What type of rental car did you get for the narrow roads in Ireland and did you like it?

My sister and I traveled around Ireland by car in 2003 and 2004. My sister is a notorious over-packer, and because we were traveling around quite a bit, we wanted a car that could contain the luggage in trunk. This eliminated hatch back cars.

We also needed an automatic car because neither of us knows how to drive stick shift and we did not want to learn in Ireland. We rented a Toyota Corolla. Because this was back in 2003 and 2004, Corollas were smaller than they are now.


Because the roads are so narrow off the main highways, you do really need the smallest car that will be acceptable to your needs.

We rented through Irish Car Rentals and they were very forgivng about small dents and scratches.

I drove a Fiat Clio last year. It was comfortable for my bad back and had more than enough room for 2 people with luggage. The time before we also rented an economy car and the comfort level was fine.

We rented a Nissan Micra through Auto Europe. We found it quite comfortable (for 60-70 year-old backs). I didn't fold back the side mirrors, though I've also heard that it's a good idea.

We lost three of our hubcaps. Because of the narrowness of the roads, the car frequently brushed vegetation at the side of the road. I would advise either taking off the hubcaps or tying them on the wheels.

The nice thing about this little Nissan was that it had a very tight turning radius. I liked it a lot.

Last year, we had a Nissan Micra for the 2 of us + luggage. We liked it a lot – it was comfortable, had good gas mileage, it was small and easy to drive (automatic). We rented from Dan Dooley and all hubcaps were secured to the car. Did not lose any hubcap, although we had a flat.

You might feel the need to fold in the mirrors the first day, but by the second day, you’ll be fine. Enjoy your trip, Ireland is a wonderful country.

The recurring concern about driving on the narrow roads of Ireland seems to me to be excessive. Most of our roads are not particularly narrow, although I do recognise that a few tourist routes are narrow because of the terrain they pass through. But you can always find spots where vehicles can pass one another: you just have to pay attention to the issue, and be prepared sometimes to back up.

I don't drive a small car; I don't fold back wing mirrors; I have never scraped a car on ditches or hedges; I have only once ever lost a hubcap (I saw it go, but I was on a motorway at the time, and couldn't stop). Hubcap ties are advisable for driving anywhere.

For me, it's no big deal because I am used to driving here. For the tourist, you need to concentrate for a while and tune into how things are done here -- the particular additional skill on narrow roads is spotting passing places and using them well.

Padraig: No, Irish roads are not all that narrow -- but they ARE much narrower than the vast majority of Stateside roads. Even in rural and mountain areas, US roadways are generally much wider.

So w/ the added issue of driving "on the wrong side of the road", Irish roads do seem very narrow to most visitors.

My point as well. I have rented cars in Ireland a few times. Give me a small car. It is not in my experience a matter of finding a place to pass. It is that the Irish truck driver coming the other way at 50 mph on a fairly narrow road (to us North Americans) is taking 5/8 of the space.

Get a diesel. You can drive forever on one tank of gas.

Take electrical ties and tie the hubcaps on. We lost a hubcap.

All the cars are pretty small. I'm not sure if they have Mercedes A Class there, but that is a great peppy little car.

I don't remember what we had. It was blue! (I'm such a girl.)

The FIRST thing you do with a rental car is inspect it very closely. Do not accept a car with bald tires or a chipped windscreen (those chips can spread like a spiderweb). Most insurance does not cover tires or windscreens. Note any damage on the contract and have it signed by the car company. Check the boot to be sure you have a spare tire and jack.

You fold in the mirrors when you park, especially on the street where cars are going by. While you are diving you need the mirrors to see what is in back of and around you.

I was in the garage of a car rental company and they had spare hubcaps stacked up to the ceiling. They must get a deep discount on them.

We have hired a Peugeot Autosleeper Boxer 2.0 Diesel and am not too fazed about narrow roads as we are used to driving on the left - however, we will definitely be driving apprehensively and carefully and most likely be sticking to the main roads wherever possible.

"Irish roads are not all that narrow -- but they ARE much narrower than the vast majority of Stateside roads. Even in rural and mountain areas, US roadways are generally much wider.

So w/ the added issue of driving "on the wrong side of the road", Irish roads do seem very narrow to most visitors.""

Eh?

