Posted by Kelly Fincham at 9/15/2009 8:53 AM EDT

Yes, you've read that right!

The headline's accurate and just shows us that every cloud has a silver lining and Ireland is no exception.

Well, it's not really a silver lining for anyone living there, more for those of us how've been priced out of vacations there.

The travel Web site Hotels.com says Ireland's hotel prices have dropped so much that Irish hotels are now the cheapest in Europe.

Their survey found that prices fell by 26 percent so far this year with the biggest drop in Limerick.

Hmm. There might be other reasons for that, but I digress.

Galway is listed as the most expensive place for hotels, which is a surprise. I would have presumed Dublin would take that dubious honor.

Hotels.com says the fall-off in business travel is fuelling the drop in prices.