runnermom100

To anyone with insight- I am traveling to Ireland in April. We will arrive (myself and my 80 year old mom and 21 year old daughter) in Dublin on a Thursday morning. We plan to rent a car and go directly to Gallway. It may be a long day considering we are coming from NYC. That said, I feel we have to get started. We plan on staying at B&B in Gallway city for Thursday night. Friday we will visit Connemerra and stay over again just outside Gallway at lovely thatched cottage type B&B on Friday night. It will leave me just two more full days....Saturday and Sunday. I really should be back to Dublin by Sunday. I will have just Monday in Dublin. I leave on Tuesday. I was wondering what to do after Gallway....head to Doolin for one night and then the Ring of Kerry? Or do I not have time for this? I know nothing about the Ring of Kerry or Kilkenny or the peninsulas and now all things are starting to sound the same. Please let me know if I am taking on too much. And if you would not even go to Gallway. Maybe it too far? I don't mind driving 4 hours a day but more than that may be tough. Thanks for any advice you can share,
Clueless fron Connecticut

JoeCal

I think you should slow down and focus on the area around Galway and then return to Dublin so that you have 2 days there before you leave. A lot will be closed on Sunday. The Ring of Kerry is too far away, too many hours in the car. Ditto for Kilkenny and so on. Take time to get out of the car and let the Irish entertain you. Have a pint, shop in small stores, ask directions and be sure to get lost on a small country road near Galway. To try to see the island in 5 days is ridiculous IMO, so take your time and visit Galway and Dublin. Have something to talk about other than the highways when you get back. Visit with your hosts at the B&B's - they'll tell you what's worth seeing close by.

janisj

>>have just 5 days to see a lot! Need advice<<

You need to be realistic. Ireland is not a place one can dash about and see a <i>lot</i> in a few days simply because the travel is very slow. Like 30mph (or less) slow in many scenic bits on the west coast. So driving 4 hours is fine -- you just can't cover too much territory in that time.

Plus - driving immediately after an overnight flight isn't a great idea. How do all of you manage with jet lag? Do you have to be back in Dublin for an event on Sunday or simply because you want Sunday evening/Monday in Dublin?

Unless you have an event in Dublin, I'd do the city at the front end. Stay in Dublin Thurs night, see the city car-less, and recover a bit from the jetlag. Then Friday afternoon (or Saturday morning if you want more time IN Dublin) collect a rental car and head west. Where you go - lots of choices but choose one area and head there for Sunday and Monday. Monday evening drive to somewhere near DUB for your last night before flying out.

I'd slow way down . . .

Tony2phones

You can get to Galway by express bus from Dublin Airport. I am guessing you are staying at Nancy's Cloch na Scith Spiddal so grab a taxi from Galway won't be too expensive. As the driver you can get the bus back to Galway for a rental car (Budget car hire in the city centre by Eyre Sq)

There is more than enough to keep you busy in the Connemara and Galway area for the time you have. map http://goo.gl/UL09QA and semi blog http://goo.gl/Ek8bpw have some points You could also have a day south of Galway for west Clare map http://goo.gl/UtW24m then maybe some sightseeing on the way back to Dublin map http://goo.gl/sQATcr

You do have time to do a mad dash down to Kerry but you won't find anything better to see than you already could have. If you want a change from Spiddal then after dropping down west Clare have a night in Ennis or Adare and make the way back to Dublin from there.

Itallian_Chauffer

As Tony said, you probably COULD make the dash down to Killarney, but you would NOT have time to do the Ring of Kerry. The BASIC 'Loop' of the ROK takes 6 1/2 hours (with only a few stops).
As has been advised, I would bus to Galway and rent the car there and then return to Dublin.

flpab

The Galway bus is nice and fast.Pick up in the city or airport if you decide to go directly after your arrival. I think your mom will be your biggest concern and the bus is fine. Rent a car for exploring Connemara. You could even do a ferry to Inishmore for the day.

janisj

The coach to Galway and collecting your car the next day works as well (or better) than staying in Dublin at the beginning. The main thing is you don't want to to be driving (or at least any distance) after a probably sleepless overnight flight.

cd

We loved the Dingle Peninsula, the views are fantasic! And you could catch the Cliffs of Moher along the way from Galway. Is it too late to fly into Dublin and leave from Shannon?

runnermom100

Thank you all for your very candid responses. I am excited to pair this down and see things calmly! I know there is a lot to take in and I love the advice of the bus! I do suffer from jet lag as I am unable to sleep well on a plane (in coach class that is lol) So we will take bus to Gallway. I assume no need to get a bus ticket till we get there. We will spend two nights with Nancy at the cottage...Tony..not sure how you knew that! But it must be a great place. It would be nice to go to one more place before heading back to Dublin in our rental car. So..any suggestions. Ennis or Adare were mentioned. Also we could see the Cliffs of Moher or just stop in Doolin. I hear it is charming. Please feel free to recommend B&Bs too. We will not go far south on all of your recommendations. It is too far. Thank you so much for all your insight. I wish I had more time and I am very willing to relax and just see a bit now that I have been brought back to earth. Please advise what to do. Finally we will have two nights in Dublin. Again...hotel vs BB in Dublin? I have to fly out of Dublin and the flights are set. I am very appreciative of your expertise! Happy to help anyone coming my way..New England is my specialty.

