Another 1st Timer - Need Itinerary Help!
 

My son (age 16) and I will be traveling to Dublin in July to attend the U2 concert. The concert is on 7/27. I thought we would arrive on the 25th and relax and and see Dublin, concert on 27th, check out on 28th. This is where I am clueless! We need to depart around 8/1. We could fly back out of Shannon. Can anyone suggest an itinerary that would include the must see sights. I know that we can't see everything in 1 week, and we certainly don't want to be in our car the whole trip. I am just beginning my research, but thought this post might save me some time. Thanks so much! Can't wait to visit.

I think you definitely do need to do some research to see what appeals to <i>you</i>. If you want to see the west or southwest, flying back from Shannon is a great idea. You could fly into Dublin, spend your first couple of days seeing Dublin and perhaps part of Wicklow, and then head west on the 28th. You could spend all that time in one spot, maybe Kenmare, or split between perhaps Kenmare and Dingle. You might also check into Galway and Connemara to see if you'd like that better.

Or, you could head north from Dublin and see Belfast, the Giant's Causeway, and that area. Do you and your sons have any particular interests that might make a difference (golf, horseback riding, music, etc)?

(And can I just say how jealous I am of all you people seeing U2 in Dublin?! You're something like the third poster I've seen with tickets! I just got tickets to the second Chicago show yesterday, but seeing them in Dublin... awesome.)

We just want to see the sights. Castles, the cliffs, villages, etc. I'm not sure if it would be better to stay in one place after Dublin or try to fit in two. I hate to miss must see sights, but sometimes it's better to stay in one place and really explore.

Oh, and ofcourse we like music! Will the pubs allow my 16 year old?

Well, you just need to be realistic about what you can do and how you like to travel. A good rule of thumb for driving in Ireland is that you can average about 35mph. So even though it's a small country, it could take a good chunk of your day to get from Dublin to, say, Dingle. If you fly back on August 1 from Shannon, I would probably drive to Kenmare on the 28th and stay there for three nights, driving up to Ennis or somewhere around there for your last night. But you could also spend two nights in Kenmare, drive to Dingle on the 30th, and drive the Dingle Peninsula on the 31st before heading closer to Shannon. Just depends on your travel speed.

I can't really help with anything in Northern Ireland, but I'd look into it for sure - it's on my list of places I really want to go. It looks just beautiful.

Your son will be welcomed in the pubs. They are pretty family oriented. As for music, if you end up in Dingle (which I HIGHLY recommend!) then try John Benny Moriarty's. As a matter of fact, my son who was then 17 and I were there exactly three years ago today and the music there really made our evening.

I would head to the west and check out Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry, personally - but I like landscapes and music. If you like the same, there you go :)

You can check out my trip reports if you like - I've been to Ireland three times now, all reports are here.

Possible itinerary:

7/25 Arrive Dublin
7/26 Day Trip (Wicklow Mtn.?)
7/27 Dublin/U2 concert
7/28 Drive to Killarney or Kenmare
visit Rock of Cashel, Blarney, in route
7/29 Killarney or Kenmare
Ring of Kerry, Nt.Park
7/30 Drive to Dingle
7/31 Dingle
8/1 Drive to Shannon area via ferry
visit Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle
8/2 Depart Shannon for Houston

1. Are we missing any must see sights on drive from Dublin to Killarney?
2. Should we bypass Killarney or Kenmare as a place to spend the night, and just stay in Dingle and take day trips? That could free up an extra day for Shannon area.

Personally, I'd keep it as is. I'd rather stay in Kenmare for the ROK or the national park (I don't think you'll be able to fully do both in one day, by the way). It took us about two hours to get from Killarney to Dingle, though I'll grant you we got lost once. Anyway, it's not an easy day trip for me.

Thanks for all the great advice. I think we have decided on Kenmare instead of Killarney. Now we just need advice on accomodations for Dublin, Kenmare, Dingle, Shannon. We're trying to keep rooms below $200.

Also, when driving from Kenmare to Dingle wouldn't we see the ROK? Or, atleast part of it?

You would be going by Killarney National Park, the 'east end' of the Ring, but driving the whole ring takes a full day, at the least. So you won't see the best parts - however, I think Dingle is more beautiful, and it's certainly less touristed.

