Shannon-Adare will be a breeze with the new tunnel.
Leave SNN airport area on N19 for N18 Ennis-Limerick, head for Limerick and stay on the motorway until a few minutes after the tunnel you reach the M7/M20 interchange. Change to M20 for Cork/Tralee. After another few kms M20/N20 will veer off towards Cork. The main route will become N21 towards Tralee. The motorway will turn into a regular 2-lane highway and after another few minutes you will arrive in Adare. Big free parking lot behind the Visitor Centre in the centre of the village. Total travel time should be around 30 minutes from SNN.

We've been fine tuning our itinerary with lots of research and help from Fodorites. Here goes:

Day 1. Arrive Shannon, pick up car, and drag our jet lagged selves to Ennis for 1 night. Any suggestions for a B & B with beautiful grounds to relax on would be appreciated.

2. Slow drive north touring along the way to Westport for 2 nights. We chose Westport because MDH's relatives are from County Mayo and he would like to see the area.

In Westport we have been looking on Trip Advisor at "The Boulevard Guesthouse" or "Agusta Lodge" for 2 nights. Any comments?

3. Tour County Mayo and return to Westport for the night.

4. Long day drive, touring from Westport to Kilrush. Looking at "Hillcrest View" B &B to be close to the ferry.

5. Ferry & drive to Dingle. "Greenmount House", "Emlagh House", "House of Four Angels"or other (?) for 3 nights.

6. Tour Dingle Penninsula.

7. MDH may golf 9 in the morning and then tour Connor Pass in the afternoon.

8. Drive on to Kenmare for 2 nights. Tour Kenmare and maybe Ring of Kerry(although that looks like it's full of tour buses). Any suggestionsfor B & B,s in Kenmare?

9. Tour Beara Penninsula, back to Kenmare for the night.

10. Drive to Shannon, stopping in Adare for a looksee and using Cowboy1968's directions for the new motorway tunnel under the Shannon River to avoid Limmerick traffic, and stay close to the airport for an early flight home. We would like to stay in Adare, but having to be at the airport by 6am or so, we feel we should stay closer.

Until we actually book our flight we still may add another night here & there. It all looks so beautiful and we have no time restraints and a flexible budget.

Again, anycomments would be much appreciated. ;;)

If you do have the flexibility, I would add a night in Kenmare to see some of Killarney National Park. All we were able to see was the Gap of Dunloe (which I really enjoyed), but I would have liked to see the waterfalls and other parts of the park.

I have not driven the Beara, but based on what I've seen and read, I would skip the Ring of Kerry in favor of Dingle and Beara. Three days of scenic drives would probably get to be a little much for me anyhow!