this si for next july

Well you can;t see all of the major tourist sights in so few days - but you can see a couple of places.

You need to give us an idea of what you want to see - historic places - countryside - castles, museums, etc.

I happen to love Dublin - but I'm a city person. I also wouldn't miss Newgrange (esp if you like prehistoric sites)>

I think the most common mistake for first-time visitors to Ireland is to try to cover too much territory in too short of time. Driving distances are deceptive--it takes longer to get places than you would expect. A very helpful tool is the AA Route Planner. Use it to plan your trip, but add about 20% to the given driving times.

http://routes.aaireland.ie/

I know I am going to cover a lot.

1.Is it a good idea to fly into Shannon and out of Dublin?
2. Day of arrival-can I go to Cliffs of Moher? Stay there for night
3. Next day sightsee around there, then drive to Kilarney
for 2 nights
4. What would be next stop for 1 night before going to Dublin? Kilkenny, Cork, ???

Items of interest: castle, big tourist areas. We will come back to Ireland again I hope!

Thanks. I have not booked my tickets yet so I can play with the number of days a bit.

Have you considered Flying into Dublin and making an arc to Cork for your Paris flight (also Aer Lingus(regional))
Land Dublin 2 nights, train to Limerick, bus to Shannon and collect car to drive to the Cliffs, night 3 in Ennis, Drive round Dingle Peninsula to Killarney ending in Cork.

1.Is it a good idea to fly into Shannon and out of Dublin?
Answer: Yes

2. Day of arrival-can I go to Cliffs of Moher? Stay there for night.
Answer: Yes, this is a do-able drive from Shannon (75 minutes or less). You'll have plenty of time to do more than just see the Cliffs. I don't recommend staying overnight in Doolin, however.

3. Next day sightsee around there, then drive to Killarney
for 2 nights.
Answer: Do-able. Killarney or Kenmare would be good overnight destinations.

4. What would be next stop for 1 night before going to Dublin? Kilkenny, Cork, ???
Answer: I would choose Kilkenny. It's a charming town with lots of "atmosphere". You've got Kilkenny Castle, Cahir Castle and the Rock of Cashel all within an hour's drive.