To most visitors, Irish roads are a normal size. To most visitors, Ireland drives on the proper side of the road.

To the very small minority of visitors to Ireland who come from insular, right hand driving, space wasting, countries and can't get it into their self-centred heads that they and their compatriots form a tiny (and rapidly declining) proportion of the world's tourists, Ireland's roads may seem odd.

But those of us who form the vast bulk of Ireland's visitors just get off the plane or ferry, hire a car and drive off without any of this "oh dear, it's all so difficult" wimpery.

According to CSO's official data for 2006, 43 percent of the Republic's visitors came from the right-hand driving Continent (not deducting Malta and Cyprus, which may not be THAT huge), 52 percent from Great Britain, and the remaining 5 percent from other areas of the world.

I wonder what kind of math they teach in the UK but 43 percent hardly qualify as a "very small minority".

Having said that, I would also say that country roads in Ireland are not really narrower than similar country roads in France, Italy, or elsewhere. Some visitors from the US seem to over-estimate the space their car needs on the road or how much "comfort zone" is needed to the oncoming traffic.

My pet peeve about driving in the ROI is signage. Especially when driving off the main highways, the mix of old black and white signs in miles and new signs in km, the directions where the (the old) signs point to, and often missing prior indication of directions before you hit the intersection, makes it a bit more difficult to navigate. But it's more a minor nuisance than a major issue, especially when you have a good map.

For inter-urban travel, you have regular or extra-wide 2-lane highways, some 4-lane motorways in the Dublin and Limerick area.

But since most or Ireland's natural beauties are found off the main highways, you will probably drive more often on narrower country roads. But traffic is less dense than in many other central European countries.

I would say that any compact rental car is just fine. Quality of seats does not necessarily go along with the size of the car. It's more a matter of how much luggage you will haul around if you need a larger car or not.

Well read a few forums where the Brits and others who drive on the "wrong" side of the road worry and stew & do lots of "oh dear, it's all so difficult" wimpery about driving on the continent. LOL!

It is normal to worry about driving in a completely different environment.....ALL people do that because it IS harder.

We find many German and Netherland people where ever we go...from Turkey to Morocco to Montenegro and all over Europe with their cars,motorhomes and caravans, but the Brits seem to drive only to France and Spain. Read on caravan/motorhome websites how afraid so many are to drive on the continent! Ireland license plates are as rare as American plates on the continent. The French love to go to Greece by car and Italians love to go to Croatia, but there is not an isolated place anywhere that you won't find a German driving around.

Most of the countries on the continent of Europe drive on the "right" side and have their steering wheels on the "correct" side and they too worry about driving in Ireland or UK. I have heard many an Australian worry about driving on the continent because it is opposite to how they do it at home.

Most Americans do not travel to Europe because their own country is huge, diverse and with some of the most beautiful places in the world. One could travel for years and years and not see all the magnificent sites.I once traveled for 6 months in the U.S. and barely made a dent. Add Canada and Mexico, the Carribean & Latin America and you can see why some never care to get to Europe.

On a crowded planet..space is a wonderful thing and one thing I miss in Europe ( and I have found out I can adapt to much less).

I am looking forward to seeing more of North America after traveling the world and even have more respect for it's awesome beauty after traveling for 16 months straight as few places can come close to the pristine beauty of my home state of California which is larger than many European countries.

I am also looking forward to seeing Ireland ( amongst other countries) this summer ( I have driven all over England and Scotland which was easy in a small car).

This thread caught my eye because we will be driving in a small motorhome ( with steering wheel on the continent side)!!

I can not imagine the roads will be worse than Greece or some of the tiny old towns on the continent, are they? I actually have never heard of any concerns about Irish roads until this thread. I assumed that they were typical European roads.

Errata:
Just noticed that I also did not get my math straight: The 43 percent I mentioned reflect the added number of visitors to the ROI from the Continent, AND from the U.S., AND from Canada.

sheesh - I meant NA visitors. Thought it was clear since the prior paragraph mentioned the US twice and "wrong side of the road". It was pretty obvious I was talking about US visitors.

Of course, UK visitors would not think the roads narrow, nor be on the wrong side of the road . . . . . . .

WTnow wrote: "Ireland license plates are as rare as American plates on the continent."

That is something of an overstatement. But it does require a bit more time and effort and a lot more money for an Irish driver to get to Italy than it does for a German.