For Dublin, if you want inexpensive and convenient, we stayed at O'Neill's Victorian Pub (there are two O'Neill's). It is an old Victorian house made into a B&B and a pub with food downstairs. It is across from Trinity college, walking distance to O'Connell Street and Grafton. It is on the noisy side, being on a busy street and near the train, and has lots of stairs, but for Dublin, it's a great price. Bring your earplugs and you should be fine :) Three brothers own the place, they are quite nice. The breakfasts are normal, nothing special, but the rooms have these super-high victorian ceilings - lots of space! E35-E65 pp pn.

http://www.oneillsdublin.com/homepage.htm

You will drive part of the ROK between Kenmare and Killarney, including Ladies' View. I haven't seen the rest, but as GreenDragon said, the Dingle Peninsula is absolutely beautiful, and I don't feel that I missed out.

In Dingle we stayed at Emlagh Lodge and were really, really happy with it.

I wonder if it would be better to drive Dublin to County Clare area and stay there and take day trips. I hate the idea of packing up and moving so much. I also hate to miss the Galway area. I'm thinking that ROK and Nt. Park are going to be very crowded and maybe we should skip it this time. Could we see enough of Dingle in a day trip from Shannona area? Thanks for your help!!

When we went with our then 16 year old son three years ago, we were told that, legally, under 18 year olds are not allowed in the pubs after, I think, 9:00. And, with the exception of Sunday afternoons, most music starts late.

We were in the pubs every night of our trip and had no problems. However, it was March, we stayed in Galway, Westport and Ennis and our son, at 6'1" and 250 pounds, looked older than his 16 years. He did not, of course, try to drink.

Chances are, you won't have any problems. But better to be aware of the law.

Did you venture out to Kerry or Dingle? We're just trying to decide between the two areas. It doesn't seem realistic to try and do both. Thanks for the advice.

Not sure who that last question was adressed to, abruce. But, if it was me, no. That was a quick trip, only 5 nights, into and out of Shannon.

I definitely agree that it's not realistic to do the southwest and the Galway area in a short trip. You'll enjoy the trip much more if you concentrate on one area. Not going to advise you as to which one, however. I love them both!

Shannon is a bit of a drive from Dingle, about two hours. It's POSSIBLE to do that, drive around the peninsula, and get back - but it's a lot of driving and lots of things to see. But then again, I've done the Ring of Kerry as a day trip from Kilkenny, so what do I know :)

I would definitely not take day trips to Killarney or Dingle from Clare. WAY too much driving. You may think it's a pain to pack up and move for two nights, but my personal opinion is that it's much more of a pain to be done with whatever you want to see and still have 2-3 hours of driving in front of you. Or to have to cut off whatever you're doing so you can get back to your b&b at a reasonable hour.

It's your trip, though. :)

Thanks again for your help. I have a new plan!

Sat. Arrive Shannon Airport, travel to Galway area
Sun. Galway area (Cliffs, Aran islands)
Mon. Drive to Dublin, do a little exploring, dinner, concert
Tues. Dublin
Wed. Drive to Kilkenny through Wicklow Mtn.
Thur. Drive to Kinsale or Cork, see Cashel on the way
Fri. Blarney, other Kerry sights
Sat. Drive back to Dublin (wanted to leave out of Shannon, but air was $500 more on a Sunday)
Sun. Fly home

I am worried about two things. 1. Is the drive to Dublin from Galway really only about 3 hrs? 2. Will the drive from Kinsale to Dublin be too much?

Need hotel recommendations for Kilkenny, Galway (or vacinity), and Kinsale.

Thanks again!

I don't have much time to provide help, as I believe many others pointed out some of the sights to see in the time you have to tour. I would suggest heading west like many have said. To me, the music is much better in the west. I don't recall the name of the pub, but there was one in Dingle that is green and yellow on the outside. Great music the night we were there and it's a very spacious and fun pub to walk around in. I hope to one day return. Maybe others can provide the name?

I must say I am jealous about the U2 concert. I will be in Dublin July 25th-27th and was hoping to take in one of the concerts, but with the tickets selling as fast as they did that didn't happen. I hope to be able to make it up to Croke Park and the GAA museum while I am in the city, but it may be chaotic with the concerts going on.