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Ireland Itinerary: Suggestions/critiques please!

Ireland Itinerary: Suggestions/critiques please!

Old May 20th, 2014, 08:39 AM
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Ireland Itinerary: Suggestions/critiques please!

First trip to Ireland this July: Here's what I've put together from reading about the things that might most interest my husband and me (scenery, walking, history, music, food). The air is done, the hotels are too but only one is non refundable (our last night in Adare and I think that choice will work). I am one who can't be so flexible as to go without reservations or I don't enjoy my day not knowing where I'm staying the night.

Open to other lodging suggestions if you have preference or know of issues with any of choices. Would love favorite walks/sites/ day trips/ pubs / music spots etc. I don't want to feel rushed, but am trying to see the areas I've always had in mind while enjoying some time for lazy strolls through a town or light hike, savoring a sunset, enjoying music in local pubs. I am not a great plane sleeper: want my first 2 nights in the same spot; I always like to do some light but interesting activities Day One - have an early dinner and by the 2nd drink, I'm ready to crash by 9pm - if I get that one solid first night sleep, (last one to breakfast the next AM!) I'm good the rest of the trip as far as time zone adjustment. I can not nap and then wake with any energy.

Welcome your suggestions and thanks in advance.

July 11: Arrive Shannon 6:30AM p/u car, drive to Doolin
Arrive to Doolin by ? 11am with stop for breakfast? suggestions?
11: Doolin: Aran View House Hotel: Check in, visit Cliffs of Moher, explore Doolin - dinner at McDermotts?
12: Doolin & area: explore: suggestions? LIsdoonvarna Visitor Center, the Burren, Poulnabrone Doman. Dinner in Doolin - McGanns for music?
13/14 Take AM Ferry on 13th to Aran Island Hotel, Inis Mor - any island experiences? Next morning, after breakfast, ferry back to Doolin, p/u car, drive to Galway - stops along way? If so what time anticipate I'd arrive Galway?
14/15: Park House Hotel, Galway. Saw a comment this hotel was too far from the city pubs/music and another said a 15 minute walk. Anyone familiar? We are city dwellers and walkers so a 15 minute walk does not bother us if it is a safe walk; but we want option to visit pubs/music.
14th: Late afternoon/evening explore Galway: Catherdral, Corrib River Walk, Spanish Arch, Museum. dinner suggestions? Front Door Pub? Cooke's?
15th: One long day trip loop to Connemara. Someone said our hotel bar Boss Doyle's is nice for a drink or bar menu and that their restaurant is nice if we want a break from pub food. Suggestions?
16: Drive to Kinsale, stop along way at Blarney Castle : any other suggested stops? lunch?
16/17: Actons Hotel , Kinsale ( tried for Pier House B & B but sold out)
18: Drive to Adare, Dunraven Arms Hotel. Dinner at their restaurant Maigue, walk village, visit pub - any favorites?
19: Shannon Airport for 1:30 flight to US. Believe Adare is about 30 minutes from Shannon. Check in at 11:30, return rental car prior, so leave Adare 10AM ?

Thanks for any experiences, advice, restaurants or alternate lodging etc!
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Old May 20th, 2014, 09:44 AM
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Forget I am not a fan of Doolin or Kinsale not being a tourist and.

http://goo.gl/maps/xMOHV might give some points for your 1st couple of days..

Inis Mor should be done from Rossaveal shorter smoother larger boat crossing.

Park Hotel is close enough to throw a ball into Eyre Square so how central do you want to be? The "Latin Quarter" is the other end of town so 20 minute walk..

Connemara is worth more than a day but if thats all you have http://goo.gl/Ek8bpw & http://goo.gl/maps/uqIi8 might give some ideas.

