8 Full Days in Ireland (Need Advice)
 

Just found out about this forum - it's great! Can anyone comment on my rough Ireland itinerary? We are going the last week of September. I have already been to N. Ireland, Cork, Waterford & Ring of Kerry but am taking along friends who have never been to Ireland. We are mid/late-20s, and want a good mixture of city life and scenic towns. Want to mostly stay in B&Bs, with the exception of hostel in Dublin. Any cheaper accommodation advice would be appreciated as well! (Max about 30 Euro per person a night).

DAY 1 - Arrive at Shannon Airport in morning, drive to Burren/Cliffs of Moher during day, stay in Doolin
DAY 2 - Go to Galway
DAY 3 - Go to Dublin
DAY 4 - Another night in Dublin
DAY 5 - Go to Kilkenny (mainly to break up the Dublin to Dingle trip)
DAY 6 - Go to Dingle
DAY 7 - Bike around Dingle Peninsula (if decent weather), stay in Dingle again that night
DAY 8 - Go to Bunratty (is this the best close-to-the-airport town to stay in for our last night? Every minute counts, so we need a somewhat memorable last night!)
DAY 9 - Depart from Shannon at 9 am

I'm not sure about Galway and Dingle time - which would be better to give two nights? Or should I skip Kilkenny and give them both two nights? Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated!

I don't know when your last visit(s) to Ireland were, but I don't think you'll find much available lodging at or less than your 'max' 30 Euro PPS.

You'll be in Doolin at the height of nearby Lisdoonvarna's Matchmaking Festival. Be careful you don't get snared!

If you have a rental car, ask when you pick it up how early they are open for drop off. That could be important the morning you depart.

Don't give up Kilkenny. IMHO Kilkenny has lots to see and is a charming place to walk. Buttlers Castle, round tower at the cathedral, etc.

Have fun!

It has been a while since my last visit. It was a college study abroad program, so I didn't deal with any accommodations. I guess I've really just researched the Doolin area, and 30 pp is about the going rate for September (Doolin's size probably explains why it's so cheap). We wanted to be somewhat thrifty, but I guess that's not possible in Ireland! We definitely don't want to stay in hostels the whole time, so if you can recommend anywhere....

The Matchmaking Festival sounds fun, even though I will be there with my husband. We will go check that out!

Any other suggestions about the Kilkenny/Galway/Dingle issue (where to spend our time) or anything else?

FWIW, when we were there in March, the least we paid was €28.50pp (Westport), the most was €35pp (Galway).

For me, with only 8 days I don't think I'd do the east, though I know you want to go to Dublin. In the past, I've never metioned Cork city as a possible option, but I understand the town is sprucing up quite a bit as it was the 2005 European City of Culture (or something like that). My understanding is that it has gotten a fair amount more tourist friendly. It's probably still very difficult to drive in, but then again, so is Dublin.

Bunratty is a good last night town though it's mainly a B&B community built around the folk park whcih some people love. I think the castle is pretty nice though and there are a number of final evening events. If you decide you want to attend a castle banquet, you should make the reservations now. They fill up early.

B&B rates will run as low as the hi 20's to about 40. You can find more expensive too.

Bill