Starwaker

Hello, taking a trip with some college friends (two of us are getting married soon) and wanted to get some advice if it was feasible and if there is something we should see. It is the first trip for all of us. We are excited about driving. \


9/25 Dublin- Get in at 9 AM from USA.
Decide if we get car OR drop off our stuff at an airport hotel.
Take train/bus downtown Dublin-see Guinness, Book of Kells, Castle, Temple bar (all day). Take public transport back to Airport Hotel

9/26 Cork
Pick up car at airport- Head to Cork in the late morning (3-4 hrs)
Explore Cork (afternoon/night). WHAT SHOULD I SEE HERE?


9/27 Killarney
Head out to Killarney-
Eat lunch head out to the Drive around the Dingle Peninsula looking at neolithic ruins (5-6 hrs). Hike a few trails. Eat back in Killarney

9/28 Galway
If the weather is good, go to Cliffs of Mor (if not, we will do Cliffs on 9/29)
Alternate plan if terrible weather, Explore Galway city (or go bike Aram Island)

9/29 Galway Decompression day (NO LONG DRIVES), explore Galway city or Connemara from there we can take a ferry to bike Aram Island depending on weather and how tired we are


9/30 Back to Dublin 4 hrs (Sleep in late - We will take our time driving back to the capital - explore some sites- stop at Clonmcnoise Monastery and Tomb of Newgrange)

Drop off our car at the airport at night. Airport hotel
10/1 Fly back. Get up at 6-7 am and head to the Dublin Airport. Plane flight

irishface

9/25--you do not need or want a car in Dublin. Bus from airport drops you at any one of several stops downtown. Don't know what your interests are so hard to suggest options though some of your stops seem to suggest history. So
Book of Kells might interest you, Dublinia at Christchurch, Kilmainham Gaol.

9/26 Stop at Cobh on way to Cork. Visit emigration exhibit which tells details of Titanic's last stop and other stories of the Irish leaving through the years. That could save you backtracking to Kilarney before your trip to Galway the next day.

9/27 will be a long day. You might be better off to head right for Dingle and do your exploration.

9/28 You might make a stop at the cliffs on your way to Galway. You won't have time to visit Aran Islands on this day. Furthermore, if the weather is bad you won't want to be biking out there!

9/29 Explore Connemara or day on the Aran Islands. There are minivans and horse drawn carts right on the pier when you arrive and you can negotiate a trip around the island. There is also a bike rental place at the end of the pier. Dun Aengus, a prehistoric fort, is an incredible place to see. It hangs over the edge of cliffs that are amazing, so if you miss the Cliffs of Moher, you will have seen some cliffs. Also some other ruins to see.

9/30 Glad you are going to stop off at Clonmacnoise and Newgrange. Awe-inspiring places! Don't sleep in too late or you won't have time for Newgrange and Clonmacnoise on your trip back to the hotel.

These are just my random thoughts and suggestions. Have a wonderful trip!

Starwaker

That is very helpful. Thanks irishface!

we will check at Cobh.

So you think I should just leave from Cork to Dingle first and do all that before heading back to Kilarney?

How long do you think it will take to drive through Dingle? Should we just bring food in our car or are there places to eat around there?

great idea bout heading to the cliffs on our way to Galway... that may make it more efficient. I will do that.

Do you think we are doing too much in 6 days? I'm trying to tighten things up so we are not too exhausted...

Starwaker

Also, what do you all recommend for phones? Should I buy a sim card at the Dublin airport?

bvlenci

If you sleep late, you probably won't see Newgrange. Tickets can't be reserved, but the number of people on the tours is strictly limited. This past Friday, we arrived there at 5 PM, and were told that all tours were completely sold out for the day, and had been sold out since 2 PM. That means that if you arrive after lunch and do get a tour, you'll probably have to wait three hours or more to get your tour. There's a café and a gift shop, an exhibit with a history of the site, and a film, but all of this wouldn't usually fill three hours. We were told that the best way to be sure to see it without a long wait is to arrive at 9 AM or earlier. We saw Newgrange in 2004, without arriving terribly early, but apparently the number of visitors has greatly increased in the past 12 years.