You find us more often in the north and west of France where we find narrow roads on which we can feel at home -- you know the sort, those roads where there is no concern about which side to drive on because the car fills the whole road.

<it does require a bit more time and effort and a lot more money for an Irish driver to get to Italy than it does for a German.

So true! There were TONS in Venice campsites, but I was actually talking about all the Germans in Turkey, Morocco, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Santorini etc. They seem particularly adventuresome because whenever we were in a very isolated area...there they would be!

I was actually surprised that we saw so very few Irish license plates anywhere and that Brits were rarely seen outside of France or Spain. I am sure there are more, but we only saw one Irish motorhome ( and one American RV....our friends who shipped it over and we met in Cappadocia Turkey).

The Irish one was in Barcelona.

We have run into ( large groups) Irish tinkers twice ( once in Paris and once in Granada campsites) but they do not have Irish plates. I did not know what they were at first, but could now easily spot all the new Caravans, vehicles and modus operendi.

When comparing Irish vs German number plates in Italy or elsewhere it may also have somewhat of an effect that the population and thus the number of registered vehicles slightly differs

It isn't just that the roads are narrower than Americans are used to, it is also because there are usually hedgerows growing right up to the road, vertically (or sometimes coming into the road) and you never know when one of those hedges are simply a thin veneer for a stone wall. Often they are. Not great for sliding against!

Don't mean to be "excessive" in concern. The roads in the States are wider, and I live in Virginia with a lot of narrow dirt roads. Most of the small town or country roads I have been on in Europe are narrower than ours, of course many having been built in times before cars.

Having driven now in England, Wales, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, I found it most difficult in Wales and England. One's perception of where your car "is" on the road is different. I also read somewhere, I think on this board, that it is difficult when driving on the left to know where the left (passenger) side of the car is. I usually drive as my husband is the superior navigator, and I kept hearing sharp intakes of breath from the passenger side as I was consistently too close to the edge of the road on his side.

Won't stop us from driving those back roads, just want to be as safe and comfortable as possible. Will certainly look into tying on the hubcaps!

The specs on the Toyota Corolla have it as narrower than the Nissan Micra ( 66.9 inches for the Corolla vs. 73.2 inches wide for the Micra) Over 6" more of breathing room!

For British and Irish travellers, the ecnomics of taking your own car to continental Europe compared with flying are quite different to those experienced by people who live in Germany.

If you live in Munich, it is quite straightforward to drive to Milan in a day. If you live in Dublin, driving requires a much greater mileage, two ferry crossings and maybe two overnight stays. You are consequently more likely to fly, especially for a short trip. Then you will hire a car, which will have local licence plates.

For the British and Irish, taking your own car is more attractive when going on family self-catering holidays. As you have noticed, these are more common in France and Spain.

chartley wrote: "If you live in Dublin, driving requires a much greater mileage, two ferry crossings and maybe two overnight stays."

We do have direct ferries between Ireland and France. They take about 18 hours, and cost a fortune in high season. I usually go off-season, when they cost only a small fortune. But the trip from Cherbourg to Athens seems rather long, so I tend to go to places like Brittany.

In 2001 we pre-paid through Hertz for our rental. I believe it was to be an Opal. They didn't have one, and gave us a free upgrade to a beautiful silver BMW. DH loved the driving experience and performance on the curvy roads. I don't particularly remember the roads being narrow, but we were there during the hoof and mouth scare so maybe didn't meet as many tour buses.

The roads were much narrower on our 1998 and 2000 trips to Cornwall.

The confusing thing about the roads is the sign that says "you may meet oncoming traffic in your lane".

We did, however, meet one couple who'd torn the mirror off their rented Mercedes.

When we turned our car in there was one there that had the whole side of the car smooshed in. Oops!

We came around corner on the Dingle Pen. and met a giant tour bus. We had to back up and they squeezed on by. Have your camera out at all times for those moments. It was funny after they got past.

And another comment about those harmless looking hedges on the roadsides. Under most of them are very thick stone walls so don't count on that as an escape route. In fact that is why the roads are so narrow. They would have to knock down the walls to widen them.

If you just have a good attitude about it and realize that you are going to have to go slower it is very fun to drive in Ireland.

