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IRELAND IS FULL of spectacular scenery, from the Ring of Kerry down south all the way up to Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula.
For Dubliners, though – once you factor in packing up the car, getting kids ready and driving time though, the idea of heading off on a cross-country road trip at short notice becomes less and less likely. And let’s face it, less appealing too.
Luckily, there are heaps of picturesque driving routes that don’t take quite so much time and effort to access. Here are just three scenic family road trips, all within 60 minutes of Dublin city.
Instagram / @denise.panz
What’ll I see?
Coastline, cliffs and some seriously lavish houses along Vico Road. Start off in the pretty Viking town of Dalkey, and see if you can spot some of the area’s more famous residents: Bono, Van Morrison and Neil Jordan all own properties here. Take in the views of Killiney Bay as you drive along the coast road. Then stop off for a walk up Killiney Hill, before heading down into Killiney and the beach.
How do I get there?
From Dublin city centre, head south for Ballsbridge. It’s a straight road along the N31 past Seapoint and through Dún Laoghaire before you hit Dalkey.
What’s the driving time?
From the city centre with normal traffic you should hit Dalkey in under 40 minutes.
Instagram / @exploreisle
What’ll I see?
Sally Gap is one of two passes across the Wicklow Mountains. From Dublin it’s a beautiful drive south along the Gap past blanket bog and mountains. Head for the Glendalough Valley, the site of an ancient monastery and home to some of Ireland’s best lake views. As well as a visitor centre, Glendalough has walking trails of varying difficulty levels, so bring a picnic and your walking shoes.
How do I get there?
Once you get onto the M50, take exit 12 toward Firhouse and follow signs for Old Military Rd/R115. Old Military Rd will bring you right through Sally Gap south to Laragh, where you can turn off to the right for Glendalough.
Instagram / @tomk984
What’s the driving time?
From Dublin you’ll get to Sally Gap in 50, and it’s another 30 minutes to Glendalough. If you’re short on time, you can skip Sally Gap, go around the mountains through Bray and Roundwood, and be at Glendalough in an hour.
Instagram / @ledingham_p
What’ll I see?
Meath residents will tell you that a quarter of the landscape of Ireland can be seen from the Hill of Tara. That may or may not be true, but you can definitely see a whole lot from that high-up vantage point. Tara is one of Ireland’s most important ancient sites, once the residence of the High King of Ireland. It’s in the heart of the Boyne Valley, meaning you’ll be in driving distance of Newgrange, Monasterboice and Trim Castle too.
How do I get there?
Get onto the Navan Rd heading toward Blanchardstown, then take the M3 until junction 6 and the R125 exit to Dunshaughlin/Trim. For there it’s a ten minute drive.
What’s the driving time?
From Dublin city you’ll get to the Hill Of Tara in 30 mins, and from there it’s another 20 mins west to Trim, or 30 mins north-east to Newgrange and onward north to Monasterboice.
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Its ok..SIPTU have a travel ‘slush’ fund from the HSE that they can aptly use here to pay this
Fantastic ruling!.. Finally moving forward away from ruthless unions that will not see common sense and sit down to negotiate reasonable outcomes!
Delighted for SIPTU, the people running this turncoat of a union have been getting fat of the backs of the working class for to long and past governments only to happy to accommodate them for an easy life!!..Just wonder what sort of spin they going to put on this ruling!
Great !!! Two faced millionaires !
another nail in the coffin of workers rights
Empty rhetoric.
Another clown who hasn’t got a clue…
so some one you dont agree with is automatically a clown,very mature
Nope, just the ones who buy into siptu lies.
i’m not buying into anybody’s lies i am simply expressing a personal opinion on the constant erosion of workers rights and entitlements.i believe i have a right to do so without being insulted by an ignorant coward such as yourself
True Shauna. They are just immature yet to realize the consequences. When they wake up with no workers’ rights one day (by the way, those rights where given to you bu unions) then they will start thinking with their heads.
Ryanair winning a legal action and getting cost ? That’s more rare then one of there staff smiling. Must be some surreal feelings going around Ryanair head office today….
This is absolutely sick. Do not want to live in a country like this
Shur grab a plane and leave. .. oh… wait…
Well now that the strike has been called off/delayed, you can easily hop on a flight out of here if you so wish
Kevin
You seem to have a difficulty with both the Rule of Law and it’s application within a Democratic State. Could I suggest that you consider relocating to another jurisdiction where you might appreciate what we have her in Ireland. I am of course prepared to provide you with a list of countries where such learning could be instructive and immediate.
Try…..Russia North Korea Somalia Congo Cuba etc etc etc
Our Minister for Justice and Garda Commissioner seem to have great difficulty with the rule of law and it’s application in a democratic state. Any travel suggestions for that pair Richie?
