That is the company I have been in contact with via phone and email. Seems like the best one of the bunch. So would you go with the compact VW Golf or the VW Jetta for 4 adults? We will have 3 Ebags motherlode backpacks and one small rolling carryon. I was thinking Jetta for the legroom?

For 4 people, I'd get the Jetta. We noticed a lot of Golfs on the road and I think it would be tight for a lot of driving with 4 people. We had actually reserved a Golf thru Hertz for just the two of us thinking the smaller size would be better and more fuel efficient. But they upgraded us to a good sized Renault sedan since they had no Golfs on hand at the time. It was certainly comfortable but overkill for just 2 people.

I live in Paris but go to Ireland often. Dublin is my second favorite city in Europe. One of the many things I like about Dublin is the great commuter rail system (DART). Rail transportation is not nearly as good elsewhere in the Republic of Ireland.A nice day trip from Dublin is to take the DART to Bray (about 40 minutes). Bray has a spectacular beach and a great hiking trail high above the sea and the railroad where you can walk to the town of Greystones. Nice way to spend the day, If you want to spend a night in Bray you can not beat "The Strand Hotel" onetime home of Oscar Wilde. It is located right on the sea and was just remodeled and reopened last June 2018. I have been to all your other destinations except Belfast. All good choices.

LJM

You should go to your local VW Dealer and compare the Golf and the Jetta. They are both built on the same chassis. Both are compacts. I like the trunk on the Jetta. Make sure your luggage fits in the trunk. Leg room in the back seat is about the same, maybe 2 inches in favor of the Jetta. They always give you that or equivalent when you rent a car.

If you have a Capital One MAstercard they should cover the insurance. Check. YOu will need to present a letter from Capital One saying that you do have insurance coverage. This has to be dated so that it covers the time period you are renting - usually 60 days.

If you are accustomed to driving on the left side of the road and a stick shift, then get the manual transmission. But if it is your first time, get an automatic trans so you can focus more on the road. Also, ask if possible for a diesel vehicle to save money.

Keep re-checking rental prices. I find they can vary from one week to the next. Rebook to save money.
AutoEurope requires pre-payment but will refund if you cancel far enough ahead.

Hmmmmm....I'm getting a rental car (picking up/dropping off in Dublin) for 11 days, and the total cost is a shade under 80 Euros - less than 10% of what you're being charged!

I'm not taking the insurance, but I am getting a "VW Jetta or similar." Just a week or two before your rental. I booked directly through Hertz online.

Check again!

Not my experience. The big buses go both ways.

FYI, Ring of Kerry: Rick Steves' guidebook recommends driving CLOCKWISE from Kenmare leaving at 8:30....after a few stops you'll get to Waterville before noon...shortly after that leave the main Ring for the Skellig Ring (it's too narrow for tour buses)...have lunch there as a picnic on the beach at St. Finian's Bay or in Portmagee...by the time you rejoin the main route, the big buses have gone by.

However, Frommer's guidebook recommends the opposite: :-) I'm going with Steve's approach.

I have visited on numerous occasions and have done the ROK several times. The majority of the buses go counter clockwise. It is much easier to travel in the same direction as the buses. While I am a fan of Rick S you will find that his Ireland book is frowned upon by many frequent Irish visitors and the locals. He is often bashed for his clockwise recommendation. Also, clockwise puts you on the outer edge of the road with buses coming at you and no guardrail.

Whichever way you go, enjoy the day. It is a beautiful area.

Wow, that's a big difference. I just checked directly with Hertz and their quote for 16 days is 621€ without any insurance.

What? Skip Northern Ireland and miss some of the most beautiful scenery in Ireland?
That would be crazy. The Antrim Coast is a rare treasure and a beautiful, beautiful drive. Beats anywhere in the south.

Bette, I defer to you...Counter Clockwise, it is!

Regarding car rental (if you have not already booked). We generally go with Dan Dooley. Their all-inclusive price typically is in line with other agencies. We tend to add full insurance and an extra driver, for example.
https://www.dan-dooley.ie/

Often, tourists damage the side mirror or damage the tires on the left (not used to the narrow roads). We got hit while the car was parked at the Cliffs of Moher parking lot and we very glad we had the extra insurance. Might be worth chatting with the Dooley folks.

We are also heading to Ireland in Sept and will have a car for a week. However, we are picking up in Cork and dropping in Galway a week later. Price for a mid-size SUV w/ Europcar is $263. I thought that was a bargain and our credit card (Chase Sapphire Reserve) is primary insurance on car rentals (few cc's off that). I'm not completely sure about Europcar but I booked this early as I thought the price was good. I typically will periodically check car rentals up until we leave for a trip and at least in the US I often find lower rates than what I originally book.

I hope most people know this, but in case they don't, if your credit card covers car rental insurance worldwide (which I believe most do) they most likely will not cover you in Ireland. It will be written in the fine print on your benefits page. If they do cover Ireland, you will need to call the credit card company and have them send you a letter to show the rental agency that they do cover your insurance in Ireland. Otherwise the rental agency will make you take their insurance. Additionally, there is a non-negotiable €7 charge that they will add to your contract when you use your credit card insurance.

We have a number of different credit cards and the only one that covered Ireland was our AA card through Citibank. So please double check before you arrive in country.