9 days in Ireland itinerary
Dec 24th, 2016, 09:36 AM
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9 days in Ireland itinerary
Hello, I'm bouncing our Ireland itinerary off of Fodorites for the usual back-and-forth banter. We are a family of 4 (me, wife, daughter - 16, son - 10) and we'll be in Scotland and Ireland for 19 days in July 2017. We already have the Scotland half of the trip planned and booked, so now it's on to Ireland. Our main flights are in and out of Dublin (cheapest airfare), but we are hopping over to EDI immediately after arriving in DUB to do the first half of our trip. Then we'll be hopping back to DUB from GLA for the second half. The itinerary so far looks like this (no accommodations or car booked yet, but gathering all the info to make the bookings soon):
1) Arrive DUB early morning, rent a car (Hertz or Dooley most likely), leave town and head for Kilkenny.
2) Two nights in Kilkenny with side trips as desired.
3) Drive to Killarney/Kenmare via Waterford, Cashel (unless we do that as a trip from Kilkenny), Cork. Make a whole day of the road trip.
4) Three nights Killarney/Kenmare with day trips to NP, RoK, Dingle Peninsula. Still trying to decide between the two towns and I posted the question in a previous post.
5) Drive to County Clare (Ennis/Doolin/Kinvarra) via route TBD but making a day of the road trip. Still not settled on which town to stay in, but looking at lodging in all three. I've read up a bunch on the pros and cons of Doolin, and am aware that I will get 50/50 responses on whether to stay there.
6) Two nights in Ennis/Doolin/Kinvarra with trips to the Cliffs and possibly an Aran Island.
7) Drive back to Dublin and stay two nights before flying out on the 10th day.
In summary it looks like this:
2 nights, 1.5 full days Kilkenny
3 nights, 2 full days County Kerry
2 nights, 1 full day County Clare
2 nights, 1.5 full days Dublin
Cheers!
1) Arrive DUB early morning, rent a car (Hertz or Dooley most likely), leave town and head for Kilkenny.
2) Two nights in Kilkenny with side trips as desired.
3) Drive to Killarney/Kenmare via Waterford, Cashel (unless we do that as a trip from Kilkenny), Cork. Make a whole day of the road trip.
4) Three nights Killarney/Kenmare with day trips to NP, RoK, Dingle Peninsula. Still trying to decide between the two towns and I posted the question in a previous post.
5) Drive to County Clare (Ennis/Doolin/Kinvarra) via route TBD but making a day of the road trip. Still not settled on which town to stay in, but looking at lodging in all three. I've read up a bunch on the pros and cons of Doolin, and am aware that I will get 50/50 responses on whether to stay there.
6) Two nights in Ennis/Doolin/Kinvarra with trips to the Cliffs and possibly an Aran Island.
7) Drive back to Dublin and stay two nights before flying out on the 10th day.
In summary it looks like this:
2 nights, 1.5 full days Kilkenny
3 nights, 2 full days County Kerry
2 nights, 1 full day County Clare
2 nights, 1.5 full days Dublin
Cheers!
Dec 24th, 2016, 12:00 PM
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Fine using Dublin to arrive and leave but you have other options for the Ireland ~ Scotland connections. Cork to Edinburgh might give options to change a bit of your itinerary?
Anyway just about to go to the pub for Christmas Eve, chat after St Stephens. Happy Christmas
Anyway just about to go to the pub for Christmas Eve, chat after St Stephens. Happy Christmas
Dec 24th, 2016, 12:21 PM
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Tony, true (hadn't really thought of other flight options so that the car options were straight forward), but we already have the non-refundable flights booked through RyanAir.
Enjoy the pub and Merry Christmas!
Enjoy the pub and Merry Christmas!
Dec 27th, 2016, 04:37 AM
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There's no Jet lag coming into Dublin from Scotland so the options of getting from Dublin Airport to Kilkenny are open.
Kilkenny to Killarney (would be my choice) is again open but you need to decide the route. There are lots of options but if you want Cork? I would take a night from Killarney and slip it in there.
If you have Killarney and Ennis you can make the days drive round the Dingle peninsula, no point going Killarney/Kenmare to Dingle and back. Dingle and Doolin are tourist choices and whilst i like both I wouldn't "personally" spend the night in either. Inis Oirr and the Cliffs combi Cruise is a good option from Doolin. Kinvara I have been giving as a good option for many years but it can be a long haul from Kerry depending on what else you aim to put between.
Thing to remember is that Ireland is bigger on the ground than it looks on a map, your average speed point to point will be at most 45mph add in a couple of stops and that drops below 30 mph in no time.
Lots of options again back to Dublin either over or under Lough Derg.
Kilkenny to Killarney (would be my choice) is again open but you need to decide the route. There are lots of options but if you want Cork? I would take a night from Killarney and slip it in there.
If you have Killarney and Ennis you can make the days drive round the Dingle peninsula, no point going Killarney/Kenmare to Dingle and back. Dingle and Doolin are tourist choices and whilst i like both I wouldn't "personally" spend the night in either. Inis Oirr and the Cliffs combi Cruise is a good option from Doolin. Kinvara I have been giving as a good option for many years but it can be a long haul from Kerry depending on what else you aim to put between.