Why? Because a strike was averted? A strike that would have been very costly to the exchequer and to our image over our national holiday. DAA and FR did the right thing and the court acted correctly.
Bye!
Don’t see the problem here. The courts ruled against them. Maybe if they had a good legal team they would realise the action against was going to succeed.
There hasn’t been a trial yet.
Anyone who thinks this is a good thing is deluded. 3 years of talks went on with no resolution before there was a whisper of industrial strife. The working persons right to withdraw labour has been taken away by the courts and now the unions are penalised after they followed all procedures laid down. It’s a black day for anyone not at management level in the workforce. And before people jump on the “pampered semi state workers” bandwagon, joining this pension scheme, good or bad was a condition of employment so the workers had no choice and are still paying into it today. Iv been trawling the French papers, can’t seem to find the article where aerlingus and Ryanair are taking the air traffic controllers to court, strange!
The value of your investment may go up or down, that is no justification or an enshrined legal reason for people to strike
So if you bought 100 shares in Ryanair and when you go to sell them you discover you only own 80 shares, then that’s ok is it?
No but if I buy 100 shares at €70 per share and I go to sell them and they are worth €60 per share that is the risk.
Come on you are better than that defined benefit schemes destroyed Detroit and it’s industries and if you can find someone that starts a job now and can get one.
On the other side the union could get their way the pension scheme will pay out and the company will go busy before the end of the decade
Take a jump Brian. These people sought to hold the country to ransom. They tries hurt thousands who’d had left the country and tried to get home to see their families.
They tried to blackmail all the small business around the country who depend on tourist days like paddy’s
Never mind the reputation if the country around the world on its most famous day.
They could have picked a ordinary Tuesday to strike but no they wanted to damage the country as much as possible.
No matter how valid their cause they should not try hurt ordinary people in searching for a result of their problem.
Personally I’d disband unions as they only represent the top cats within that union and not one single care for the ordinary workers, their families or the general community they live in.
I shed a tear for all you that wanted to strike on paddies weekend
If it was another weekend you would have some sympathy but right now you got what you deserved
Also are you aware of the salary scales of your beloved union leaders
It makes rehab look like lidl
We’ll said Brian. 100%correct – Ryanair have been very quiet during this pension dispute – too busy rubbing their hands in glee at the potential demise of trade unionism in this country, whether people subscribe to trade unions or not many workers enjoy better working conditions and pay because of trade unions.
No injunction sought against the French Air Traffic Controllers for the losses they incurred – !
@chris. Put yourself in the airport workers shoes Chris, what would you do ? Just roll over and accept it without a whimper. These workers have spent over 3 years using all the industrial relations mechanisms possible to no avail, meanwhile for every €1 they are forced to put in they are looking at getting just over 10c back – fair exchange ? Don’t think anyone can honestly agree with that if they were in the same situation
I feel serious all out strikes on the way …
Lets take a look at this more closely: a stay on costs pending the trial means that there has to be a trial on the issue of whether SIPTU were entitled to strike, otherwise the costs won’t be payable?
This is going to be a lot bigger than DAA Ryanair or Aer Lingus would like it to be, because fundamental principals are at stake. Of course, if there is no trial I expect no costs will be payable, because the applicants will have withdrawn their action.
We’ll said Paul Roche, at last someone who has some real perspective and a grasp of the seriousness of this issue for all workers who are members of trade unions in this country.
Thanks ehhh… whoever you are,
But I have to say I’m not a fan of SIPTU (or many other unions) leadership.
The constitutional principals are what I support, in the hope that the Unions will get it right eventually… Lets just say I see it as a door that should not be closed.
Notice all the anti worker comments written throughout the day by the work shy wasters
It just gets better!
My husband is in the private sector and he lost his defined benefit pension after 15 years because it was no longer affordable. The company switched him to a “regular” plan. Did he threaten to strike? No, he just got on with his job. SIPTU can take a run and jump.
What’s a regular plan . .?
What’s that you say ? begrudgery ? If it happens to me it should happen to everyone else is it ?.
I’d say ye should maybe tell everyone what happened to your husbands pension and try teach people not to let the same thing happen to them….
Just curious..does anyone know if Ryanair/Aerlingus are taking legal proceedings in France? Wouldnt they have also lost money with the air traffic controllers strike.!
Not on the same scale.
SIPTU should also compensate Aer Lingus and Ryanair for losses incurred by their stupid and totally unnecessary strike!
Government must legislate to ban unnecessary strikes!
Is it now illegal to strike in this country?
It should be made illegal to attempt to cause massive disruption to peoples lives and damage the wider economy of the country just to further your own aims.
Ok, but is it now illegal to strike in this country?
The unions once served a good purpose. For quite a while that has not been the case.
They and many employers need to be brought doew to size.
have your say