even have my family crest tattoed on my arm. Does anyone know anything about this place? It would be very nice but, if it is really run down and not really romantic I don''t want to do it there.

As someone whose family also has an ancestral castle in Ireland that was in my family for many years (mine is in Kilkenny though), I have to say that I LOVE this idea!! I know that Bee pointed out some transportation logistics that would need to be resolved, but if you can make it work, this definitely would get my vote.

 

[anthony187]

Thanks to all of you!!!!! It seems like I have a lot of options to choose from.