Oooohhhh....it's $100 to add the insurance for Belfast. So maybe a day trip with a tour company might be a better way.

Some photos and comments from our August trip to the west/southwest (Killarney, Dingle, Galway) if that helps. Can't add to the other parts -- I'm sure others can.

http://ukfrey.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/ireland.html

Thank you SO much for sharing. That was a great read and terrific pictures!

No problem leaving the airport and heading to Belfast or Bushmills for a couple of days ($100 extra insurance in a pigs eye)

Then Donegal for night 3. Taking the coastal route through Sligo to Mayo and Westport or Clifden for the night/s. Galway is another good Base or move onto The west Clare coast/Burren area for the Cliffs.

You could possibly rent a cottage near Killarney for a week to see county Kerry (inc Dingle/Ring) and west Cork.

All (90%) of B&B have in room TV

Have you considered Open Jaw in Dublin out Shannon in which case put 2 nights Dublin at the start. 15 Days on the ground is a decent amount of time to see 70% of the Island.

Hi Tony,

Thank you so much for your input! I've been reading a lot of threads and was hoping you would comment.

Would you suggest heading straight to Belfast from Dublin and not hanging out there for the day? Maybe adding it to the end of the trip? We were just a bit concerned about too much driving with the jet lag on day 1.

I like the idea of being in Belfast and maybe doing the Causeway Coastal Route (we loved doing these kinds of drives when we lived in California) and end up over in Donegal.

I didn't look at the open jaw since we'll be flying American, who only does Dublin. I'll look to see if maybe a partner airline flies out of Shannon, but at this point I think we're a bit attached to DUB.

Not wanting to get into a "discussion" between husband and wife...but I have stayed in several B&Bs that had tv in the rooms.

Thanks Jaja....I'll let him know....he's worried about wanting to "veg out" in the room and not being able to do that at a B&B.

Dublin Airport is the North side of the city and only 90 minutes drive from Belfast on Good roads.

I am the biggest opposer of what I call the Redeye Rovers but Heading to Belfast is well inside the sensible limit.

If you do decide to go counter clockwise then Belfast night one to acclimatise gives the options of using the city as a base or moving to a night in Derry before Donegal. The North Antrim Coast is on my top ten list for the Island. I used to cross the Foyle by ferry and drive down the west bank to Donegal http://loughfoyleferry.com/main.htm more scenic than the bridge.

I am on the wrong computer for my accommodation bookmarks but if you need any links I can come back to you.

Just look over a map or route planner and cobble a rough itinerary.

There are lots of good contributors on this and other forums who will be happy to help you plan "Your" (remember that word) holiday.

On the western end of the Antrim coast, close to the ferry to the Republic across Lough Foyle, I can recommend a lovely B&B if you are interested. Don't remember TV in the rooms but an absolutely wonderful guest lounge and sunporch downstairs.

Thank you Tony and Jaja! I am pouring through my guidebook now. I like the idea of going to Belfast on the main road.

As I'm reading, I noticed that north of the city is also Trim Castle and Bru na Boinne. They look a little out of the way though. Perhaps something to keep in mind if there is time?

I like cobbling this together as I go....very different from how I normally travel!!!

Turns out that we'll be there during the height of marching season, which really interests me.

Arrive DUB July 7 or 8 (I haven't decided on this yet)
Day 1: Drive to Belfast

Things to see in Belfast:
Titanic Quarter
The Falls, Shankill, Sandy Row and just generally driving around the sectarian neighborhoods
City Hall

Stay in the city tonight? Or push to Carrickfergus? Or just get to somewhere outside the city?

Day 2: Antrim Coast Drive
Giants Causeway
Dunluce Castle
Stops along the way....whatever strikes our fancy.

Stop in Derry? Or take the ferry across and then down to Donegal?

I am trying to heed everyone's warnings about how long it takes to get around and don't want to push things. But it also seems like a lot of moving around...

Or do I skip Derry and push on to Donegal and spend 2 nights there. Spending a full day driving around the Donegal area and then start heading south? I'm not really sure that the Donegal area interests me that much to spend a whole day driving it. Is it really worth it?

Sorry, you're getting my random thoughts as I try to put this all together!

My truncated thoughts so far:

Day 1: Arrive DUB. Drive to Belfast. Overnight in Belfast.

Day 2: Carrickfergus, Antrim coast (Giants Causeway, Dunluce), Derry (explore city walls, murals). Overnight in Derry.

Day 3: Derry to Donegal (stop & explore) to Sligo to Westport. Overnight in Westport.

Day 4: Explore Connemara around coast to Galway. Overnight in Galway to use as a base.

Day 5: Leisurely day to drive up to Ashford Castle and explore Galway. Overnight in Galway.

Day 6: Cliffs & Burren. Overnight in Doolin?

Day 7: Explore more of the area. Ferry to Aran Islands? Overnight in Doolin.

Day 8: Now I want to make it down to Dingle/Kerry. How many days? What to see....

Days 9 - 14????

Day 15 - Dublin

Day 16 - Depart

Any thoughts thus far?

re: Days 6-7. We stated in Doolin last June as our base for seeing the Cliffs and the Burran, plus it's reputation for music in every pub every night. Doolin is a teeny-tiny out of the way place, so it's low-key, without crowds, tour buses, etc. One night worked out perfectly for us; the sea was way too rough so we didn't go to the islands. From Doolin down to Dingle/Kerry will be a haul that you might want to break up. We stopped in Adare, known as "the prettiest village in Ireland". It's big enough to walk around and explore, and the Adare Manor (which is now a luxury hotel) does allow tourists some access to the grounds. There's a horse racing venue nearby if you're into that. From there you'd be fresh for the drive into Dingle/Kerry.

Annetta- thank you! Did you stay overnight in Adare or just stopped during the day?

Also, hubby is asking me to avoid really long days..... So I would appreciate any advice on what I have so far with respect to keeping the days shorter. That is, I can drop him off at the hotel and then go exploring in our overnight town.

What about the drive from Doolin to the Dingle area.....how bad is it? What would be a good base for Dingke/RoK?

twiggers -- we took the ferry to Aran Islands from Rossaveal which isn't as weather dependent. It was about 40 minutes from Salthill, our Galway base.

Note, the RoK will be a long day in the car, albeit with many stops. We chose to skip it and just do the Slea Head drive in Dingle but we didn't have as many days as you do.

Our longest day was the Dingle to Galway trip. It was made longer by our purposeful detour to Loop Head. We also saw a few sites in the Burren on the way (but no Cliffs of Moher). That's probably more than you want to do in a day. Can't help with places to stay though.

