While Ireland certainly is going to have more sunny days per month in, say, August – that’s also when it will cost more to visit. And with the general warmth of the Irish people (not to mention the warming effects of a pint of Guinness), there’s no reason not to take advantage of low season bargains like this 6-night package trip including airfare and a stay in a 5-star resort for $499 per person.

Yes, you’re reading that right.

What do you have to do to get nearly a week in Ireland for under $500? It’s actually not that hard. This deal is for a group of four, so to begin with you’ll need to have three friends. Then you’ll need to travel during January-March 2009. Finally, you’ll need to depart from either New York, Washington DC or Boston. Think you can manage all of that? Then here’s what you’ll get for your $499:

• Roundtrip airfare from New York, Washington DC or Boston to Shannon (other departure cities available for a fee)
• 6 nights in a private 3-bedroom villa at a 5-star resort
• Full-size rental car with unlimited mileage

If you can’t stand the idea of a winter vacation in Ireland, you can take this same trip in the high season (June-August) and pay only $899 per person, which is still a great deal. And if the deal as it’s listed isn’t luxe enough for you, you can upgrade to the “Gold” package for $49 per person, which includes an automatic full-size car with GPS navigation as well as admission to the famous Waterford Crystal Factory. Still not enough? The “Platinum” package will run an additional $499 per person, but that’ll get you all the stuff in the “Gold” package plus four rounds of golf – one each at Dingle Links, Dooks Links, Killarney Lackabane, and Ring of Kerry.

As always, be sure to read all the rules before you book – there are some additional fees you’ll need to be aware of (for instance, they’ll charge you extra to book by phone instead of via their website). And you’ll need to book this trip by December 10, 2008 in order to get the best prices.