1st trip to Ireland!
 

Greetings all - we will be spending 2 weeks in Ireland in mid-September, and would appreciate any help on our itinerary. We'll be flying into Shannon, picking up a car, and heading north maybe as far as Galway. Then back south & east through Kerry, Cork, Waterford, etc ending up in Dublin, flying home from Dublin.

My family way back came from a town called Castlecomer, in Kilkenny, so for sure we want to spend a couple days around there. Other than that, I'd appreciate any suggestions on base towns to stay in for a few days at a time. We're interested in seeing the "must-see" sights, like the Ring of Kerry, but also to have time to sit & relax. Your suggestions? Thanks so much!

We always aim for Clifden mid September for Arts week or at least a couple of days of it. Might be a bit too far north though.
Consider a couple of days using Ennis as a base for Clare, Cliffs and Burren and the "Shannon Region" as a whole.
Under the Shannon Killarney is a good touring base for the whole of Kerry including Dingle, Invaragh (Ring of Kerry) and Beara peninsula's.
I like south west Cork, Beara, Sheeps Head and Mizen better than the northern Kerry Peninsula's, Cork offers access to Kinsale, Cobh and Blarney. East to Waterford before going up into Kilkenny and onward to Dublin.
Two weeks gives scope for you to fit in your wants at a fairly leisurely pace.

But it's your holiday so have a look at a couple of good guide books (rick steves doesn't count) a map and put together your wants into a rough Itinerary. We will then pick the bits out of that to hopefully give it a positive tweak.

Tony, thanks so much. After doing a little more homework, a plan is taking shape. After arriving in Shannon,we'll head north to Clifden for 3 nights. We're hoping to use that as a base for Galway, the Cliffs, Burren, etc. Then south to Killarney or thereabouts for 4 nights, covering the Ring of Kerry, etc. Then 4 nights in Kilkenny, and our last 3 in Dublin. Any suggestions/changes? Thanks!

Clifden is not a base for The Cliffs and you need to break the Clifden Killarney drive possibly take a night from Kilkenny which much as I love the place is only worth 2 or 3 nights really. Split the drive by seeing the Cliffs and then either in to Ennis then Bunratty and the Shannon Tunnel or Kilkee area on the coast and Loop Head before crossing the Shannon ferry.

For the Connemara around Clifden see http://goo.gl/maps/L5ihu

Hi Marie:

I would not use Clifden as a starting point for the Burren. Travel from Shannon to the Burren and stay a night/day to explore the area, and then head to Clifden (love the area :) ). Take a day trip to Westport (really gorgeous drive if you take the back roads)), and drive around Connemara. I'd be inclined to stretch this to four days, particuarly if the weather is fine.


In Kerry, I'd prefer Dingle over Killarney. Don't consider Tralee!

I'd struggle to fill four days in Kilkenny, but have'nt been there for many years. I'd rob a day (or two) and spend in Commemara or Kerry.

Three days in Dublin is probably OK.

Regards Ger

At the risk of sounding like a stuck record..Dingle is not a touring base for anywhere other than the Dingle peninsula. Having broken the trip down for the Shannon crossing it is good use of a day to drive round Dingle on the way to your Kerry base, or if you have taken time heading down through Clare, consider having a drive free day and take the Deros tour of Dingle from Killarney. http://derostours.com/new/

Either Killarney or the slightly less tourist intense Kenmare are the best bases for seeing things around Kerry as a county.
Having considered the Kilkenny section 3 nights is probably the right amount of time given your Genealogy link.