Night's 1, 2, 3, fine but 4 also Westport and visit Cong (not a big fan) or Achill Island from there.

Night 5 If you want to visit InisMor then stay in Spiddal (Tua Beag) rather than Galway and go from Rossaveal. If you want do do the Inis Orr and clifs cruise from Doolin then stay Galway.

Cant edit so back later, (Chickens to feed)

Thanks indy! Dingle to Galway - How long of a day did you have?

For Connemara, my original thought was to drive from Westport to Galway along the coast and stopping and seeing things. Then having the next day in Galway to see a little more inland (Cong).

But, now I'm wondering if I should stay in Westport an extra night and explore the coastal area of Connemara from there and then head back at the end of the day.

Then head to Galway the next day, stop at Cong/Ashford Castle.

Then, should we even both moving to Doolin, or just stay in Galway?


Day 1: Arrive DUB. Drive to Belfast. Overnight in Belfast.

Day 2: Carrickfergus, Antrim coast (Giants Causeway, Dunluce), Derry (explore city walls, murals). Overnight in Derry.

Day 3: Derry to Donegal (stop & explore) to Sligo to Westport. Overnight in Westport.

Day 4: Explore Westport. Drive coastal area of Connemara around coast. Back to Westport for overnight.

Day 5: Leisurely day to drive to Galway via Ashford Castle and explore Galway. Overnight in Galway.

Day 6: Cliffs & Burren. Overnight in Galway?

Day 7: Explore more of the area. Ferry to Aran Islands? Overnight in Galway? It may be better for me to go from Rossaveal because I could just catch the shuttle bus and leave DH at the hotel....then he gets his day of relaxation.

Day 8: Now I want to make it down to Dingle/Kerry. How many days? What to see....

Days 9 - 14????

Day 15 - Dublin

Day 16 - Depart

Have you found this resource for the drives? DISCOVERIRELAND.IE has a route planner that is very detailed---from your starting point to destination you will get both a map and text directions down to every turn, amount of time and distance. For those of us accustomed to driving on the wrong side of the road, I'd suggest you increase their travel time by 30% or more. I did go 120km on a couple of highways, but drove under the posted speed on the smaller roads. The alphebetic/color code is a good indication of "how bad" the drive is. Last June we found the green roads beginning with M to be highways, the N-blue ones were main connectors with good conditions. It's the yellow routes beginning with the letter R that will offer you some challenges---part of the fun of driving in Ireland.

Before I join again what are you looking for when it comes to Accomodation? Central within 1or2 miles of central or rural/scenic?

Thank you Annetta!

Tony - I think we would prefer being central...that way I can just wander off and leave DH at the hotel.

I'm also rethinking the Dublin plan. I know my husband's travel style and he gets really grumpy after the long haul flight. So being able to plunk him at a hotel in Dublin would be ideal. So I would just do the arrival day in Dublin and then the next day we could pick up the car and head out to Belfast.

Doing that means I could slow down a bit and stop at Trim, etc. on the way to Belfast.

Does that make any sense?

So I guess now I need to think about what would be a central place to park ourselves for 3-4 days to explore Dingle, RoK, etc.

No problem staying Dublin day one. Good site for 24hr check in hotels (if you need a quick room) http://www.wotif.com/hotels/ireland-dublin-24hr-check-in-hotels.html

Some Ideas for the Dublin day & days
http://www.ireland.com/travel/itinerary-a-three-day-weekend-in-dublin/648856

For Belfast see http://ireland.activeboard.com/t48680429/belfast-premier-inn/

Will have a look at my accommodation List and see what's good for your later dates. Also put my mind to the later stages.

Hi Tony,

Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate all of your help I would definitely love to hear your input about the later stages of the trip.

OK, here are some revisions.... would appreciate any/all suggestions.

Day 1: Arrive DUB. Explore Dublin.

Day 2: Pick-up car. Drive to Belfast and Carrickfergus. Overnight in Belfast.

Day 3: Antrim coast (Giants Causeway, Dunluce), Derry (explore city walls, murals). Overnight in Derry.

Day 4: Derry to Donegal (stop & explore) to Sligo to Westport. Overnight in Westport. Is this just way too much for one day?

Day 5: Explore Westport. Drive coastal area of Connemara around coast. Back to Westport for overnight or head down to Galway?

Day 6: Leisurely day to drive to Cong/Ashford Castle and explore Galway. Overnight in Galway.

Day 7: Cliffs & Burren. Overnight in Galway?

Day 8: Explore more of the area. Ferry to Aran Islands? Overnight in Galway? It may be better for me to go from Rossaveal because I could just catch the shuttle bus and leave DH at the hotel....then he gets his day of relaxation.

Day 9: Dingle

Day 10: Dingle

Day 11: Dingle/Ring of Kerry

Day 12: More Ring of Kerry or move on? To where?

Day 13: Blarney Castle, Rock of Cashel

Day 14: Glendalough

Day 15: ??. Likely spend evening near airport.

Day 16 - Drop off car (or possibly the night before). Depart 10 AM flight from DUB.

I know that I have zero interest in Waterford, so I'm not even putting that on the itinerary.

Day 4 does look pretty full. I could spend a whole day just exploring around Sligo Town.

Tony is not a fan of Dingle and I have only ever driven the Conor Pass and then headed back to the "mainland" so I can't speak to 2-3 days there but plenty of people love it.

In Derry, you can get walking tours of the walls and murals that leave from the tourist office. We lucked into one that was pre-booked for another group and were invited to join: "come along, ladies, only 4 euro and if you don't enjoy it you don't have to pay me!" Couldn't resist an offer like that!

Personally I'd skip Ring of Kerry and drive the Beara Peninsula but that's just me. You could base that time in Kenmare or Bantry.

The grounds of Blarney Castle are lovely but I wouldn't climb all those narrow stairs to kiss the stone for love nor money. You might consider visiting Cahir Castle since you will be near there at the Rock of Cashel.

For something a bit different you can take a Hawk Walk at Ashford Castle...they take you and the Harris Hawks into the grounds and let you fly them...and a big Eagle Owl. Highlight of my grandsons' trip.

Doolin to Dingle is not a bad drive, especially if you take the ferry. If time permits, consider a side trip to Loop Head before They make it all touristy.

Now I'm wanting to go.....

