Irish Golf Trips - How to Get Here

Your Irish golf trip starts in earnest when you arrive in Ireland and selecting the right arrival port is an important part of itinerary planning. While most people automatically think of Dublin as the principal arrival port there are alternatives that can save hours of travelling time and make your golf trip that much more enjoyable. Our Ireland Golf Travel pages provide lots of practical information and avdice on making your Irish golf trip the best it can be. Full details of air travel routes are also available and we do our best to keep this information updated.

Irish Airports

It is generally possible to fly into one airport and out from another using the same carrier without excessive fare supplements. When planning an Irish golf trip this should be kept in mind as it can help facilitate the trip itinerary.

Dublin Airport

Dublin is ideal for golf trips that are based in or start/finish in the eastern golf region, the midland golf region or the north and northwest golf regions (though see also information on Belfast and regional airports below). It is also the best choice for golf trips to Southeast Ireland.

Dublin is Ireland's largest and busiest airport. The two principal Irish airlines - Aer Lingus and Ryanair - serve most U.K. airports. Together with major European carriers they also serve all major European cities and Ryanair serve many European regional airports.

Aer Lingus (the Irish national carrier) are the principal trans-Atlantic airline operating to Ireland. Aer Lingus serves Boston, New York (JFK), Chicago and Los Angeles. U.S. carriers operating to Ireland include Delta (Atlanta), U.S. Air (Philadelpia) and Continental (Newark), while Air Canada operates a Toronto based service.

Shannon Airport

Shannon is the principal arrival and/or departure point for golf trips to the west or southwest regions. It has several advantages over Dublin, especially the fact that light traffic volumes mean faster clearance time from landing to leaving.

Most U.S. flights stop at both Shannon and Dublin, often reversing the order on consecutive days. For North American golfers combining the west or southwest with the east and/or northeast it is recommended to arrive at Shannon and leave from Dublin or vice versa. All of the carriers mentioned above also operate to Shannon (except from Los Angeles).

U.K. and European airports are less well served from Shannon. Ryanair are the principal operator and have recently announced Shannon will become one of its European hubs, opening access to the west and southwest of Ireland from regional airports in the U.K. and Europe.

Cork Airport

Cork airport is ideal for golf trips to the south and southwest of Ireland. As well as Cork based trips (Fota Island, Cork) Kinslae is less then half an hour from Cork airport and Killarney is just over one hours drive.

Aer Lingus has regular scheduled services to London Heathrow, while Ryair operates services to London STnsted. Aer Arann, BMIBaby and other U.K regional airlines serve many other U.K. airports.

Aer lingus also provide scheduled services to Amsterdam and Paris. There are no scheduled flights from North America.

Belfast Airports

Belfast is an ideal arrival and departure point for golf trips to the north and northwest of Ireland where access to City of Derry airport (see below) is not available. County Donegal is most accessible from Belfast and is often overlooked by golfers planning trips to the great links of Donegal.

Belfast has two airports, Belfast International and Belfast City. Both are well served by air routes from the main U.K. airports by British Airways, British Midland, Easy Jet and other low cost and regional carriers.

From May 2005, Continental Airlines will operate a direct service to Belfast from Newark - the only trans-Atlantic route to Belfast. This will help golf trip itineraries that include the famous northern links with the southwestern links - fly into Belfast and depart from SDhannon on Continental flights to Newark.

City of Derry, Donegal and Sligo Airports

These three regional airports serve the northwest of Ireland. Aer Arann is the principal opertaor from all Irish regional airports (except City of Derry). Aer Arann operates all of Ireland's internal flight routes with daily services from Dublin to each regional airport.

However Aer Arann are expanding with new services to the U.K. continually added and it is now possible, for example, to fly from Glasgow to Donegal. Our U.K. Air routes page has up to date information on scheduled routes.

City of Derry is conveniently located on the border between Counties Derry and Donegal. Golf trips that include the great links in Donegal and the famous links in Northern Ireland are best served by arrival and departure from City of Derry.

Knock and Galway Airports

For golf trips to the west of Ireland from the U.K., Knock or Galway airports are ideal arrival ports. Knock provides more choice with services to Birmingham, Manchester and Stansted. Aer Arann operates flights from Galway to Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester and London Luton.

Kerry Airport

The small regional airport at Farranfore, County Kerry is located halfway between Tralee and Killarney. For golf trips to the southwest it is an ideal port but unfortunately Ryanair is currently the only operator and the routes are limitied to London Stansted and Frankfurt-Hahn.

Irish Seaports

For U.K. and European golfers it is possible to bring your own transport to Ireland on one of the many ferries and fast-ferries operating on the Irish Sea and to France.

Rosslare

In the southeast corner of Ireland, Rosslare is one of the pricipal ferry ports operating services to Fishguard and Pembroke and summer sailings to France.

Dublin/Dun Laoighre

Regular services from Liverpool and Holyhead serve the ports of Dublin and Dun Laoighre. These are ideal arrival ports for golf trips to the east coast or midland Ireland.

Belfast/Larne

Scottish golfers can avail of the services from Stranraer and Troon for golf trips to the north and northwest of Ireland.

Cork

Summer services to Swansea and France.

Planning an Irish Golf Trip

Planning your golf trip carefully can mean saving journey times on the day of arrival and day of departure. Once you have selected the golf courses or Irish region that you would like to play, spend a few minutes deciding the best place to arrive and depart and keep in mind that it need not be the same port for both. If you would liek advice you can use our Irish Golf Trip Advice form.

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