The hubcaps come loose so much because of having the steering wheel on the other side of the car and spatial relations and all that. Basically, there will be a time where you will whack into a curb or two. (better the curb than the on-coming semi) I'm sure that is where we lost our hubcap.

And to all this stuff about "self-centered Americans" while it certainly might be true, Wrenwood was asking an innocent question and deserves just helpful advice.

In June 2002 we drove a Renault Clio. There were just 2 of us, nice and peppy but as the passenger weeds were constantly brushing my window and I tilted to the right the entire trip. We drove about 100- 120 miles a day while sightseeing and it was so stressful as the passenger and for my husband as the driver we did not have the energy to enjoy any evening entertainment. We are normally independent travelers but I wished we had taken a bus trip. There is no shoulder, only stone walls...scary. Norway last summer was a breeze driving compared to the roads we traversed in Ireland.

Yes, you need to use the average speed of 30 mph when planning your routes. So 120 miles would take four hours instead of less than two in the US.

I do agree about being tired. I did all the driving as I was pretty sure my mother-in-law or her cousin would get us promptly killed.

Those "Oncoming Vehicles in the Middle of the Road" signs tell you just about all you need to know

Oh Please.

"Oh Please."

It WAS a joke - but that IS a common sign you will see all over. Does tend to freak folks out the first time they see it . . . .

My husband and I also had a Nissan Micra. It was the perfect size for our luggage and us. We paid a little extra for an automatic because he was nervous about shifting with the opposite hand. I think it was a diesel. We didn't lose any hubcaps and rented through Budget Rental Car Ireland at the Dublin Airport. Check your credit card for insurance purposes, we used an American Express that included rental car insurance. Budget wasn't sure they still covered in Ireland, but we had brought the info from the card, they called and got the okay and we saved some money.

Folks - you wont find big cars like we have in USA. They are all little cars in Ireland because they only offer small cars in Ireland. My rentals have always been very comfy and I have a bad back. Just trust your travel agent.

What I want to know is - what does the yellow diamond shape sign mean -- where at the top, a car is careening on two wheels and debris flying away from it. And just below to the car, a stick figure is at a dead run. Not making this up, I've seen the sign many times.

Caution, pub's let out??

Anyway, I've driven in a few countries... only otherwise Hungary, Romania and Spain on the continent, with Thailand, Morocco, Australia, etc as well. So a mixed bag. For some reason Ireland really *does*, to me, feel like it has narrower roads of the same "type", other than the primary roads which are fine. I haven't got and measured them though and do think on the secondary roads, it is more a matter of how close the rockwalls and vegetation crowds the edges and so more a psychological thing.

The road width seems to correspond to the color of the road on the map. The yellow highways are large, the smaller red roads are narrow, and the little white roads are even narrower. The gray roads are about one car width. Go slow in case someone else decided to use that road that day coming from the other direction.

Do make sure to rent an appropriate car for your size AND your luggage. For instance, compact or small cars won't do for us - my husband is 6'4", about 375#, so he won't fit into a small car. And if I want him to drive, it has to be at least a full sized, or intermediate car. 3 hefty people with their luggage will fit fine in an intermediate, but I wouldn't try 4 with their luggage

I have traveled to Ireland 11 times from '95 to this last fall. We have driven small and midsized cars, and automatic too. Our first trip we popped a tire and replaced it and then wacked a mirror but nothing major.
I think the main question here was what size car do you get? Not all the percentages and scared Americans on small roads and other cranky offsides. I'll admit the roads are narrower for the most part, but just caution and a little common sense are needed, as anywhere you drive.
I found the big cities to be my greatest driving challange, big car (Kia Sedona van) or a Nissan Micra, makes no difference if the signage isn't there whether North bound, south bound or whatever, if your not a local you get lost map or no. I have it from friends who will take the train to Dublin rather than try and drive and get back home in a decent amount of time, even they get lost.

Hudson - Next time we are bringing GPS with us to Ireland. We had an excellent map and it was still tricky sometimes!

We had a slight problem last time we rented in Ireland... actually, the travel consolditor that we got our plane tix and rental car thru accidentally made the car reservation for the wrong month (it was right on all of my documentation, but wrong on the doco they faxed to the rental company). They ended up making it right by telling me just to get a rental car from any agency their and send them the bill (which they wrote me a check for).