Long, full days drive, sorry but I would be breaking this.. Have Adare for the night of the 16th so 17th in Kinsale 1 night being more than long enough.. last night Ennis or Shannon or Bunratty (in that order) Or Ennis the 16th and Adare the 18th.
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Old May 21st, 2014, 09:53 AM
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Tony2phones: thank you for your ideas and replying. I will look into Rossaveal. I thought the Park Hotel looked good, but I saw many reviews writing how far it was out of town but it looked close to me for walking, which you confirm so thank you. One of the reasons I and two nights in Kinsale was I thought it was a foodie place plus harbor/boats both things that interest my husband… but I will look into Adare on the way to break it up - one person who had suggested the one day drive said max it was tops 4 hours or so and I figured with a stop or two it was a day o f driving but we'd see something along the way: but I can look into flipping it. My goals was also a nice, comfortable hotel for our night prior to flying so I thought best to get close to the airport and Adare looked so welcoming! I am going to look into all your proposals now and the links you were kind to attach !! Thanks again -
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Old May 21st, 2014, 02:07 PM
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Tony2phones: What if we left Doolin at 8AM, would we be able to drive straight to Rossaveal for the 10:30AM ferry to Inis Mor. We'd be on island by Noon and have rest of that day and night. We could return the following day on the 8:15AM ferry -be in our car and on the road by 10 and do our drive then out to Clifden/Connemara and return to Galway. We could spend a leisurely 5 hours exploring, taking photos, have lunch and be to Galway by 3-4pm. Enjoy downtown/ dinner/ etc. Then have still the 15th for Galway/ short ride.

I look at that drive from Galway to Kinsale and it looks like if I left Galway at 10AM, I should be in Cork/Blarney Stone by 12:30-1. I could have lunch, Blarney Stone site, and then be to Kinsale by 4pm? That is an ok day of car ride for us with the stops or am I reading times wrong? Thanks in advance if you see this -
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Old May 21st, 2014, 02:59 PM
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Tony2phones: here's a redo: how about we leave Doolin and go straight to Galway. We enjoy Galway the first afternoon and evening. The next day we do our Connemara 5 hour loop drive., getting back to Galway by say 4pm, and enjoy that evening. The next morning, we drive to Rossaveel take the ferry to Inis Mor, get on island by noon, spend the night and take the 8:15 AM ferry to Rossaveel and leave from there by 10am to Kinsale. This only adds about an hour to our trip to Kinsale: we will stop for lunch around 12:30, still get to Blarney Stone by 2:30 and on to Kinsale OR skip Blarney and do it on our way to Adare a few days later.
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Old May 21st, 2014, 03:11 PM
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Galway 10am Limerick maybe 11:15/30 Blarney maybe 1pm ish then maybe just under an hour from there to Kinsale depending on Cork traffic. Time wise its ok The Motorway down from Gort to the other side Limerick helps a lot.. I suppose its just that I find the drive draining 150 miles of not much of anything but road to look at..
http://goo.gl/Ek8bpw & http://goo.gl/maps/L5ihu might throw some light on the Connemara section
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Old May 21st, 2014, 03:44 PM
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Tony2phones thank you so much. I wish we had weeks, but we do not so I am trying to make it work for what appeals most.. I think most of our hikes/walks/drives we see beautiful scenery so I am thinking the run to Kinsale with not much too look at will be ok for one time - although someone mentioned somewhere near Mallow to see a donkey preserve (?) If you think of anywhere for lunch along the route from Galway to Kinsale, send along! Thanks again
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Old May 21st, 2014, 10:24 PM
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Slow down the "Connemara 5 hour loop drive". Hit the road at 10 am, and do not try to be back before 6 pm. That gives you time in hand to get out and explore places a little.
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Old May 21st, 2014, 11:31 PM
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http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.ie/visit & http://www.liscarroll.ie/ Bit of a Detour off the N20 but worth a visit.. they do some great work under difficult circumstances.
not sure on where to eat? Croom might be a good sort of mid way location but not a place I know much about. Adare, Aunty Leena's? not much of a detour
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Old May 22nd, 2014, 05:38 AM
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Thanks Padraig: we will take that advice. Tony2phones thanks for the link! I'd read about it but was not sure where and couldn't find the info again.
I had my "DUH" moment: I read the flight return wrong. Our flight leaves Shannon at 11:40AM, so check in at 9:40AM, return rental car by 9AM is that enough time? So leave Adare by 8 giving us an hour or is there a morning "rush hour commute" I need to be aware of?
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Old May 22nd, 2014, 10:10 AM
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Adare is a bottle neck and you would be hitting the start of "School Run" probably better on the road by 7.30am. If you are Pre Clearing Customs you need to be earlier anyway.
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Old Sep 9th, 2014, 07:11 PM
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Huge apologies for not thanking everyone sooner - we had a marvelous trip in July to Ireland and on my list to submit a trip report. But the mini version is: everything was fabulous - the people, the scenery, the exploring all day and music at night. And some getting lost - but as we were told many times - you can't get lost on an island. Thanks again and when I get up the trip report with details I'll come back here and add a link.
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