Cb,
Dublin airport is chaotic at the moment due to construction work so expect delays coming out of baggage reclaim etc, not to mention then having to get a bus into town (you have a choice of a double decker green bus which stops enroute into town or an airport bus (2 different companies run an express service)). One express bus serves the train stations in the city - they are 2 stations - the Galway train goes from the Heuston station.

The only train on Saturday evening out of Dublin after 5pm leaves Heuston Station at 19.05 and gets into Galway at 22.05. The train service in ireland is 3rd rate in comparsion to the continent. Trains on Staurdays tend to be overcrowded etc. So my advise is don't stress yourself - take your time getting into the city and stay over night, see a bit of Dublin and take a train on Sunday morning. Anyway I would not bet on you getting to Heuston on time at rush hour on a Sat. and the airport chaos.
By the way if you want a good night's sleep on Sat. night in Dublin avoid staying in the Temple Bar area.

On Sunday there are trains leaving at 9.05 from Dublin and getting into Galway at 12.02, or a later one at 13.50 and in Galway at 16.55. I would recommend taking the earlier one as the later one will be full with students returning to university after a weekend at home.


Hope this helps and checl these helpful web sites www.ireland.travel.ie for info'on accommodation and sites - it is the Tourist Board official site. www.cie.ie will link you to bus and rain services throughout the country and in Dublin,

Have a good time,

Cathy

Just wondering why you're taking a train one way. I guess it's not to see the sights, as you're traveling after dark. And one way car rentals are pretty steep. I would just drive round trip.