My only issue was that I wanted an automatic. The only two available were an E-series Benz and a well worn Toyota Corolla. Once we determined that all of the luggage (4 people) fit in the Toyota we opt'ed for it (didn't want to be greedy). The Toyota turned out to be perfect... it was the big engined version, so it handled the hills well. It also had dings on every corner, so there was no way that they could charge me for any damage (since you'd never notice anything that I did to).

Make sure your GPS has maps for Europe loaded in - ours does not, and there is no way to load them in, according to JVC. Also, the rental place we have a car reserved (in Edinburgh) doesn't have any GPS available for rental

I'm assuming we'll be able to get a GPS on a rental from Auto Europe, I think that is who we usually get our rentals from (DH does that part) However I guess I had better check, wondering if they usually come on the smaller cars, or just the larger ones?

Our one VISA has always included insurance, but we'll doublecheck to make sure it is the same in Ireland.

It WILL be an automatic w/GPS, and we will make sure the hubcaps are SUPERGLUED!

Stonewalls hiding behind vegetation, that explains a lot.......

And yes, "Oncoming Vehicles in the Middle of the Road" will now deserve a photo, and a look at my husband's face!

Is Dan Dooley rentals as reliable as Auto Europe? WIll they have GPS?

Evidently, if you can't get a GPS in your car, you can rent one here:

http://www.roadmate.co.uk/

Don't assume about the credit card insurance. Most exclude Ireland.

I've been to Ireland three times, with the most recent being June 2007. I was really surprised to see quite a lot of larger size cars and suvs on the road since my previous trip in 2004. The roads are fine with everybody driving Micras, Corollas, etc, but not so good when a range rover, or the like come your way. One of our b&b proprietors was lamenting the trend for bigger, flashier vehicles over there.
For my trips in Ireland, I've rented a Ford Focus twice and a Toyota Avensis once. I think they are the perfect size. Easy to drive and park and not too small as to feel unsafe.

Aggiegirl ~ same in Germany ~ our friends who live in Darmstadt pointed out that you could usually tell if it was a tourist or American Military by the size of the vehicle!

It's been a while since my 6'6" hubby & I rented a car in Ireland, but while it was small (Fiat?), it was sufficient. We each had a good size suitcase + totes. Definitely suggest checking car reservation rates from US, can be cheaper. Many agencies have offices in Ireland. And try to get auto transmission, one less stress-point (other side of car, other side of road, etc). We stayed mostly on main roads so width was not a problem. Good Luck!

There is no reason to be rude or disrespectful on this website. ("To the very small minority of visitors ...who come from insular, right hand driving, space wasting, countries and can't get it into their self-centred heads that they and their compatriots form a tiny (and rapidly declining) proportion of the world's tourists Ireland's roads may seem odd."

I am an Irish American, most of my relatives are still living in Ireland, but I'm a first generation American. We visited Ireland last fall. It's a beautiful country and we didn't run into any people with attitudes such as the poster above. The roads are scary if you're not used to narrow roads. Our Irish relatives drove with ease but drove fast on narrow roads and sometimes passed other vehicles at high rates of speed going around curves. It appeared to be the 'norm' because they are very used to the roads. Add to that dark roads with no lights in the country side, stone walls on either side, and it can be un-nerving. As others have said, you''ll get used to it and you'll fall in love with the country.

