Hi Sbellman,
I think you'll be soooo disappointed if you plan your holiday around a visit to an Irish quilt shop!!! Fabric is about twice the price of the independent quilt shops and the range of fabrics is miserly. It's a wonderful country with great scenery and friendly people, but spend your fabric budget at home, it'll stretch much further!! I was in the US on holiday this summer and filled 3 suitcases with fabric to bring home.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday. October is a lovely month here, even though the evenings are getting shorter, and I hope you really enjoy yourself.
Mellow