Irish Hostels Offering ‘Do-it-Yourself’ Vacations : Accommodation vouchers help travelers keep to loose itineraries and tight budgets.

Ireland’s youth hostel system, An Oige, is helping independent travelers take the mystery out of what it will cost to travel around the country this summer by offering “do-it-yourself” packages for traveling and cycling.

The Rambler Hostelling Packages include vouchers for dormitory-style accommodations in any of the 50 An Oige youth hostels, plus bus/rail transportation passes. Although guests tend to be young, there are no age restrictions at the hostels.

An Oige youth hostels appear in the form of castles, cottages, shooting lodges, Coast Guard stations, schoolhouses and former military barracks. For example, Aghadoe House in Killarney is a large mansion on 70 acres of woodland. In County Kilkenny, you can stay in 16th-Century Foulksrath Castle; in County Fermanagh, the 18th-Century Castle Archdale. Many of the hostels provide facilities for meal preparation.

Each Rambler Hostelling Package also includes a map, a youth hostel handbook and a pass valid for unlimited travel on the Irish Rail and Bus Eireann transportation systems, which extend throughout the country. The mainline train system services Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.

Hostelling packages come with variable-length passes and vouchers. The eight-day Journey Pass includes a bus/rail pass valid for any eight days of travel within a 15-day period. If you want the pass with seven youth hostel vouchers, the price is about $252, or $154 for those under 18. With 14 accommodation vouchers, the price is $342, or $228 if you are under 18.

The 15-day Journey Pass includes a bus/rail pass valid for any 15 days within a 30-day period. If you want it with 14 accommodation vouchers, the price is $399, or $252 if you are under 18. With 21 accommodation vouchers, the price is $489, or $326 for under-18 travelers. The same package with 28 accommodation vouchers costs $578, or $399.

Cyclists are offered two types of do-it-yourself packages. The Cycling Holiday packages can begin in Dublin, Limerick, Rosslare, Cork or Killarney. There are eight An Oige hostels in County Wicklow, seven in Kerry and four in Cork. All are within cycling distance of each other. Each package includes a rental bike, vouchers for youth hostel accommodations each night and a youth hostel handbook and map to help plan your trip.

Prices for the Cycling Holiday packages: one week, $146, or $122 for those under 18; two weeks, $163 or $144; three weeks, $423 or $366; four weeks, $570 or $489.

The Rail Cycling Holidays consist of rail/cycling programs in eight areas: Killarney, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Wexford (Rosslare) and Dublin.

Each package includes return rail fare to the starting point from any rail station in the Republic of Ireland, plus a rental bike, accommodation vouchers valid at An Oige hostels, a youth hostel handbook and a map.

Prices for the Rail/Cycling Holiday packages: one week, $195, or $146 if you are under 18; two weeks, $342 or $268; three weeks, $480 or $399, and four weeks, $627 or $521.

A deposit of $49 will be required when you pick up your bike. The bikes can be picked up and dropped off in Dublin, Rosslare, Cork or Limerick. There is a small surcharge if the bike is dropped off at a different point, except in Killarney or Galway.

All packages can be arranged in advance though An Oige, National Office, 39 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1, Ireland. From U.S. telephones, call 011-353-363111, fax 011-353- 365807.

This year, paying passengers can transport bicycles free of charge on B & I ferry transportation between Ireland and Britain.

For more information on travel to Ireland, contact the Irish Tourist Board, 757 Third Ave., 19th Floor, New York 10017, (800) 223-6470.