Just wondering if you've considered taking a train from Dublin to Belfast on that day 2, just so you don't have to get off the mark doing lots of driving. Also will reach there faster and then you can pick up your car in Belfast. Also avoid driving late in the day, as lots of roads don't have streetlights AT ALL, especially in the country - it gets PITCH BLACK!!! Also beware when the fog sets in, especially if you are on a coastal road - cannot drive at all, then, will just have to stop and climb out to look at the fog. So yes, your husband is correct to say - don't spend your time driving too much. It's nice and relaxing to stay in one place for 2-3 days sometimes, just to stroll around and take small trips around it, and it also avoids the packing / unpacking routine. Best of luck.

Best to think of Day 9 as a travel day rather than a Dingle day. Our Dingle to Galway day took pretty much the whole day but we did detour to Loop Head (as jaja also suggested above).

Not trying to turn your trip into my trip and I hesitate to make suggestions since I haven't been to all those places. However, we liked Killarney and the NP area. I can't say if it is "better" than the RoK though.

Not sure how you plan to do the RoK but he full loop is quite an all-day haul.

Jaja - It did look pretty full to me too....I was hoping to get a tentative plan to figure out where to sleep and then start filling in the things to do.

I like the idea of staying in one place for 2-3 days....but with what we want to see, I'm having a hard time figuring out what those areas would be. For example, it seems strange to stay in Galway to see the Cliffs and then turn around the next day and drive down to Dingle.

Would it be at all easier to do things clockwise? As opposed to our current counter clockwise plan? Or does it not really matter.

Indy - I'm not sure about the loop....I've read that it is an all day affair. Which wouldn't be so bad if the next day was a lighter day.

Strawberry - I didn't think about the train for Belfast. I guess I was concerned about renting the car in Dublin and returning it there. As it is, there is apparently only one company that will allow their cars into N. Ireland (through Autoeurope). We definitely want to avoid driving at night!

My first suggestion of heading north was to get a 2 nighter in at the start rather than 3 or 4 one nighters but the plan seems to be coming together

Day 4 Derry to Westport is a 4 hour drive plus stops. You could put a night into Sligo and rather than Westport. Clifden might then be a better location for your 2 night Connamara stop. The other way of doing this would be to overnight in Donegal rather than Derry.

No not a big fan of Dingle any more. What used to be a quaint fishing village on a fairly nice peninsular has been turned into holiday central by the arrival of a single Dolphin and a self-opinionated Travel Guide Author.

The peninsular is though a nice place and thousands of tourists can't be wrong. Come in over the Connor Pass and the Slea Head loop is on the western tip. Some nice beaches as well and of course the specially for the visitors music sessions.

Night 11 and 12 I would stay in Kenmare, smaller and more intimate than Killarney but a good base at the lower end of the ring of Kerry and a good base for the west Cork peninsula's. Beara is to my mind a whole lot more scenic than Dingle but without the tour bus trade to state its case (thankfully).

From Kenmare it is easy to get to Blarney and your end game.

It makes sense to drop the rental when you get back to Dublin as city driving and parking is a bit of a nightmare even for natives.

As you are visiting in July then it will be daylight until at least after your evening meal so no need to worry about the dark or Fog?

Thank you for your insights Tony. I know the writer you are speaking of....just spent a few hours today watching his Ireland episodes. I wanted to give hubby some overview and it turns out that he thinks Waterford would be really cool to see (if they still do the demonstrations).

I also realized that doing Belfast first is better because of marching season and JUly 12th being some type of really big march. So seeing Belfast before then might be ideal.

I am going to keep reading and researching and see if I can't finalize more. As I keep reading, it doesn't seem like the Donegal/Sligo area is too interesting to us...so driving from Derry/Donegal down to Westport doesn't seem too bad. It'll be a long day, but then it'll put us down to the area we want to be in.

I'll look into how far Donegal is from Derry....might be able to just do a quick jaunt in Derry (wall + murals), especially since we will have seen a lot of the sectarian neighborhoods in Belfast.

Putting together this trip has been interesting....there are a few "must see" sites, but not the normal museums/ruins that I am used to in my other European travels (e.g., Rome, London, Amsterdam, etc.).

Ireland seems more of a "wander aimlessly and just soak up the atmosphere and if you see something then pull over."

Wanted to add: I see Portrush as a place to stay for the Antrim coast, but since we're coming from Belfast, it doesn't seem to make sense to stop there, does it?

Hmmmmm, looking into Tony's suggestions.... I feel like I have a good handle on days 1-6, but then things start falling apart!

Now I'm a little confused about day 7-8. Do I put myself in Galway? But that seems a little backwards to go down to the Cliffs/Burren and have to backtrack to Galway for the night. If I do the Aran Islands, I know my husband won't go so I need a base that he can hang out at. I don't know that I would be crushed if I didn't get to Inishmor.

So maybe it would make sense to go back to the Doolin idea? But then I'd have to get from Clifden to Doolin in one day, which might be a bit much (we'd stop off in Galway to sightsee and grab lunch). The map shows it as 2.5 hours driving, which isn't horrible.

Day 1: Arrive DUB. Explore Dublin.

Day 2: Pick-up car. Drive to Belfast and Carrickfergus. Overnight in Belfast.

Day 3: Antrim coast (Giants Causeway, Dunluce), Derry (explore city walls, murals). Overnight in Derry.

Day 4: Derry to Donegal (stop & explore) to Sligo. Overnight in Sligo.

Day 5: Connemara. Overnight in Clifden.

Day 6: Connemara/Cong. Overnight in Clifden.

Day 7: Drive down to Cliffs & Burren. Stop in Galway to sightsee. Where to overnight? Stick with Galway?

Day 8: Explore more of the area. Ferry to Aran Islands? Overnight in Galway? It may be better for me to go from Rossaveal because I could just catch the shuttle bus and leave DH at the hotel....then he gets his day of relaxation.

Day 9: Drive to Dingle peninsula. Conway pass? Stay in Dingle?

Day 10: Slea Head/explore Dingle. Overnight in Dingle.

Day 11: Drive to Kenmare. Stop in Killarney/Muckross House. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 12: Ring of Kerry drive. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 13: Beara Peninsula, Blarney. Overnight in Kinsale?

Day 14: Rock of Cashel. Overnight in Kilkenny.

Day 15: Glendalough/Wicklow mountains. Likely spend evening near airport.

Day 16 - Drop off car (or possibly the night before). Depart 10 AM flight from DUB.

Day 7: Drive down to Cliffs & Burren. Stop in Galway to sightsee. Where to overnight? Stick with Galway?

Day 8: Explore more of the area. Ferry to Aran Islands? Overnight in Galway? It may be better for me to go from Rossaveal because I could just catch the shuttle bus and leave DH at the hotel....then he gets his day of relaxation.