Tony2phones

I know Spiddal fairly well you might like Tigh Hughes if there's music on, not sure on the craic for An Cruiscin but if its open you can get a good meal there. Padraicins is another option close by.

In Ennis we use the Gray Gables which is very handy for town, round the corner from the Old Ground Hotel and the main street, Poets corner in the Old Ground is good for food and second choice for us after Brogans which is also one of the music bars.

Doolin is a couple of villages mainly made up of accommodation, has 2 pubs a couple of shops but does have the ferry to the Arans. Nice place to visit but not my idea for an overnight. Inis Oir and the Cliffs combi cruise is my recommendation if you can make the time. heading south follow the coast road from Ballyvaughan which takes you round Blackhead and past Fannore (great beach) along the coast into Doolin. My map has other points for the area.

Dublin I can't really help with we use the Maldron in Smithfield but you might prefer the Schoolhouse schoolhousehotel.com .

runnermom100

Tony,
Your list of recommendations from your document is amazing! We could hire you to tour us around for a few hours if you are interested! It this itinerary places between Gallway and going a bit south to Doolin? I guess we will leave Gallway and do this on the way to Doolin and the Cliffs. Then stay in Ennis. Is Gray Gables a B&B? You are so incredibly helpful and I can tell very proud of your heritage and country!

Tony2phones

Think you will find a lot of helpful folk on your journey but thanks.

I would get the bus into Galway rather than the driving into the city and the high point! finding a parking place in Galway. See how you feel day one? visit the city when/before you collect the rental car. Busker Brownes is the place we usually take our visitors for a bite to eat.

http://www.ceardlann.com/ is marked on the Connemara map in Spiddal (sorry google messed with lots of items when it upgraded! so most features on that map are shown as ferries)About a 5 minute drive west from Cloch na Scith and well worth a visit but be careful with the spending money..

Gray Gables is a guest house (B&B with more than 5 bedrooms) and a great location, The breakfast is good but the dining room is small so Mary "schedules" breakfasts. She runs a tight ship but is extremely helpful (as are the vast majority of B&B hosts)

The time you have won't allow you to see everything, I live here and haven't seen everything so make the most of what you do and don't miss what you can't achieve.

flpab

Buswells in Dublin www.booking.com/Buswells-Hotel‎
is a nice location and the aircoach drops off close by. http://www.aircoach.ie/

I would book a little outside of the temple bar area more over by Trinity college since it is a bit quieter. Stay on that side of the Liffey for convenience because of you Mom. Easy to get back to the airport unless you have a 7 am flight. You are very close to museums and attractions there. St Stephens Green, Grafton St.

Padraig

If your targets for Dublin include cultural institutions such as the National Museum, then you might have a problem: many of them close on Mondays.

cd

You will love the peat fires in the pubs in Ireland! It's been years since we were there and I can still smell them! The food in the pubs was also good and reasonable. I also loved the steak and kidney pie! Have fun and pack a plastic raincoat, it will probably rain while you are there.

flpab

Monday closings for museums but many other things to see. St Patrick's, Chester Beatty Library, Trinity, Guinness, Glassnevin, Christ Church literary tours etc.

floridapugmom

If you stay in Ennis I highly recommend Newpark House. We have stayed there twice and loved it. This B&B is set back off the road and is an old mansion. Close to Ennis City Center but you feel like your in the country. We were SO happy that the owner, Declan, recommended the Poets Corner Pub for us to eat at since I just loved their hamburger! Have a wonderful trip. Becky

Tony2phones

Newpark House is a nice location and a nice property But 40 minutes walk into town and a taxi back after a drink. For €50 each minimum B&B you might find a better deal at the Temple gate or Old Ground.

Just a thought... Its not Easter weekend?

lduke47

Going to Ireland late August early Sept. 4 Adults Would like to fly to Shannon, stay in Galway night 1. Would it be recommend to spend more time there. Then drive south Burren/Doolin/caves/ Cliffs. How many hours should we plan for this? What would be a good stopping point the second night. Kilrush/Ennis/Adair/Tralee?

Next would like to drive to dingle (recommended time to spend in this area?) and then on to Killarney for night.

From Killarney via Blarney and on to Cork for 2 nights. Is it realistic to drive to Cobh and Kensale in the same day and return to Cork for 2nd night.

From here plan on driving to Dublin. What would be a recommended route for this? Thinking about Cahir/Cashel. Would Kilkenny be worth a stop possibly stay the night and then to Dublin.
When in Dublin, plan a day trip either Wicklow or North Trim New Grange area, which is better if we can only do one. Any feed back would be helpful.

What kind of weather will we have late Aug early Sept?

Tony2phones

Probably best as a new question rather than piggy backing..

Anyway. Land SNN, 2 nights Ennis as a base for Clare and a trip to Galway city, with only 2 days you can't cover Clare and Co.Galway.

From Ennis drive round the Dingle Peninsula on the way to Killarney for 2 nights.

Roughly something like http://goo.gl/KTPduT 150 miles @ 30mph = 5 hours + Stops 10am ~ 6pm= 8 hours so 3 hours for stops. Although that map and times start in Adare so leave Ennis at 9 am.

Cork to Cobh then cross the pointwest ferry for Kinsale and back to Cork, Full but easy day trip.

Kilkenny is always a good option for an overnight then drive over Wicklow/Glendalough back to Dublin.

Weather, yes there will be weather, what sort, ask the day before.