The Dun Aengus fortress and the cliffs nearby are truly impressive. There are three Aran islands off this coast; Dun Aengus is on the island of Inishmore. I would give priority to this trip over a visit to the Cliffs of Moher.

Starwaker

Okay, I'll add Dun Aengus up the list. Really glad for the advice...


So We we are driving from Galway to Dublin, so what do you all recommend we do? Wake up at 8 am and drive straight to Newgrange first then back track to Clonmacnoise and then to Dublin?

Starwaker

OR, should we see Newgrange on the 9/25 before we head down to Cork? Would that be better?

Padraig

In my opinion, you are trying to pack too much into your time. And since you posted here, you have been adding to your itinerary. I suggest that you cut at least one destination from your list.

I don't see the point of using one of the airport hotels in Dublin. They are generally soulless places. The amount of shuttling to and fro is the same whether you sleep in the city or at the airport. I suggest that you take a bus into the city, base yourself in a hotel there, and bus back out to the airport in the morning to pick up your car.

In my book, if you are not sleeping in Dingle, but visiting from a place like Killarney, you should give it a full day - there are so many worthwhile stops to make.

Inishmore (especially if you decide on biking) is another fairly full day. If you are sleeping in Galway, you can take a coach-ferry link from the city, and spare yourself the bother of driving.

It does not make sense to drive from Galway to Newgrange and then back to Clonmacnoise. Take your chances with Newgrange. It is likely that you won't get into the tumulus, but you will get to see it, and also the much under-rated tumulus at Knowth (on the same site).

Starwaker

Good point.

We have Galway booked for two days.. during that time, I would like to see two of the three: Galway city, Cliffs of Mor or Inishmore.


Looking at the schedule, what would you cut? I'm open to tightening it up. The only thing I really want to see are the Cliffs of Mor.

Also, I could shift Newgrange to 9/25 before I drive back down to Cork? Worth it or leave my schedule as is?

Starwaker

Updated Schedule. Let me know if there is anything I should tighten up. Unfortunately, we already paid for our airport hotels... our original thoughts were that we would use the rental cars as much as possible during the days.



9/25 Dublin- Get in at 9 AM
Take bus downtown Dublin-see Guinness, Book of Kells, Castle, Temple bar (all day). Take bus back to Airport Hotel

9/26 Cork
Pick up car at airport- Head to Cork
Explore Cork (afternoon/night). (Decompression day...not sure what to do in Cork or on the way to cork-maybe Cobh? )


9/27 Dingle/Killarney
Drive out to Dingle Peninsula looking at neolithic ruins (5-6 hrs). Hike a few trails. Head to Killarney for hotel and whatever remaining time.

9/28 Galway
go to Cliffs of Mor (if raining, explore Galway city)


9/29 Galway #2

bike Aram Island- Dun Aengus(if raining, explore Galway city)

9/30 Galway to Dublin
(Sleep in till 9 am - stop at Clonmcnoise Monastery and Tomb of Newgrange)... eat dinner somewhere

Drop off our car at the airport at 9pm. Airport hotel

10/1 Fly back. Get up at 6-7 am and head to the Dublin Airport. Plane flight

greg

What I see as the biggest loss of time is staying in Dublin twice. I presume you have the middle part all locked up and you no longer have no option to consolidate all your stay in Dublin in one piece.

In my opinion, Dun Aengus was more intimate and was just as spectacular as the Cliffs of Moher in that Dun Aengus still has the remains of fortress. I just visited them one after another. The number of visitors to Inishmore is limited by the boat capacity. It is one of those site where there is NO barrier at the cliff. The Cliffs of Moher gets enormous amount of bus tourists. It is barricaded off quite a way from the cliff edges, but that does not prevent selfie taking tourists from climbing over the barricades and taking pictures with their backs towards the cliff edge.

I went to the Newgrange as a day tour from Dublin with a guaranteed timed slot. If you have to wait, can you accommodate arriving late at the next destination? You might want to think about the maximum time you are willing to wait.

janisj

>>In my opinion, you are trying to pack too much into your time.<<

I could not agree more. You are basically driving driving driving.

>>What I see as the biggest loss of time is staying in Dublin twice<<

Agree w/ that as well. In late sept accommodations are not an issue so unless you have paid in full/non-refundable I'd rearrange everything.

