Lodging
Part of the charm of the Grand Canal is the
chance to chuck the common, usually
run-of-the mill, urban hotel in favor of
mom-and-pop operated-B&Bs.
When night falls and feet are
beginning to fail, there are few places more
inviting than an Irish country Bed and
Breakfast accommodation.
Each has its own character and style,
its own pleasant host or hostess and its own
local-flavor stories.
The welcome the weary walker finds is
typically pleasant, personal and sincere.
Many that are located close to the canal
cater to walkers and anglers and can tell
you what lies ahead of you the next day. (A
reminder—be sure to find out how far from
the canal a selected B&B is.
You could be in for another hours’
walk to reach it.
But most often the B&B will offer you
their mobile phone number and will arrange
to pick you up, and then return you to the
canal the next day.)
Rarely do you have a bad experience
at a B&B.
I stayed in this hospitable B&B in Sept 08
B&Bs can be seasonal.
Some B&Bs that are open in the summer
months are closed other months.
B&Bs also may not be taking
reservations for any number of reasons,
ranging from their visiting relatives
elsewhere to taking holiday.
I’ve encountered both of those
situations.
For me, it’s the personal attention that I
relish so much.
After a long day hoofing it,
sometimes with a nagging blister, beyond the
front door to a B&B is a warm welcome,
usually a cup of tea or coffee and some
scones or biscuits.
Then the next morning, as if you will
never eat again, you sit down to one of
those deliciously mammoth full Irish
breakfasts.
What a way to start another day!
Of course in addition to the traditional B&B
you’ll find the larger guest house, with
qualities similar to a B&B, but with more
rooms, and more opportunities for
fellowshipping with the other guests. For
those staying a week or so, consider a
self-catering accommodation.
One that I recently learned about is
Ballycommon House, right on the Grand Canal
between Tullamore and Daingean.
(www.ballycommonhouse.com)
A somewhat complicating matter is the formal
system of official approval of B&Bs, guest
houses and other accommodations.
Approved accommodations appear in
published directories and you will rarely be
unpleasantly surprised or disappointed by
selecting an approved facility.
Many others are not approved, for any
number of reasons.
I’ve stayed at unapproved B&Bs and
been very content with my stays.
But at one unapproved B&B I was
terribly disappointed and had that “should
have known better” feeling.
Clean, full-service bathrooms are fully expected (and always found) in approved B&Bs
I know of no way other than word of mouth in
the community to learn about the unapproved
B&Bs.
Owners of approved B&Bs are usually
reluctant to tell you about one that’s not
approved in the village of your destination.
But at pubs, grocery stores, and from
other non-approved owners, you usually can
find directions to other similar facilities.
Finding your accommodations
There are several sources for B&B and guest
house information and reservations.
Tourism Ireland is a good place to
start.
Their site (
www.discoverireland.ie)
will lead you to several approved B&Bs,
guest houses, hotels, self-catering houses
and the like.
A recent check of their
accommodations directory for County Offaly
found 3 in Edenderry, 2 with a Daingean
address and many in Tullamore.
Banagher, a small town on the River
Shannon about 5 km south of Shannon Harbour
with a marina and a delightful river village
quality has B&Bs, hotels and the area’s only
hostel, Crank House Hostel
(www.banagher.net/hostel)
You might also check out
www.countyoffaly.com
and
www.offaly-bnb.com
. for accommodations information.
Call ahead or email for reservations and be
sure to jot down their land line and mobile
phone numbers.
Keep the numbers in a rainproof
sleeve or zip-lock bag and as a courtesy,
call again the night before to remind them
you will soon arrive and even your estimated
arrival hour.
_____________________
With some trepidation I am including below
some research I conducted over the Internet
in 2008 or 2009.
A friend who was following my route
for part of the way across Ireland was
interested in learning where I found
accommodations.
So I rounded up my old notes from
2003 and added what I learned by scouring
the Internet, and sent him the following
information.
So bear in mind this list will be
dated.
Nevertheless it might give you a head
start.
Be sure to alert me to errors—email
me at
Grandcanalhiker@aol.com
B&B or guesthouse accommodations
The ones I stayed in I mark as
*.
Two friends from Tennessee went a year later
along this same route and stayed in B&Bs
marked as
**
Sallins
(Most of the B&Bs are in or around Naas,
which is about 2 or 3 miles south of Sallins.
Those that are on Sallins Rd would
presumably be closer to Sallins.)
(1)--Mill
House B&B in Naas but about a mile from
Sallins
Leinster Grove, Oberstown, Naas.
Tele--045 86 6138
naasmont.iol.ie
(2)--Boreen
Lusk B&B, about 1.5 to 2 miles from
canal
Sallins Rd, Naas
+353 (0) 45 87-5282
(3)--Norcenni
B+B
**
Sallins Rd, Naas
Mrs. Vena Murphy
045 875014
(4)--Creagan
B&B
Sherlockstown, Sallins
+353-87-6501
(5)--Malone’s
B&B
1 The Sycamores, Sallins Rd, Naas
045 897598
Edenderry
Auburn Lodge
(owner--Catherine....)
*
(I stayed there in May 08)
**
Colonel Perry St
Edendenderry
353 046 973 1319
Daingean
(1)--Beachlawn Farmhouse
**
Clyduff, Daingean
057 9353099
(2)--Eskermore
House
Mount Lucas, Daingean
057-93-53-79
Tullamore
(You can go to
www.discovertullamore.com )
(1)--Sea
Dew
Mrs. Claire Gilsenan
Clonminch Rd (5 min walk to town centre)
057 93 52054
(2)--Ivy
Lodge B&B
**
Daingean Rd, Tullamore
057 9341151
(3)--Gormagh
B&B
Durrow, Tullamore
Mrs. Anne O’Brein
057-93-51468
(4)--Littlewood
B&B
Culleen, Durrow, Tullamore
Mrs. Lucy Bradley
057 93 51364
(5)--Hill
View B&B, about 1 mile north of canal
*
Arden Lane
Mr. Martin Moran (I think)
0506-51387
Ferbane
Highfield House
Rosfaraghan, Ferbane
Mrs. Clare Moore
090 6454387
Shannon Harbor
Harbor Masters House
(on banks of canal)
at Shanoon Harbor
Mrs. Grainne Kirwan
050951532
Banagher
Brosna Lodge Hotel
downtown Banagher
+353 (0) 5791 51350
Crank House Hostel
*
(I stayed there two times)
downtown Banagher (509)-51458
Now--cross the River Shannon and head toward
Portumna
Portumna
(1)--Portumna House
*
(I think this where I stayed.)
1 St Brendan’s Rd, Portumna
+353 (0) 90 974 1078
(2)--Birch
Cottage B&B
St. Joseph’s Rd
+353 (0) 86600 2256
email
birchcottage@yahoo.ie
(3)--Clonwyn
House Hotel and B&B
downtown
+353 (0) 90 9741351
Loughrea
(1)--Old
Rectory B&B
**
Cross St, Loughrea
353 91 847130
(2)--An
Choill B&B
Loughrea
353 91 87 0895
Kinvara
Clareview HOuse
**
Mrs. Brenda McTigue
3 km east of Kinvara on R 347
353-91-637170
Galway City
The website
www.hostelgalway.com
lists 11 hostels.
I stayed at the Galway City Hostel.
Since they change so much over the
years, a recommendation from 3 or 4 years
ago may be worth little now.
But was an ok hostel.
Some B&Bs are real treats. This view from the window of my bedroom in a B&B just south of Omagh welcomed me after a long day on foot.
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