Day 9: Drive to Dingle peninsula. Conway pass? Stay in Dingle?

As you noted, backtracking to Galway doesn't seem to fit very well. What's the primary draw? DH day off there? Access to Aran Islands via Rossaveal?

I think your Day 7 night would be better in Doolin so you don't have to backtrack. If you still want to go to the Aran Islands you can from there. That will put you that much closer to Dingle as well (thought not that big of a deal).

I like Portrush and would normally suggest staying there but it would not be right for this trip. So all sorted apart from the Aran Isles/Galway/Clare part.

You have a couple of Options. Go to the big island from Galway on a tour. Or go to the Small Island from Doolin and take the combi Innis Orr Cliffs cruise (Something I do with our visitors).

I don't see a problem seeing the Burren/Cliffs/Innis Orr using Galway as a fixed base. There is an element of backtracking yes, but you could then use the N/M18 straight down and under the Shannon which would possibly be the longest day.

Unless you are going to do Inis Orr on your own then I would not stay in Doolin in July, there are nicer places along the coast. Another option might be to Call at Doolin etc on the way to stay in Ennis which apart from being one of my favourite places is a good base for the whole of Clare not just the coast and an hour closer to Dingle by the Tunnel.

Probably just throwing more confusion by trying to clarify the options. But as you say everything else is sorted. apart from accommodation which we can come back to.

Oh goodness Tony...that is so incredibly kind of you to throw together!!

I was looking at the map and thought about Ennis as an option for exploring the Burren/Cliffs area.

I think I need to figure out how attached to visiting the Aran Islands I am. If I want to visit InisMor, then it seems that I really need to overnight in Galway.

I need to look into the InisOrr combo cruise that you speak of.

Overall, I think slowing things down is good. It would be nice to arrive at our overnight stop before dinner and have time to relax.

If I scrapped InisMor then we could stop in Galway for a few hours and move down to Ennis and spend 2 nights in Ennis as our base for the Clare area. And then move on to the Dingle Peninsula.

Sorry had to remove the post, map is at http://g.co/maps/vq826 on 2 pages and can be edited and played with.

The cruise I use is with O'Brien Line http://www.obrienline.com/products/product-002.html

Thank you Tony!!

I second Tony's suggestion of Ennis. A nice sized town with a village atmosphere. We always stay there when we arrive via Shannon airport. Yes, it's a very good base for doing the Cliffs, Burren, etc.

OK, how about this....mostly changes in the middle:

Day 1: Arrive DUB. Explore Dublin.

Day 2: Pick-up car. Drive to Belfast and Carrickfergus. Overnight in Belfast.

Day 3: Antrim coast (Giants Causeway, Dunluce), Derry (explore city walls, murals). Overnight in Derry.

Day 4: Derry to Donegal (stop & explore) to Sligo. Overnight in Sligo.

Day 5: Connemara. Overnight in Clifden.

Day 6: Connemara/Cong. Overnight in Clifden.

Day 7: Drive down to Cliffs & Burren. Stop in Galway to sightsee. Overnight in Ennis.

Day 8: Explore more of Clare. Possible day cruise out of Doolin. Overnight in Ennis.

Day 9: Drive to Dingle peninsula. Conway pass? Overnight in Dingle.

Day 10: Slea Head/explore Dingle. Overnight in Dingle.

Day 11: Drive to Kenmare. Stop in Killarney/Muckross House. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 12: Ring of Kerry drive. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 13: Beara Peninsula, Blarney. Overnight in Kinsale?

Day 14: Rock of Cashel. Overnight in Kilkenny.

Day 15: Glendalough/Wicklow mountains. Likely spend evening near airport.

Day 16 - Drop off car (or possibly the night before). Depart 10 AM flight from DUB.

Looks fine.

How about the cliffs cruise whilst in Doolin and try East Clare for the other day from Ennis, have a look at Lough Derg. Killaole and Ballina, spot of lunch in Goosers maybe a trip on the river or to Holy Island.

Now Accommodation..
Dublin a decent hotel with 24 hour check in
http://www.wotif.com/hotels/ireland-dublin-24hr-check-in-hotels.html

Belfast, some tips in here?
http://ireland.activeboard.com/t48680429/belfast-premier-inn/

Derry. Rose Park house, good location west of the river and a fair price http://www.roseparkhouse.com/. Out of the city a little but not far. Troy Hall B&B http://www.troyhall.co.uk/Troy_Hall,_Bed_%26_Breakfast,_Derry/Troy_Hall_Bed_%26_Breakfast_Derry_Londonderry_-_Home.html

Sligo. We usually stay in Tubber but I have it on good authority that Iona B&B is a good option http://sligo-bb.com/?rnd=53946589814279109123022 Hotel option, The Clarion, http://www.clarionhotelsligo.com/

Clifden. My Choice Dún Rí right at the east end of the centre on a quiet corner. http://www.dunri.ie/ for more expensive tastes and a little different, Quay House. http://www.thequayhouse.com/

Ennis. We stay at the Grey Gables just a couple of minutes walk into the centre. http://bed-n-breakfast-ireland.com/?rnd=1667505666032682470 The Hotels in town are The Old Ground and Temple Gate, both are very good, http://www.flynnhotels.com/Old_Ground_Hotel_Ennis http://www.templegatehotel.com/

Dingle I am relying on trusted others here but Pax House is highly respected. http://www.pax-house.com/

Kenmare, The Abbey Court is wonderful by the Abbey and the bay. http://www.abbeycourtkenmare.com/ A little out from the town Tara Farm is my second choice. http://www.tara-farm.com/

Kinsale. Never stayed in Kinsale but will make enquiries.

Kilkenny. A little out of the centre Rosquil House has been one of our good stays, http://www.goireland.com/kilkenny/rosquil-house-accommodation-guesthouses-id42760.htm Further out (about 10 minutes) Blanchville Country House also offers some spa and massage therapies. http://www.blanchville.ie/

Dublin Again. I like the Premier Inn which has a shuttle service to the airport, slightly business like but clean and comfortable. http://www.premierinn.com/en/hotel/DUBAIR/dublin-airport

All of the above are just suggestions that I can recommend from experience or recommendations from people I know.

twiggers -- its coming together nicely. You'll have a nice time.

Tony -- another thanks from the crowd for all your help.

Tony! That is an amazing list

Do you think we should overnight in Ennis for both nights? Or Doolin for one and Ennis for the other? The appeal of staying 2 nights is pushing me toward Ennis.

Indy - Thank you so much! Now I have to start making reservations and really putting things together!