And I would not stay at the airport once, let alone twice.

Arrival day press on -- take the train and spend the first night in Cork. Collect a car the next morning and start your driving tour. This will cut a boat load of driving and a wasted night at the airport. Then when you get back to Dublin, dump the car and stay <u>in the city centre</u>. Then bus to the airport to fly home.

Starwaker

The probably with Dublin is that it is where we are flying in, so we had to stay there for two nights. Also, my 2nd friend is flying it a little later, so we couldn't leave for Cork till the next day.


I will definitely try out Dun Aengus and take out Galway City unless the weather is terrible.

I can go to Newgrange on the 9/26 as soon as we leave dublin, and then it leaves less time in Cork. However, I don't really have any plans in Cork...

The other time is on 9/30 and we are dropping off our car at the airport at 9 pm, so the big issue with that is if there are any tour slots when we get there from Galway.


Also, can I book a boat trip now to Dun Aengus or should I wait till I get to Galway?

Starwaker

I guess we could take the train for Cork as soon as we get into dublin and pick up my 2nd friend...

Would the trip be better if I did two nights in Cork and did not spend any time in Dublin?

9/25 Cork
9/26 Cork
9/27 Dingle Karnaney
9/28 Galway
9/29 Galway
9/30 Galway to Dublin

Starwaker

If you look at my original schedule, we are really only in Dublin on 9/25. On 9/30, we are spending the entire day driving around and will get to the airport at 9 pm, so we are not spending anytime in the city.

Macross

Dublin is fine for the first day, doesn't really matter if you get an airport hotel or city hotel. RT bus is easy in and out and you will probably have an early night. Buy your Guinness tickets online and there won't be a wait in line. How much later does your friend arrive on the 25th? I would squeeze in as much as you can that day since it is really your only day in Dublin.
Cobh is very nice and you will enjoy it.
http://www.visitcobh.com/ You should stop and see something along the way, Rock of Cashel would be good.
I have done that ride and no traffic and then have been stuck forever so could be more than four hours.

<from Greg>
In my opinion, Dun Aengus was more intimate and was just as spectacular as the Cliffs of Moher in that Dun Aengus still has the remains of fortress. I just visited them one after another. The number of visitors to Inishmore is limited by the boat capacity. It is one of those site where there is NO barrier at the cliff. The Cliffs of Moher gets enormous amount of bus tourists. It is barricaded off quite a way from the cliff edges, but that does not prevent selfie taking tourists from climbing over the barricades and taking pictures with their backs towards the cliff edge.>>
Agree wi9th Greg, The cliffs at Inishmore are much better imo.
The ferry departs from Rossaveal, about 1 hour drive from Galway.

tel: +353 91 568903
fax: +353 91 568538
email: [email protected]
web: http://www.aranislandferries.com/

Macross

But it all depends on the weather. I will be in Ireland that week and the next so hoping for sun. I think you have to play some of it by ear and see what the day brings. It it is a lovely sunny day on your way to Galway pull over and see the cliffs. They are not out of the way. Hope you are staying in Galway city and enjoy the night life there.
On your return to Dublin see what you can but Clonmcnoise is easy to see and if you get into Dublin early you can go back into the city or go to Howth or Malahide. Don't stress over it. We have a very loose schedule. The weather is our big factor since we are hiking and biking. We are doing a tour one day but hate to schedule it right now.
We winged it for Newgrange and sat and ate in the cafe there waiting our turn to go. It was spectacular and worth it but we lucked out getting in.

Don't skip Dublin. Also give yourself 2.5 to 3 hours on day of departure. Duty free is great for gifts. Great deals on Tullamore and Jameson.

Starwaker

Okay, so I think I'm going to keep my schedule but take the train down to cork from Dublin. Otherwise, everyone else thinks this is doable?

Padraig

You still give yourself a problem with Dingle. Driving there from Cork, trying to experience what the peninsula has to ofer, and then doubling back to Killarney to sleep is a lot of bother.

And I'm still not sure why Cork is on your itinerary.

Macross

Yes, take the train, easy that way. You can even take it into Cobh.
Hoping we have great weather. Do you have hotels booked?