Have just been presented with 2 tickets for Shannon, leaving in 2 weeks. We'll have car but have no ideas about where to go. Do want to see Cliffs of Moher and plan to skip Ring of Kerry, after reading this forum.Like small villages. Need help with itinerary ideas. Thanks a lot.

Why don't you go up through Galway out into the Connemara region, esp. if you like small towns. It's full of them, and very quaint. Depending on what time you arrive at Shannon, you could drive out to Clifden for perhaps the first two nights. Lots to see in that area. Then go up to Cong and/or Westport and finally back down to Shannon. To me that would be a good use of five days. Seeing a small area in a leisurely manner rather than racing through lots of places would be better for a shorter visit. You'll get lots of great ideas from this forum I'm sure!

Connemara is my favorite region. if you send me a note to [email protected], I can send you some driving tours.

regards ... Ger

Clare (Cliffs, Burren)

Galway and Connemeara and lower Mayo

Limmerick (Bunratty)

Willing to move about/travel briskly?

Add Dingle, remove Mayo.

It is a three hour drive to Dingle but well worth it. Do not miss Sleigh Head and the attendant scenery. Dingletown is charming--dine at "Beginnish". Nice pubs in town.

We stayed at Heaton's Guest House, a tad expensive but well worth the price.

Further south Kinsale is worth visiting but about 5 hours drive from Shannon. See Charlesfort, Cobh. Great dining.

The Irish are so welcoming it is hard to think of a place in Ireland not worth a visit. Erin Go Bragh!

Good luck.

Anthony

Thanks for your help, everyone. After talking with people, we've decided that we'd realy like to see the Dingle peninsula. Connemara sounds great, but am wondering if we can reasonably include it, Dingle, and Cliffs of Moher, given our having only 5 days? If not, What would anybody suggest as a good route if we regretfully drop Connemara?

If you're gonna be traveling on Dingle, you might even considering heading a little further south to Killarney Natl Park.... Beautiful.
Maybe you can do:

Killarney Natl Park would be 1 full day.

Dingle a full day (to actually spend time on the peninsula)

Galway/Cliffs of Moher a full day (including driving from Killarney or Dingle - maybe you can take the ferry over to Loop Head to make that drive a little shorter? - i dont' know much about that ferry)

Some time in the Burren also..others will have to give you the best places to explore/tour though.

And then it's up in the air.. could spend more time in either area, but that would give you 2 main focus areas, north and south of Shannon.
If you're willing to move brisk-ish, at least for 2days, Killarney could be doable.

The south coast has tons of neat little villages, like Kinsale mentioned, but would be too much driving to do for your allotted time, imo.

I agree with Amy, Killarney National Park is a beautiful part of Ireland, and great for walking.
If are going to be near the Cliffs of Moher, then do try & drive through a bit of The Burren.

wow...you must have the luck of the Irish!

for best of...
day1-head to cliffs of moher(must see) then down to Dingle using the killimer-tarbert ferry shortcut, over the connor pass...stay in Dingle.
day2-do slea head loop (must see)...stay in Dingle.
day3-do killarney national park (must see)...stay in kenmare.
day4-more park/lakes/muckross/ross castle or beara pen...stay in kenmare
day5-back to shannon, stay near bunratty

or... if you don't want to drive too far first day
1-doolin (cliffs/burren)
1-dingle (slea head)
2-kenmare (killarney national park)
1-end up near shannon/bunratty

By combining some of your ideas and following the itinerary similar to your suggestion, Chip, we're feeling comfortable with our route and feel we can linger and/or vary according to whims. If we don't see it this trip, there's always next time, we hope.With only 1 1/2 weeks before leaving, need to move on to other important topics so am posting another query re beers. If any ideas on that, do send them. This is a great forum with really thoughtful and generous posters. Thanks again everybody! Will send a report when we return.