The airfare has been moving a bit and I'm hoping it will drop soon. Need to work out the car details for N. Ireland, super CDW, and extra driver. Don't want DH to be driving the entire time!

Twiggers, since your husband is disabled do you require a room on the ground floor if staying in a B&B? If so, that would change some of my recommendations.

Actually....my big thing first is to decide which day we are leaving the US!!! I may be able to add an extra day somewhere if I can skip out early.

Maybe in Kinsale or Kilkenny

I have to put together my summer teaching schedule and figure out if we can go a day earlier. It means I'll be grading exams the entire flight over

I would have Ennis as a two night stay. Send me an email near the dates and I might pop down for a pint with you in Brogans.

jaja - No, he would be OK going up one or two flights. He just can't stand/walk for more than a few minutes at a time (diabetic neuropathy).

Thanks Tony! That makes sense. I found out that my grades are due on Sunday night, so I may cancel the last day of class and leave on Friday July 6, which might give us an extra day.

Airfare is just so darn expensive right now *sigh* A face of life now.

Thanks for the offer Tony

OK, a few things....

Trying to figure out a Dublin hotel for night 1. I'd like to stay around 100 euros for a double. Hotel needs a TV and en suite bathroom.

Preferably centrally located.

For the two of us to get to/from airport (we need to go back and pick up the car on day 2) what would be the best mode of transportation? Keeping in mind that we'll be jetlagged on day 1!!!

Lynams on O'Connell St is about as central as you can get or the North Star just by Busarás the main Bus station. I like the Maldron at Smithfield a little out of the centre but still with easy access.

Cost and availability will depend on your day of arrival.

http://lynamsdublinhotel.com/
http://www.northstarhotel.ie/
http://www.maldronhotelsmithfield.com/

Thank you Tony! I will look at those.

I have a reservation booked with Hertz. AutoEurope wasn't any cheaper and I don't think it is advantageous to have a middle man. Any thoughts on that?

I checked Dooley and they were MUCH higher for all the same features.

I have the airline tickets on hold....waiting/hoping for a price drop.

Once I figure out the Dublin hotel, I'll figure out transportation and sites.

OK, Lynam's comes in at 139 with free wifi. Northstar comes in at 152.10 with free wifi and breakfast. They also have a shuttle to the airport for 4.5 per person. We could use this to get back to the airport to pick up the rental car.

Both hotels have middle of the road ratings on Tripadvisor.

What do you think about the Hilton at this location: Charlemont Place, Dublin 2, Ireland

I can use points and money and only pay $70...which is appealing to me to save about $100. But no free internet

Just outside of Sligo at Rosses Point I can highly recommend Iorras B&B (pronounced air-us; not at all the way I was pronouncing it before I got there).
http://www.sligoiorrasbandb.com/ TV in the rooms!

Tony has his favorites in Ennis, but I like Eden Hill House, on a working farm and almost a straight shot to the airport on your departure morning. Sad to say, their website has disappeared but they can be booked through the tourist booking agencies. Just put "eden hill house+kilmorane" into your search engine.

In Kenmare we liked Caha's B&B http://www.cahaskenmare.com/ .

Since you will be in Dublin in July, have you thought about staying at Trinity College?
http://www.tcd.ie/accommodationandcatering/

Hilton is fine and makes sense to use any discounts you have. Trip Advisor ratings have the power of the god's but the only ones I believe are written by me (12) or written by people I either know or trust.

Rosses Point is a nice area for Sligo, never stayed there but any personal recommendation on forums is better than 20 reviews on any web site.

Eden hill House outside Ennis is good (bit awkward to find)..But I like to take in a bit of craic and walk 5 minutes back to the lodgings so would not say it fits a 2 night town stay.

Thanks for putting in JaJa (and others) I was beginning to think I had hijacked this thread!

Thank you Jaja!

Tony - I appreciate it!! I think I am going to go with North Star for Dublin. The price is right, dinner is included, free wifi, and it's close to the city.

Due to DH's disability, I think we will do the Hop On/Hop Off bus in Dublin.

Thank you Nadya! I'm working on Belfast right now...

----
Question re Belfast:

The big draw for me is the sectarian neighborhoods. I am concerned about how much I can see from our own car. Can we stop along Falls Road/Shankhill and get out and wander around?

We'll be in Belfast on a Sunday. Will traffic be better inside the city so that we can drive around ourselves?

It seems a shame to pay for a bus tour/taxi tour when we have the car. However, if the bus/taxi can provide a better experience, then I'll pay for it.

I would take one of the Black Cab tours rather than drive yourselves you will get far more history from the driver than just looking. These are housing estates and not easy to navigate. I personally wouldn't walk around but then I have not been in these areas for 30years.

If you are going to do the Titanic exhibition then the grand staircase is open on Sundays. Remember tickets must be pre-booked for the exhibition.

Tony - Thank you! Do you have any recommendations for any taxi tour companies? I'd like one that does both Falls Rd and Shankhill Rd.

The open top bus had stops up and down both streets. Apparently there is a combo ticket for 21 pounds (Dublin & Belfast).

Another question:

I have the car pick-up set for 10 AM (might change it to a little earlier) to drive to Belfast.

I would like to stop at Newgrange. Keeping in mind this is a Sunday, does anyone know how long of a wait we would have? DH has no interest, and I don't want him waiting forever. It looks like Newgrange is just off the M highway.

Also, a friend recommended Trim Castle. This looks a little further out of the way. I'm willing to sacrifice this if I'll run across other castles later in the trip.

I'd like to be in Belfast by 1-2 PM. Drop off things at the hotel and then spend the late afternoon touring around the city.

I'm realizing that Carrickfergus will need to wait until the next day.

This has all become very confusing... sometimes asking for advice can do that. You said in your initial post that you wanted to be flexible and wing it, so I think you should just go back to that thought. Pick a few key places that you know you want to see, and then drive and stop as you please. Buy a good map and take a few chances on some back roads. Everything above sounds like you will be moving alot, and unless you are huge tourist, this really isn't any fun. And remember, there are beautiful vistas of "cliffs" anywhere along the coastline so you don't need to see them all. They can all pretty much start to look the same. A friend and I did this 10 years ago. We knew we wanted to fly into Dublin and out of Shannon so we had a hotel in Dublin the first night and a hotel in Shannon the night before we left. We rented a car and knew we wanted to get to Waterford because we had friends there. We would get the map out every day and our trusty guide book and just start driving. We would use the Tourist/Information offices. We had a wonderful adventure without feeling like we had to be a prisoner to a clock.