Hi wrenwood,

As someone who has driven thousands of miles in the US and in Ireland, I have found the responses to your question very interesting. In my view kelliebellie’s “spatial relations” and your own follow-up post identified the real problem which is merely exacerbated by the narrow roads. Here is my twopence worth:
• Driving with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car (as distinct from driving on the wrong side of the road) is difficult, if not dangerous, until you get the hang of it as it makes you think the car is narrower than it is. Therefore, hug the white line in the middle of the road (if there is one) to make sure you don’t hit curbs, lamp posts, pedestrians, cyclists etc. or knock-off hub caps, wing mirrors etc.
• Get an automatic because not only are you not used to a stick shift but it is also on the wrong side of the car and you must learn to shift with the wrong hand – requiring concentration which you will need for navigating, going around roundabouts clockwise and, of course, managing your “spatial relations”.
• Hire a sat-nav with detailed, up-to date maps because not only are the signs inadequate but, in the tourist areas of the west, you will find that the few signs that do exist are in Irish only and your map is in English only – so when you get lost and compare a sign with your map……!! There is a signpost west of Dingle which shows the same road number going in two different directions – it is a circular road! Some Caribbean islands even have better signs (and that is saying something) but then they have worse maps, few sat-navs and many more pot holes.
• Since the Celtic Tiger you will find more big cars, more SUVs, too much traffic and traffic jams – almost everywhere.
• Finally, as regards narrowness, you will find that:
o Car spaces in the parking lots are narrower than in the US and too small for the SUVs and you.
o The main roads between the main cities/towns are wide enough and won’t give you a problem but the lanes are a little narrower than in the US.
o The narrow roads in the tourist areas are sometimes too narrow for you and a bus – and there are a lot of tour buses in the summer. The Conor Pass between Tralee and Dingle could be your worst nightmare if you meet a bus at the top – cliff wall on one side and small wall with large drop on the other and just enough room for the bus alone. But this is part of the vacation and will give you something to talk about over the few pints that night and to tell your grandchildren later. I still tell mine about the interesting(!) places I visited in the Broncs when taking an hour to drive/navigate from Harlem to Queens over the Triborough Bridge – there are difficulties in driving in the US as well.
o The compromise between comfort and narrowness is something like a Ford Focus. Anything larger than an E Class Mercedes would be a handful with your “spatial relations” over the Tourist area roads.
• This is not to put you off but to help you manage your expectations. I am off to St Lucia next week and my expectations are for getting lost on hair-raising, twisty mountain roads – much worse than Ireland can offer. But I know that if I have a long fuse, keep smiling and use the Blarney – I will have a great time. And that is also my final advice to you too and there is no better place than Ireland to have a great time.

amdc, I think you don't understand flanneruk. You are possibly more American than you are Irish.

Foley, the replies have been "interesting" although why people have to get so judgmental escapes me. I don't think I am indulging in "wimpery" I'm just trying to be informed and safe.

I appreciate also your note about Conor Pass as that is the way we will go to Dingle. We will stay at Echo Lodge near Adare so that we are able to drive the pass during daylight. I was worried if we went to Dingle directly from Doolin that we would dawdle so much along the way that it would be late afternoon before we got to Conor Pass (and since this will be October, our daylight hours will be reduced) That happened to us driving to Heiligenblut Austria in the early evening. The fog was so thick the only way I could figure out where to drive was to keep my tire near the line in the middle of the road ( at least there was a line!)

I've found a huge wealth of information on this thread and other threads about driving in Ireland........ driving clockwise around the ROK as that's the way busses drive...... hubcaps......... gps........ cars......... signs....... distances....... vegetation hiding those hubcap-eating stone walls....... all very helpful! And we will check our credit card to see if it includes or excludes insurance in Ireland.

A sincere thanks to all the members who have shared driving experiences and helped me on this thread.

oops, meant driving counter-clockwise around the ROK!

Wrenwood

I was going to correct you on that (as I had previously recommended counter-clockwise) but then thought I better look it up again myself. I found this in Wikpedia:

"The Ring" is a popular day trip and numerous bus companies offer trips during the summer months. As the narrow roads make it difficult for tour coaches to pass, all tour buses run in an anti-clockwise (or counter-clockwise) direction, traveling via Killorglin first. It is recommended that car owners travel in the opposite direction, going first to Kenmare to avoid delays caused by tour buses.

I still think the majority opinion is counter-clockwise however.

I live in England, but have never been to Ireland. I have, however, driven many miles on narrow country roads in Britain, France and Spain, and know the adjustments one has to make when driving on the "wrong" side of the road.

I wonder if U.S. drivers are just not accustomed to all the conventions of driving on narrow and congested roads. You have to be ready to stop at any time. You have to know when to give way, and when to reverse to find the space to cross another vehicle. You have to know when and how to flash your headlights to communicate with another driver. You also have to get used to driving down the middle of the road - it is quite legal.

Other advice is to have a good map, and work out where other places are in relation to where you want to go.

I guess it's whether or not you want to be meeting busses head on, or getting stuck behind them!

Hopefully there won't be too many tour busses in early October?

Chartley, I don't think it is entirely that we don't know all the conventions of driving on narrow congested roads. Blinking one's lights, and finding a pullover are common on narrow back roads in the US (although they are not usually congested)

Our congested roads are usually wider. Like 4-8 lanes!

