09 Oct 2014

Staying with the locals on a genealogy holiday in Ireland

When Kelly Smith from Canada decided to book a holiday to Ireland she knew she wanted to stay in a homestay. As the granddaughter of an Irish emigrant, part of her reason for visiting Ireland was to see his birthplace in Portadown, Co. Armagh, so it was really important to her to she'd be able to interact with Irish locals on her trip.

From her home town Toronto in Canada, Kelly travelled to Dublin and stayed with host Fabiana in her apartment in the centre of the city in an area called Grand Canal Dock. From such a central location she was ideally placed to take in the sights of the city and to travel further afield to the rest of the country. She found staying in a homestay was a great way to have a base while abroad and Fabiana her host was more than happy to help out with tips on what to do and where to go, local restaurants and attractions close to her home.

Here she shares her story:

Why did you decide to book a homestay?

I decided on a homestay so that I could be a little closer to the culture and people of Ireland. I did not want to stay in a non-descript hotel. And I wanted to save a little money.

Why did you choose Fabiana as your host?

Fabiana seem to have nice spacious room with a modern flare and I like that is was located on the Grand Canal Dock. The area seemed trendy, I was happy that it was close to the U2 recording studio and graffiti wall.

What sort of things, if any, did you do with your host?

Fabiana helped me get orientated with Dublin. The city was a lot bigger than I thought it would be and very spread out. I arrived on an overnight flight from Toronto at 6:30 am. Fabiana's condo was a short drive by bus from the airport through the Port tunnel. I was happy that I could arrive at her place early in the morning. She explained the transit system, where to pick up a quick meal and she let me use her laptop to research tourist information as my smart phone was having some issues. I was very tired and slept for a few hours before heading out. Her home was very quiet.

Why did you choose Dublin as your holiday destination?

My tour by Wolfhound Tours departed and ended in Dublin. The trip was a hiking, biking, kayaking adventure through the Ring of Kerry, Beara Peninsula, Portmagee, Kenmare, Goughane Barra, Adare, Skelig Michael, Dingle, the Rock of Cashel, Moneygall and Killnarey National Park. I also did some sightseeing while I was in Dublin - Trinity College, the National Museum of Ireland, Irish story telling at the Brazenhead pub and the U2 exhibit at the Little Museum of Dublin. Avoca on Suffolk Street in Dublin was one of my favourite places to shop. I also wanted to visit my grandfather's birthplace in Northern Ireland, so Dublin was a central place to travel from. And this was a birthday present to myself, it has been a while since I took a long vacation. I went to Romania and Vienna in 2003 for 3 weeks.

Why do you think people should book a homestay over other types of accommodation?

To get an idea of how the locals live and enjoy some friendly hospitality.

Where is your next holiday destination?

I am house rich but cash poor, my next trip will be somewhere close like Montreal and I look forward to using a homestay.

Fabiana is just one of many great hosts you can stay with in Dublin. Check out her profile here or view our full list of Dublin homestays.