The first time I did the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry, on a bus tour, I didn't see either of them. I have a photo of a sign saying "The Scarriff Inn: The Best View in Ireland" and you can barely see it through the fog. The second time, on the other hand, the weather was absolutely perfect. We started from Kenmare (we liked Virginia's Guesthouse very much), got out to Portmagee before the tour buses came around (they all start in Killarney about the same time and go counter-clockwise)and caught one of the last boats out to Skellig Michael. That was one of the top highlights of that or any other trip we've made. But the weather was unusually gorgeous. After two hours on the island, we went back to the mainland, picked up our car, and by then all the tour buses had gone by, so we went on to Dingle without any traffic. Expect bad weather--there is a reason why Ireland has 40 shades of green. We lucked out on that last trip (June-July 2006) and in 12 days only got rained on twice. Unfortunately, those days we were outdoors touring gardens (Powerscourt and Garanish) and got drenched. Driving is fine if you're not the nervous sort (narrow, winding roads, with locals going the too-high speed limit).

This post on another forum gives some pointers from a real NI expert. I would suggest you either message them on their profile page or post your NI questions on that forum.

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowTopic-g186591-i88-k5353883-Belfast_and_around_then_train_to_Dublin-Ireland.html

Oh, and just outside of Spiddal is An Caladh Gearr Thatch Cottage. She doesn't have a website, but you can look at it here: http://tinyurl.com/c24oyg .

She has only 3 rooms and in September '93 we had the entire place to ourselves....fond memories of sitting in the lounge in our jammies in front of a turf fire and drinking Bailey's.

Thanks zor!

Kass - that was my original thought, but in July I can't risk not having places to stay. And I really am more of a planner....I am realizing that I can't just wing it. But I will pick a few key sites that are must sees, and if I don't make it to the rest, then no big deal.

Tony - thank you for the link! I'll check that out

Jana - thank you!

Well, maybe I need to abandon Newgrange since it seems like you need to get there early. Perhaps I can see how the itinerary comes together and maybe add it at the end....it's slightly north of the city, but may be worth it!

Sorry to be a bother. Any other recommendations for being in the heart of Dublin. Something with free wifi and a lift. I'd like to add some option to Lyman's and North Star, just to compare.

An easy walk to one of the Hop On/Hop Off bus stops would be great!

Sorry! I just grabbed the Merrion Hotel for a really good price for our one night. Great ratings and free wifi. Seems like a good location too.

Now on to Belfast

That's Dublin Sorted then. The Journey Starts..

Yes!!! I am excited. Plane tickets jumped up $100 tonight, but I have them on hold at a lower price and I think I'll jump on them

I looked into the Premier Inn in Belfast, but apparently the parking costs negate the savings. I stumbled on the Tara Inn, which has free breakfast and parking and is $140 USD.

Plane tickets booked!!! Hope to spend some more time this weekend booking hotels

OK, here is how things are coming together. I've got as far as Day 2 LOL

Flight - Arrived 7/7 early AM

Day 1 Saturday 7/7 - Overnight at The Merrion in Dublin

- Taxi to hotel to drop off bags
- Hop on Hop off tour (possibly if DH wants to visit sites)
Trinity for Book of Kells
Museum of Archaeology
Dublin Castle
Christ Church
St. Patrick's
Wander around Grafton St., Temple Bar, St. Stephen's, Merrion Square


Day 2: Sunday 7/8 Overnight at Tara Lodge in Belfast

Hertz rental p/u at airport @ 10 AM - taxi to airport?

Drive to Belfast. Plan to arrive early afternoon.

Sights to see:
Sectarian neighborhoods (possibly black taxi tour or hop on/hop off bus)
City Hall (outside only)
Generally wandering around city and relaxing


Day 3: Monday 7/9 Coastal drive. Overnight in Derry (need hotel)

Early departure (need to check on hotel breakfast times)!
Carrickfergus

Antrim coast (Giants Causeway, Dunluce, rope bridge)

Arrive in Derry. Self walk of city walls and bogside murals.

Day 4: Derry to Donegal (stop & explore) to Sligo. Overnight in Sligo.

Day 5: Connemara. Overnight in Clifden.

Day 6: Connemara/Cong. Overnight in Clifden.

Day 7: Drive down to Cliffs & Burren. Stop in Galway to sightsee. Overnight in Ennis.

Day 8: Explore more of Clare. Possible day cruise out of Doolin. Overnight in Ennis.

Day 9: Drive to Dingle peninsula. Conway pass? Overnight in Dingle.

Day 10: Slea Head/explore Dingle. Overnight in Dingle.

Day 11: Drive to Kenmare. Stop in Killarney/Muckross House. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 12: Ring of Kerry drive. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 13: Beara Peninsula, Blarney. Overnight in Kinsale?

Day 14: Rock of Cashel. Overnight in Kilkenny.

Day 15: Glendalough/Wicklow mountains. Likely spend evening near airport.

Day 16 - Drop off car (or possibly the night before). Depart 10 AM flight from DUB.

Hi all,

We booked our Derry B&B at Rose Park (thanks Tony).

Working on figuring out what to see/do on our drive from Derry to Sligo. I know we will stop in Donegal, but that is all! Any suggestions? We would like to be in Sligo by the afternoon.

Trying to decide on accommodations for Sligo...whether to give hubby the break and do the Clarion with the bigger bed or go for the B&B.

Hubby is a big guy...so the two of us on a double is going to be tight!

If you plan to leave Derry first thing in the morning, you have time to go out to Glenveagh National Park. Or head down toward Donegal Bay and take in the Slieve League sea cliffs.

Lots to do in the more immediate Sligo area, and you could slide back over to NI in Belleek and tour the factory. I never get tired of that.

You could ask at a B&B for two twins or a twin and a double. I spent many years sleeping on a double with a man I dearly love but now don't want to ever give up our king and go back to that much togetherness. Iorras has tv in the rooms, too!

Thank you for the suggestion jaja. I just looked closer at Rose Park and it says it is a king size! I just sent an email to confirm.

I am also working on Clifden and going to see if their double room is a king or smaller, or if we can switch to a room with 2 beds.

I will check what Iorras has

Oh, and thank you so much for the suggestions! I will jot those all down I did find some interesting things around Sligo and have emailed Iorras and Iona to inquire about the bed situation.

I love my husband too, but a double is just too cozy for two of us.
----
We do have an extra day (I think)....so I'm trying to figure out where to put it. A friend is pushing for Inishmore because they loved it. I'm just not sure....any suggestions?


