Travel
Travel Note
Travel Docs/Currency
Ireland is in the European Union. You do not need a visa to travel there, but you will need a passport. Passports typically take about six weeks to process. Apply for a passport here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/apply-in-person.html If you fly into Belfast in Northern Ireland, or if you plan to travel to England, Wales, or Scotland (together they make up the United Kingdom), you'll need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). It's simple to apply and costs around $20: Apply for an ETA here: https://www.gov.uk/eta/apply Ireland uses the Euro (€) for its currency. Everywhere we went accepted Visa or Mastercard, but American Express can be tricky. Always notify your bank when traveling abroad—either through their app or at a branch—to avoid having your account locked. We recommend using your debit card at an ATM in Ireland if you want cash on hand. Decline the Dynamic Currency Conversion at the ATM for a better exchange rate. Devin has traveled to plenty of countries, so please reach out if you have questions about going abroad.
Travel Note
Flights
You can fly into Dublin, Ireland, or Belfast, Northern Ireland. Use the link below to compare flights across various airlines. Travel to Ireland is frequent, so it shouldn't be too expensive. We typically purchase our tickets 3–4 months in advance.
Flight
Dublin Airport, Ireland
About 1 hour 30 minutes from the venue.
Flight
Belfast Airport, Northern Ireland
About an 1 hour 10 minutes from the venue.
Hotel
Castle Leslie Estate
Castle Leslie Estate will be the sole venue for our welcome dinner, ceremony, and reception. There is a wedding the day before our wedding, so rooms may be full at the Lodge if you're hoping to stay there Saturday night for the welcome dinner. However, there are some wonderful hotels in Glaslough—about 10 minutes from the venue. For the night of the wedding, guests are pre-booked into the Castle. Please RSVP on this website at your earliest convenience. You won't be able to book the wedding night until late spring/early summer after we provide the first round of names to Castle Leslie. Rest assured, we have the entire castle reserved for our wedding party, so there there will be room for everyone on Sunday night. The cost is approximately $340 per room, and you may either pay after you book in early summer or upon checkout. Please call +353 47 88100 or reservations@castleleslie.com for reservations. The staff at Castle Leslie are extremely helpful, so please reach out to them if you have any questions about your stay. Castle Leslie Estate offers accommodation options to the public, so if you wish to arrive early or stay a couple of additional days, you are welcome to: https://www.castleleslie.com/stay/
Travel Note
Dublin Pub Crawl
We will be organizing a Pub Crawl around Dublin on the evening of Friday, October 9th. Check back for details as we get closer to the wedding date, but if you're in Dublin on the 9th, we'd love to grab a pint (or four) with you!
Hotel
The Dean Dublin
If you plan to stay in Dublin for a few days, The Dean is a great choice. There are also several other hotels in the surrounding area that seem excellent, including the Iveagh Garden Hotel, The Green Hotel, and the Camden Court Hotel. We stayed in this area last year and found it safe, walkable, and well-served by taxis, with plenty of dining options. Shops are about a 15-minute walk away, and most attractions are less than a 10-minute taxi ride from Harcourt Street.
Rental Car
Transportation
The cities have wonderful attractions, but Ireland's rolling green hills and beautiful countryside truly enchanted us. Castle Leslie’s 1,000 acres showcase Ireland’s countryside at its best. We recommend renting a car to get to the Castle and to explore Ireland’s beauty beyond Dublin and Belfast. They drive on the left side of the road, but it’s not difficult—just different. You can rent a car with any U.S. driver’s license for around $30 per day. They have many of the same car rental companies at the U.S. As with rural roads in the U.S., give extra space on tighter roads and pull over if you need to let a tractor pass. If you would prefer to hire a private driver, it will cost around $350 one way: https://www.coachandchauffeurdriveireland.com/ https://elitechauffeurs.ie/ https://www.dublincs.com/
Travel Note
Plugs/Phone
You'll need a Type G plug adapter to charge your devices in Ireland and the UK. We bought one on Amazon last year and it worked perfectly—click "View" below to check it out. Your phone plan should work in Ireland, but double-check how you’ll be billed. Most locations and shops have Wi-Fi as well.