Thing to remember is that Ireland is bigger on the ground than it looks on a map, your average speed point to point will be at most 45mph add in a couple of stops and that drops below 30 mph in no time.
Lots of options again back to Dublin either over or under Lough Derg.
Dec 27th, 2016, 07:29 AM
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Thanks again for the input, Tony. I want to understand a couple of your points better.
So you would opt for a night in Cork rather drive through as part of an extended road trip? Can you elaborate? We weren't necessarily planning on Cork being a part of our trip (i.e., spending a night a there), but figured it was on the way if we were going from Waterford to Killarney/Kenmare, so we would see a sight or two as a sampler.
So you are saying to do the Doolin loop en route from Killarney to Clare rather than day trip from Killarney, correct? Will that allow time for other sight-seeing along the way, or will that consume the day (I assume so)? If we did this, it would allow some extra time maybe for Beara peninsula.
I like the cruise options from Doolin as well, which is why I'm leaning towards it despite its negatives.
So you would opt for a night in Cork rather drive through as part of an extended road trip? Can you elaborate? We weren't necessarily planning on Cork being a part of our trip (i.e., spending a night a there), but figured it was on the way if we were going from Waterford to Killarney/Kenmare, so we would see a sight or two as a sampler.
So you are saying to do the Doolin loop en route from Killarney to Clare rather than day trip from Killarney, correct? Will that allow time for other sight-seeing along the way, or will that consume the day (I assume so)? If we did this, it would allow some extra time maybe for Beara peninsula.
I like the cruise options from Doolin as well, which is why I'm leaning towards it despite its negatives.
Dec 27th, 2016, 07:31 AM
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Sorry, Dingle loop, not Doolin. Too many locations on the brain.
The good thing about this decision is that it won't change our fundamental plan to stay 3 nights in Killarney, it only changes the day planning when there.
The good thing about this decision is that it won't change our fundamental plan to stay 3 nights in Killarney, it only changes the day planning when there.
Dec 27th, 2016, 11:30 AM
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Any regulars will know I think Beara beats Dingle peninsula for everything except tripping over tourists. Visitors go to Beara, tourists go to Dingle. As to driving round Dingle its 100 mile loop along by Inch to Dingle, Slea Head loop and back off Dingle via the Connor Pass.
The point about Cork would depend on how you aim to come west from Kilkenny. If dropping to Waterford and along the Copper coast then its a long day getting to Killarney/Kenmare. Again dropping through the Vee and Lismore onto the south coast is a detour, even Cashel is a bit of a dog leg if you put Cork into the mix.
The Iveragh (Ring of Kerry) should be driven Counterclockwise with the tourbus's rather than RS head on into heavy traffic. Also remember the best parts of the peninsula are actually off the main route taking in the Skellig loop and Valentia Island, there are a couple of good Gardens and even the Cliffs of Kerry that many folk don't know about.
The point about Cork would depend on how you aim to come west from Kilkenny. If dropping to Waterford and along the Copper coast then its a long day getting to Killarney/Kenmare. Again dropping through the Vee and Lismore onto the south coast is a detour, even Cashel is a bit of a dog leg if you put Cork into the mix.
The Iveragh (Ring of Kerry) should be driven Counterclockwise with the tourbus's rather than RS head on into heavy traffic. Also remember the best parts of the peninsula are actually off the main route taking in the Skellig loop and Valentia Island, there are a couple of good Gardens and even the Cliffs of Kerry that many folk don't know about.
Dec 27th, 2016, 12:21 PM
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Thanks for the clarifications. Given that we may add Beara into the mix, would you still recommend Killarney, or does that now make Kenmare the more logical choice? Imagine the two full days as some combinations of Beara, RoK, and the NP and then the travel day to County Clare being used for Dingle.
And truth be told, we are perfectly fine with combinations of visitor and tourist activities. We are an adventuresome family of four with many tastes, and feel that a nice cross-section of activities makes for very diverse and fun trips. Certainly, If we were visiting just as a couple, or if this were a return trip, it would be a much different trip.
And truth be told, we are perfectly fine with combinations of visitor and tourist activities. We are an adventuresome family of four with many tastes, and feel that a nice cross-section of activities makes for very diverse and fun trips. Certainly, If we were visiting just as a couple, or if this were a return trip, it would be a much different trip.
Dec 27th, 2016, 01:13 PM
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If you aim to catch some early evening entertainment then Killarney could have more options than Kenmare. They are only 40 minutes drive apart. Kenmare is better for Beara, Killarney possibly better for the ring and definitely better for the national park.
Also considering the youngsters you might look at Lahinch for the Clare base, nice beach, surf/adventure school and other options if the weather isn't great. The Shannon Ferry could be an option if heading for Lahinch rather than the tunnel for the N18.
Also considering the youngsters you might look at Lahinch for the Clare base, nice beach, surf/adventure school and other options if the weather isn't great. The Shannon Ferry could be an option if heading for Lahinch rather than the tunnel for the N18.
Dec 30th, 2016, 03:08 PM
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travelhorizons, non-refundable air travel is all booked, so that part of the trip is set in stone. We have a fairly efficient US-DUB and DUB-EDI/GLA-DUB set of tickets to minimize time at airports and on planes.
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