Day 1 Saturday 7/7 - Overnight at The Merrion in Dublin

Day 2: Sunday 7/8 Overnight at Tara Lodge in Belfast

Day 3: Monday 7/9 Overnight at Rose Park in Derry

Day 4: Tuesday 7/10 Derry to Donegal (stop & explore) to Sligo. Overnight in Sligo.

Day 5: Wednesday 7/11 Connemara. Overnight in Clifden.

Day 6: Thursday 7/12 Connemara/Cong. Overnight in Clifden.

Day 7: Friday 7/13 Drive down to Cliffs & Burren. Stop in Galway to sightsee. Overnight in Ennis.

Day 8: Saturday 7/14 Explore more of Clare. Possible day cruise out of Doolin. Overnight in Ennis.

Day 9: Sunday 7/15 Drive to Dingle peninsula. Conway pass? Overnight in Dingle.

Day 10: Monday 7/16 Slea Head/explore Dingle. Overnight in Dingle.

Day 11: Tuesday 7/17 Drive to Kenmare. Stop in Killarney/Muckross House. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 12: Wednesday 7/18 Ring of Kerry drive. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 13: Thursday 7/19 Beara Peninsula, Blarney. Overnight in Kinsale?

Day 14: Friday 7/20 Rock of Cashel. Overnight in Kilkenny.

Day 15: Saturday 7/21 Glendalough/Wicklow mountains. Where to stay?

Day 16 - Sunday 7/22 - Overnighting at airport (likely Premier Inn)

Day 17: Monday 7/23 - Depart early AM

Near Glendalough I am looking to stay at Riversdale House:
http://www.glendalough.eu.com/ . I haven't stayed there yet, but a friend whom I trust did, and was very happy with it. It is also well liked on Trip Advisor.

Thanks jaja!

I booked my sligo B&B and am just waiting for word back from the Clifden B&B.

Then I think I'm going to start from the end and work back to the middle while I figure out what I'm doing with that extra day.

We now have Clifden booked. I think I need to go backwards now to figure out the extra day we have on the ground...I guess the debate is whether to add in Inishmore or leave a day at the end near Dublin and do Newgrange.

Any thoughts?

This would impact day 7 where I guess we would go from Clifden to the ferry. Do Aran Islands and then drive to Galway and overnight there.

Day 8 would then be Cliffs/Buren and the overnighting in Ennis.

I guess I'm just wondering whether Inishmore is worth it? How frequent do the ferries run?

Would we just be better off adding a day somewhere else to slow things down and skip Inishmore?

Leave InnisMor until the day and see what the weather is going to be like. There are plenty of options to fill the day if the weather is a bit off (wind rain rough sea's).

Which B&B in Clifden?

Aran Ferries timetable

http://www.aranislandferries.com/times_mor.php

Couple comments - if weather is bad Dingle is almost not worth it. So flexibility if possible is a plus. If weather is good Dingle is fantastic. The little boat tour out of the harbour was excellent.
Dublin is very compact hop/onhop off bus convenient- MUST see the jail-excellent tour, Guiness tour is worth it just for the amazing view of the city

Tony - For Clifden we went for the Dun Ri guesthouse, per your recommendations

Travel - Thanks! We're planning on a few days on the Dingle Peninsula...so hopefully we'll get a good day!

I was almost thinking of throwing the extra day over in the southeast area....give us a little more leisurely time to explore that area.

One day I would like to bring my father back....so I can always see anything I miss on another trip

Quick question:

Day 10: Monday 7/16 Slea Head/explore Dingle. Overnight in Dingle.

Day 11: Tuesday 7/17 Drive to Kenmare. Stop in Killarney/Muckross House. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 12: Wednesday 7/18 Ring of Kerry drive. Overnight in Kenmare.

Day 13: Thursday 7/19 Beara Peninsula. Overnight in Kinsale?

Day 14: Friday 7/20 Blarney, Rock of Cashel. Overnight in Kilkenny.


Should we move to Kinsale after the Beara peninsula drive and to be set up for day 14? Or stay in Kenmare and do Beara and return to Kenmare?

It seemed to make sense to move to Kinsale....drive along the coast and be close to Cork, and then the next day make the drive up to Cashel.

Any thoughts? Am I shortchanging myself at all? I know RoK will be a LONG day....is Beara also a really long day? Too long to drive Beara and make it to Kinsale?

I'm getting ready to contact places in Kenmare (Caha's and Abbey Court) and need to decide on 2 vs. 3 nights.

No harm heading to Kinsale as the next step rather than back to Kenmare.

Beara..http://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowTopic-g211923-i20379-k4594606-Driving_Beara_Peninsula-Beara_County_Cork.html

Day 14 fine.

Thanks Tony!!! That is a very detailed read

Does anyone have any recommendations for Kinsale?

Bryno over on TA is the guru for the Cork/Kinsale area pop him a message over there.

Thanks Tony....I posted something earlier today.

Snagged the Pax House for Dingle. A little pricey, but hopefully worth it.

Pax House is apparently "The" place to stay in Dingle. SG and other Dingle fans put it up as a regular recommendation.

Thanks Tony! I think I'm going to go with Abbey House for Kenmare too.

What about this: I was thinking of staying in Malahide on the 2nd to last night and doing Newgrange and then dropping the car off later that day.

Need to see if they have an airport transfer....or we'll just stay at the Premier Inn the last night.

Newgrange is amazing - personally I found Galway my favourite town of all - it is sinply great to wander around and full of genuine atmosphere - try to free up time to be in the town itself - say 2 days? The Cliffs of Moher are a bit of a drive from Galway - close to Lehinch which is a tiny place with a beach - lots of b & bs- we staiyed at the Atlantic Hotel which was just lovely (low key, friendly, very clean) but that was 19 years ago now! I envy you - take your time and don't rush around - the point of Ireland used to be smelling the roses..

Thanks Jen! We're actually going to be just stopping Galway and opting for overnights in smaller towns in the area.

Emailed a few B&Bs in Kinsale and Kilkenny.

I was thinking of driving from Kilkenny to somewhere outside Dublin. Somewhere that we can be close to Newgrange in the AM. Is that doable, if the only major stop is Glendalough?

Suggestions for a town to stay in for the night?

Day 13: Thursday 7/19 Beara Peninsula, Blarney. Overnight in Kinsale?

Day 14: Friday 7/20 Rock of Cashel. Overnight in Kilkenny.

Day 15: Saturday 7/21 Kilkenny to somewhere near Newgrange. Stops in Glendalough.

Day 16 - Sunday 7/22 - Visit Newgrange in the AM.

