Go a bit south to Cliffs of Mohoer and a bit further south to the Ring of Kerry. Everything is prety close. Galway is not that impressive. If you can go to Kilarney and Blarney Castle and Blarney Stone. All are not that far apart in this small country. You will fall in love with Ireland and the people.

I think you will enjoy Galway since you are a student. How will you be getting around? The southwest is beautiful, but It involves a lot of driving. Dublin is very lively and easy to get to by train.

I'd get a guidebook if I were you. You'll miss a lot if you just rely on what people on the board advise--though they have many good ideas.

Last St. Patrick's Day PBS here had all day long programs on Ireland. I watched them all and felt I had "done" Ireland. BTW, all the programs hit the same places so there is a definite trail of places. Have a look this March 17th.

I found this for a trip I'm going to be going on to Ireland.

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/ireland/0226020795.html

That might be helpful to you, it is to me.

"done" Ireland!!! Words fail!

There might be a set trail indeed but these are not the real places to visit.

Any number of in many cases more fair and fine places off that "trail". NB the Blarney Stone is nothing special. Just tourist hype is all.
Pegontheroad is right.
The frommers site is interesting by it too errs on the side of too much and yet too little. What it says re the Ring of Kerry is short sighted. Yes tour buses but they have a one way system; they go anti clockwise. If you drive clockwise....And so many places on the Ring off that main road. But then I would never follow any guide like that. With the internet you can make a route far more easily and wih more variation. See more and more interesting than that kind of whistle stop .

marirose, what would you suggest as some places for me and my friend...we're both late 50's and want to have a good taste of Ireland. The music is very important to us. We will have a car, and the option to fly into either Shannon or Dublin as we are heading back to and from London staying with relatives there.

>Go a bit south to Cliffs of Mohoer and a bit further south to the >Ring of Kerry.

Dingle is far better.

>Everything is prety close.

In space but not time. The roads are so terrible that every trip takes wice as long as it appears on the map.

>Galway is not that impressive.

You got that right. Absolutely zip there.

>If you can go to Kilarney

Kilarney is so dull that it makes Galway look exciting. It is however, next to a nice park.

>and Blarney Castle and Blarney Stone. All are not that far apart >in this small country.

See comment about roads above.

>You will fall in love with Ireland and the people.

The people were nice but it is the least interesting country in western Europe. You got some nice scenary in the west, but the cities are a cure for insomnia.

I don't know how long your down time is but I would head north and west to Clifden. EJ Kings had great trad music when we were there last. Drive the road to Doo Lough Valley. So incredibly beautiful and mystical.