I think the problems are really a combination of many that have been mentioned. Narrowness, with or without congestion, and the spatial problems one encounters when driving from a different side of the car, on a different side of the road, in an unfamiliar country

I don't feel like I'm a real novice. I have driven scary mountain passes in Switzerland, Austria ( into Italy fom Obergurgl, can't remember the name) and the Rockies in the US and Canada.

I would say that at the heighth of tourist season Mt Washington, and Going-To-The-Sun Highway in Glacier National Park would be the most narrow AND congested roads I've driven.

I have driven congested narrow town and city streets in France, Austria, Switzerland, England and Germany.

And the most stressful was England because of the different side of the road and driver's seat differences.

I'm sure some people from Ireland or the UK might have concerns about driving over here in Washington DC or NYC or LA at rush hour on one of the 8 lane, multi level highways, or in the downtown areas. That would not be fun if you were driving on a different side of the road than you were used to! ( it's not fun if you're on the side of the road you are used to! )

It also helps me to remember that a right turn in the US (which is only in front of one lane of traffic) is now like a left turn (against two lanes of traffic) and vice versa.

As we left Shannon airport upon arriving in the country my mother-in-law and her cousin were screaming at me for going the wrong way around the round-about, but I was actually going the correct Irish direction. That is when I decided to not let them touch the wheel. I had actually spent a week a few months before that driving on the "wrong" side in Grand Cayman, so at least I'd had some practice.

And when walking around and crossing roads, just look both ways. Just swing your head from side to side non-stop. Then you won't get run over. I have a picture of the streets in Dublin painted with signs to look the other way!

We are much more than 50 and we drove a little 4 door Ford Focus...Great car...great size for the two of us. Do opt for the automatic shift....have fun!

We've been to Ireland every year since 1999, as part of groups and as just the two of us. Over that time, I've always driven, every trip. Every vehicle was manual shift.

I've manouvered nine passenger (VW Carravelle, Mercedes Vito), seven passenger (Renault Grand Scenic), five passenger (Opel Meriva), large cars (Nissan Primera, VW Passat), mid-size (Opel Vectra, Ford Focus)and, once, a compact, Alfa Romeo 146 hatchback.

I've never lost a mirror, or done any serious damage beyond adding a scratch or two to the paint on the side (which I wasn't charged for). I've had to buy one tire -- hit a pot-hole, avoiding a large truck on the Killarney - Kilorglin road).

Yes, to American sensibilities and reverse perspective, Irish roads are way SMALL -- particularly for first-timers. I remember this past summer, as I was driving down to Baltimore from Skibbereen, thinking that they must have EXTENSIVELY widened the road, since I had driven it last. Turns out, that they hadn't -- I had just become more accustomed to the roads...

Over the years, I've driven clockwise (AGAINST the buses)on the Ring of Kerry (but it WAS April!), and into and through virtually EVERY type of road and town, from mountain path bohreens to the city streets of Dublin. It CAN be done.

Never-the-less, you don't want to get more car than you need -- parking spaces are smaller and petrol costs about $8-9 per gallon. Larger vehicle rentals also carry a hefty rental premium. so, too, does an automatic, but that is the one premium that you might decide is worth it.

The Ford Focus / Toyota Corolla would probably be a good compromise vehicle at the price point. That class is neither excessively large, nor unfamiliarly small.

Bob

WOW. This is some thread. I am off to Ireland for a wedding leaving Texas on Feb 23. I land in Dublin on Feb 24 and must be in Kinsale on Thursday Feb 28. I am looking to drive maybe to the west coast and down to Kinsale....not sure about the route yet but I am thinking of renting a car.

It is only me so I am a little nervous about driving the country roads by myself. The tip on GPS (have to see if I can get one), looking for balding tires/dings in windshields, and folding in the mirrors are great. I have not driven on the 'other' (not wrong) side of the road but am a little nervous about driving on my own as a woman. Tips?

Suggestions on a manageable yet lovely route down to Kinsale as far as driving down (3.5 days)?

The hubcap comments make me laugh, I will most likely lose 2 or 3.