Overnighting at airport (likely Premier Inn)

Day 17: Monday 7/23 - Depart early AM

Perhaps on Day 15 you could try a castle hotel: Smarmore Castle Hotel http://smarmorecastle.com . For just the two of you, ask for one of the rooms in the original part of the castle.

Oh wow jaja...that would be so amazing!! I will check this out.

I have emailed Smarmore and am waiting for a response.

Does anyone have any other castle accommodations that would set us up to be near Newgrange? I am really liking the idea of spending one night in a castle

I do hope you can get in at Smarmore. The price is right, for a castle hotel, and the people charming. I also hope you can get a room in the tower. We were three so had the Earl's room.

I don't know of any other castle hotels near Newgrange.

Thanks jaja, I have my fingers crossed! Hopefully I'll hear something today. If I can wrap that up then I just need to book our airport hotel and accommodations are done.

Then the serious route planning begins

That time zone difference can be maddening when you want to know something RIGHT NOW, can't it? I'm Central so 6 hours different and I hate having to do math in my head (an accountess shouldn't be admitting that, should she?).

I agree jaja! We're on Central too...so often the responses come in the middle of the night.

However.....we got it! A castle tower room!!!!

I am SUPER excited about this, thank you SO much!

Now it's time for the route planning. Not sure whether to start a new thread.

Tony gives you lots of excellent advice. I disagree, however, about Grey Gables in Ennis. We stayed there a couple of years ago and it is one of the very few places we would not return to. The only good thing about it is its location, which is a super easy walk into town.

My other two cents: you have a lot of one nighters in your plan. If at all possible, we try to limit them as best we can. It is very tiring to change bases every night. (Actually I am surprised that I haven't heard this from anyone yet.) Most B&Bs serve breakfast between 8 and 9:30. By the time you have eaten, packed up the car and settled up with the hosts, it could be 10:00 already. I think you have enough time in Ireland so you can relax a bit.

And if you somehow don't see the ROK, that's okay. There is lovelier scenery in other areas. When you are farther north, think about Achill Island and in Clare, Loop Head.

I understand your excitement because we love Ireland and I am still excited after many trips to plan another. We have been home a week from our most recent Irish adventure and are already thinking about the next one!

Hi Allison,

Thank you so very much!!!

What did you not like about Grey Gables?

We do have quite a few one-nighters....but it almost feels like they are unavoidable or we would have a lot of backtracking. We've done a few road trips in the US that were all one-nighters....it wasn't horrible.

Re Grey Gables...Our room was very dated. The bathroom was icky. The tea making facility was in a commom hallway. There was a picnic table with an ashtray on the lawn right outside our room and I could smell it inside.

She asked what time we wanted breakfast. We had a flight that morning and wanted an early-ish breakfast at 8:00, but she didn't have space for us and put us down for 8:30. We weren't seated in her dining room until 8:45, which stressed me. Over breakfast we talked to another couple who couldn't get hot water in the shower or the tv turned on, and the hostess seemed (to them) inconvenienced by their requests for help.

Overall, we just did not leave with a good feeling about the place. (The breakfast itself was fine!)

Quite surprised at the comments. I agree about the communal tea and coffee being the down side but Mary is very customer focused. She does try and schedule breakfasts as the dining room can be tight when they are full. I am guessing from your description that you were in the end downstairs bedroom which is where Pops and Pat stayed when we were there for his 80th last September. They praised all the accommodation on that trip and they are used to far better than I could afford to put them in.

When did you stay?

I am trying to think of the B&B Bannergirl recommends for Ennis? I think it might be Glenomra but send her a message on TA.

Tony, I think we stayed there in 09. The last 3 trips we have stayed in or very near Bunratty. And yes, that sounds like the room we had.

Mary gets mostly good reviews on TA, just not from me. (I didn't put a review there.)

Think it was Nov 09 we first stayed there for the TradFest. We used to Stay out at the Auburn Lodge but sort of fell out with the place due to the cab price getting home. I am not up to walking that far into town any more so would be a cab both ways.

One of the off reviews might be down to myself and a couple of others recommending the place and it just didn't live up to expectations. The worst recent review on TA is from someone complaining that Mary told them to keep the noise down and go to bed (actually turned 1am)?

I went through all the reviews this AM and it seems like most of the bad reviews were pre-2010. Perhaps there have been some updates in the last couple of years?

Thanks Jeanne....I can cancel anytime, so I'll be watching prices for the cars.

Based on our time on the ground in Ireland would you recommend purchasing both the Heritage Card and the Touring Guide? It seems like they would be money savers, but I wanted expert opinions. I would just pick them up in Dublin.

Dublin Question - We are centrally located at the Merrion Hotel. Does it make sense to do a HOHO bus tour? The only site that seems to be out of the way is the Gaol (which I am thinking of adding to my list). Not sure it would be worth the $ if I'm in walking distance of everything.

We picked up our rental car from Dublin airport early in the morning on a Sunday in May and then headed up to Newgrange and were there when it opened. It's maybe half hour drive if I remember correctly. We really really enjoyed it. We were actually on the first tour. We then headed to Doolin and took our time but made it in a reasonable amount of time.

We took a boat from Doolin and went to Inisheer and spent the day, then the cruise along the base of the Cliffs. It was quite beautiful but very very choppy, not for a weak stomach.

We enjoyed the Gaol and learned a lot about Irish history during the tour, but it is out of the way. It took us probably an hour to walk from Trinity College to the Gaol.

Looks like you have received a lot of great information. Enjoy your trip!

Discounts covered on a recent TA posting
http://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowTopic-g186591-i88-k5342633-Heritage_Island_Discount-Ireland.html

Thanks Ayla!

Thanks for the link Tony

Hi Twiggers

I've been following this thread with a great deal of interest, since we're planning a September trip of almost the same duration. We'll have 15 nights, and I like the looks of your trip so much, we may even follow it, right down to some of the accommodation! So thank you to all who were so generous with their input!

I was hoping you'd be willing to share your insights after your trip, specifically length of time in each location, driving times that perhaps surprised you, what you might have eliminated and where you would have spent more time.

Obviously, each traveller's trip is "their own", but I'd be particulary interested in your assessment.

Not even a trip report, but if you'd be willing to dash off a few thoughts, I'd appreciate that.

I'm not sure if there's a rule against it, but I'd be happy to give you my email if you'd prefer that.

Many thanks.

sugarmaple .... you can post your email address on your profile page or pop over to trip advisor Ireland forum where there is the facility for members like myself and twiggers to contact each other through private messaging.