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

I agree. But it seems the OP is set on the plan.

starwaker: You really do need to factor in how slow the travel is in the scenic bits. You are not giving yourselves much time to cover that much territory. Cork really wouldn't be on most "must see" lists.

The only reason I chose Cork is because it was a good halfway point between Dublin and Karnaney?

I'm more than open to cutting Cork out completely... what would you all recommend then?

I take the train straight to Karnaney on the 2nd day? Pick up a car there? Then just two nights in that city?

Would that be a better use of time?

Otherwise, I'm taking someone's suggestion to take the train to Cork on my first day and picking up a car there.

Looking at the suggestions: this is the revision

9/25 Dublin
9/26 Train to Karnaney
9/27 Stay at Dingle and sight see around there
9/28 Galway
9/29 Galway
9/30 Galway to Dublin

Is the train from Dublin to Karnaney easy to naviagate? Also, could I get a rental car easily there?

So I rebooked my trip per suggestions. I cut out Cork completely now.

This is the revision

9/25 Dublin
9/26 Train to Farranfore, pick up car head to Karnaney
9/27 Dingle
9/28 Galway
9/29 Galway
9/30 Galway to Dublin


Is this a better trip? What should I do my first day around Karnaney

Where is Karnaney? Farranfore does have the Kerry Airport so rental cars should be there. Sorry you are cutting out Cork. I have been twice and enjoyed my time there. It is close to Kinsale, Blarney, Midleton and Cobh which is beautiful and historic. Oh well, can't see everything.

I know. I was going to go to Cork but it just seems like I would be driving too much doing Cork then rushing off to Killarney the next day.

Now we have an extra day around Killarney, what do people recommend? We booked the train that will drop us off around noon.

We will then travel and stay in Dingle on 9/27 and then travel the peninsula.

Hopefully this tightens up the schedule better...

Btw, Macross, where are you planning on going on your trip?

Take a look at cycling through the Gap of Dunloe near Killarney:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_of_Dunloe

Google Earth can show you what the road looks like. The Connemara area is also a nice place to cycle if you don't make it out to the island.

That's an awesome idea... Any recommendations on how to rent bikes?

Also, anything to see around Farranfore before we head to Killarney

We've usually had our own bikes but on our last trip we just found a bike shop and rented bikes without reservations. Here's one place:

http://www.killarneyrentabike.com/rental.php

In the Connemara area you can find some beautiful routes around Cliffen, though that's probably about a 90 minute drive from Galway. The whole area is beautiful.

http://clifdenbikes.com/cycle-routes/

Very cool. I wanted to do 1 bike ride in Ireland, so I'll either do it in Killarney, Connermara, or Aran Islands.

What else did you do other than bike rides?

Also, any specific type of food that I should try out?

starwaker, we are doing a week in Westport, hiking, biking and climbing Crough Patrick, then a week in Dublin. I love Dublin and rent an apartment for a base. We are going to Belfast one day and Downpatick. Taking the train to Howth for the day and exploring Glendalough some more. We want to see some of the 1916 anniversary exhibits and can always find something to do there.

Food, the seafood chowder is my fav. We have several new places we want to try for dinner in Dublin. Farm to table places. I always go for the seafood. Guinness has some of the best in their restaurant and love their Guinness bread. Usually a band is playing there.
In Inishmore eat lunch here. Teach Nan Phaidi, right before you climb to see the fort.

http://www.ardbia.com/ Galway

It looks much better now.

Farranfore is not especially interesting - just another Irish village, distinguished only by having a regional airport close by.

I don't greatly like Killarney as a town - too tourist-commercial for my taste. Others like it better than I do. But there is no gainsaying the magnificent scenery in which it is located. So use your extra day to experience the mountains and lakes at Killarney.

Just to add to the confusion: Dingle gives you yet another cycling option on the Slea Head circuit. You need to be fairly fit to take it on, as it's hilly and the full circuit is about 40 miles (it is possible to lop a bit off it, and many do).

I hope that you like seafood, because it's the strong suit of many restaurants on the west coast. Around Galway, they are also very proud of their Connemara lamb, which are reared on a diet of mountain grazing.

The best meal I have ever had was lamb in a place perhaps ten miles from Clifden. I didn't know about the mountain grazing. I'm glad the lamb had a good life, at least until ...

I love seafood, so is it like fish, lobster and shrimp type dishes?

Is there anything I should try to book before I head over there (bike rides, dinner reservations, boat ride to Aran Island) or just book as I go?

Book as you go except for the Guinness tickets, go online and get them. Hotels, book now.
Seafood, prawns, mussels, oysters, salmon mostly. The pub food is good. They give you fries with everything though.

Also when I'm doing the Dingle Peninsula, I was told to buy food at the supermarket? Anything cool to try out that we can't find in the USA?

There's nothing wrong with the supermarket in Dingle, but it's not out of the ordinary either. I don't know why you were give that advice.

Cold, how could you have failed to know about the mountain grazing? As you travel around Connemara, you see sheep and lambs grazing on the mountains - and also on moorland and scrubland. Their diet is far more varied than lush meadow grass.

Padraig I know they graze. But I don't connect that to what goes in my mouth. You mean they actually go up there and round them up and ...? C'mom lads you're tonight's special?

In fact I don't even know the difference between sheep and lamb.

Now you've got me worried that those sheep/lamb we saw high up on Icelandic hillsides looking so content end up in the frozen food section of a grocery store.