Elisaegs, I have driven by myself all over Europe with no problem, including my first time in the UK. Although my brother-in-law wouldn't stay off the curb and wouldn't slow down and ended up flattening two tires, it's very reasonable to have no problems by (1) driving a little slower at first and (2) taking Foley's excellent advice, particularly about hugging the centerline (it's not as close as you think).
I also think if you or any opposite-sided driver renting in the UK knows how to drive a manual, it makes it easier to remember where you are and where you need to go, since the stick is obviously also on the "wrong" side. Takes a little getting used-to, shifting with your left hand, and does require that you actually have experience driving with manual transmission. If you go with automatic, just keep up the mantra in your head to drive right, look right (as literally opposed to wrong!).
We'll be following in your tire treads in May, but going the east coast via Sally Gap to Glendalough and then on to Avoca (primarily because I got hooked on Ballykissangel while I was working in the UK a few years ago and just have to see it). Supposed to be a lovely drive. On from there to the coastal road from Wexford to Hook Lighthouse before Kinsale. But that's all "book planning." I hope to get some recommendations nearer to the time, from Fodors folks who actually know if that's a good plan...

Great thread! We're headed to Ireland in May. Boyfriend is 6-3 and 250, and likes to overpack a bit. I'll check some of the cars mentioned and forward the thread to him, as he'll do the booking.

Can anyone add some driver-etiquette tips? These vary a lot by country. I don't think most Americans know what a flash of headlights means on a country road, for instance. (Here, it's the Escalade on your tail telling you to go faster.)

if someone coming towards you flashes their lights, they are telling you to come ahead. Like in a village w/ cars parked on both sides and only space for 1 car to get through - if the other car flashes, then they are telling you to go first.

Ok. The tip on the flashing lights is a good one. Any recommendations on a good rental car company? I think I may rent and return at the Cork airport. Automatic is the answer for me as I will have too much else to think about while driving on my own.

Suggestions for car rental (car hire)companies with GPS? Just in case someone did rent in Ireland, please advise. Thanks.

Hertz offers GPS. It was €10 per day back in Oct. 2006 when I rented from them. Note that it's a separate contract from the car rental itself. The penalty if the unit is lost or stolen was quoted as €1000! Make sure you take it into your hotel or B&B with you every night - don't leave it in the vehicle.

Great info on the GPS. Also protecting it or paying 1000 euro. I will check it out today.

You might consider buying a gps unit. Our Tomtom One was on sale for $150 at Christmas. The European maps are another $150. If you rent one for 10 days you are already into it for $100.

I would bet there are great deals to be had on ebay for gps with the Europe maps already installed.

we rented an Opel 1.2 Corsa through Hertz at the Dublin Airport with CDW and Theft protection included. We rented it through the Aer Lingus web site when we booked our flight. The total cost is $209 USD for 4/19 thru morning of 4/26. I'm having my wife call Hertz today to confirm that there won't be any hidden surprises in there.

I'm going to use our Garmin 760 with a Europe maps chip that I bought on Ebay. I use the Garmin a lot and it makes it very easy to drive in unfamiliar areas because it talks to you. The Europe chip latest version for 2008 was $182 on ebay but you can get one that only covers Ireland and the UK for under $100. The chip can be used with a Garmin 200W that was on sale at Costco for $199. I have used the "Hertz never lost" gps in the past and didn't like it. Much more confusing than the Garmin.

When I received my Europe chip I tried zooming in on Dingle and was amazed at the number of little roads that showed up around and in the town of Dingle. When I did the same thing with my version 8 2006 chip, only the main roads showed up.

The first message on this thread suggested folding back the mirrors. This is a daft idea. You need the mirrors when reversing and to check if anyone is approaching from behind when you are getting out of the car. If the mirrors go through a gap, then the rest of the car will.

Door mirrors do get damaged sometimes, but they are very easily replaced.

Just confirmed with Hertz that the $209 was correct including CDW and Theft. No surprises and they faxed this in writing. We did decide though after talking with Hertz to change to a Ford Focus for a total of $232. We will have 2 24" spinners and 2 backpacks that I wanted to make sure are covered in the trunk.

The SCDW will cost about $120 extra and we'll probably add that in Dublin.

Agree on getting a small car --- it's just easier to park, navigate, maneuver, etc. when you have a really small car. Even if you get a GPS system, I would still recommend buying a good map. If your GPS fails for some reason, a map will be invaluable. We really liked the Michelin Guide but I think any good map would be fine.