Subright04

So I am going on a solo trip around Ireland. I fly into Dublin and am staying there for a weekend. Plan to leave Dublin on April 8th and then fly out of Shannon on April 15th. I am renting a car and really have no clue where to go. I know I want to go to Cork, Kinsale, The ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Connemera and spend my last weekend in Galway City before I fly back to the US. Can someone give me any sort of prosposed intenerary. I have looked at several that ppl have posted but I am not sure if they make sense for me or not. Thanks for you help.

Padraig

In what way do the recent discussions on itineraries for Ireland fail to meet your requirements?

aussieparker

hello,

I am also planning a trip to Ireland in June and I have some good websites that you might wish to take a look at.

http://www.bedandbreakfastireland.net for accomodations.

http://www.authenticireland.com/self_drive.htm
These are good sites, sometimes it is best not too plan too far ahead, you might come across a place in Ireland that you stay at and travel from that point on day trips.

12perfectdays

I would see how much it would be to do a short hop on Ryan Air to Cork and pick up my car there. (Or Bus...don't think a train connects through)

Then you could start there and work your way around. You would mostly be doing one nighters and I will tell you that solo driving is a little harder, so expect your drive times to be longer. You really would be better to cut off Cork/Kinsale and have a slightly more relaxing itinerary.

There are a few ways to move things around but as it seemed that you want to be in Galway over a weekend then you could do something like this...

<b>8th- </b>Dublin bus/fly to Cork and pick up car, see Cork, head to Kinsale (16 miles), sleep Kinsale
<b>9th</b> Kinsale walkabout &amp; sleep Kinsale
<b>10th</b>Kinsale to Kenmare or Killarney
<b>11th</b>killarney or Kenmare day tour to ROK
<b>12th</b>killarney or Kenmare to Doolin via Cliffs of Moher
<b>13th</b>Doolin to Galway through the Burren
<b>14th</b>Galway- day tour Connemara
<b>15th</b> Galway to Shannon airport (56 miles)

This is a very ambitious driving itinerary and you would do better to possibly drop Cork/Kinsale out, bus to Killarney, pick up a car and start from there to have a little less &quot;runnin' and gunnin'&quot;. Base your drive time on 30mph.

check out
http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/

and for more help with Q&amp;A...
http://www.irelandexpert.com/
http://www.irelandyes.com/

good luck!

JOHNOD

I second the idea of flying from Dublin to Cork on the 9th. Aerarran has four flights on Sunday from Dublin to Cork and the airport is really a short hop to both Cork City and Kinsale. It would save most of the day driving from Dublin to Cork. Having said that I think you should skip the night in Cork City and head right to Kinsale. Cork is Lovley but it is a city and your coming from Dublin. From Kinsale you drive along the coast on the R-600 for a while and then pick up the N-71 to Killarney. I would usually say Kenmare but your schedule is tight and this way you can stop and sitesee in the Mts. and in the National Park as the drive from Kinsale to Killareny is not a hard one and there are lovely views along the way.
I would then skip the ROK and use the day you didn't use in Cork and drive to Dingle and do the Slea Head Drive which in my opinion (others will disagree)is more spectacular than the ROK. From there you can go North and visit the Cliff and drive through the Burren enroute to Galway. From Galway you can take a day trip up to the Connemera and have your weekend in Galway. Have fun

Subright04

Thanks so much for all your help!I am going to look into flying into Cork to cut that part of my trip off. I am totally clueless on what to do and this gives me a good idea of what sites to get in!

chatham

Subright04,

Or you could fly to Kerry airport and skip Kinsale ,spend 2 or 3 nights Kenmare or Killarney and 2 nights Dingle. Take the Killimer-Tarbert Ferry to County Clare and stay a night in the Burren and then up to Connemara if you have time. I found Kinsale a pretty and pleasant town, but the scenery on Dingle, around Kenmare &amp; Killarney , the Burren and Connemara are outstanding.

Just some thoughts.

12perfectdays

Johnod-
Thanks, I really was thinking Aerarran not ryanair! I also totally agree with you about Dingle. DH and I are doing our 2nd trip and that was my pick for a revisit!

chatham
Hello! I was so hoping that you would pop on with a few suggestions. Your itinerary is much better for a solo driver...more time to catch a breath and enjoy rather than race from one to the next.

Dawn

chatham

Subright04

If your heart is set on Kinsale, ask the gang here if you couldn't drive to Kenmare and see some sights on the way and still have time for a few nights in Dingle. You can see Killarney park from Kenmare. I didn't spend much time in Dingle until I kept reading about it here. Oh, my, what I'd been missing.

Hi, Dawn,

You,Padraig,aussieparker, and Johnod are up to giving your great advice. I had good trips before I started reading this site, but after I started here, it made such a difference.

Regards, Joan

beep

Take the Dublin - Cork train might be better than plane. As it can take up to two hours to get out to Dublin airport in rush hour and then with security it would take a lot longer than the train.

irishrail.ie offers a great hourly service to cork and train trip takes 2hrs 50mins. the trains leave from Dublin Heuston which is in the city centre and is served by the red line luas tram luas.ie

By the way Dingle is a must see, and you'll love Galway.

Ann41

The hardest thing about driving by yourself in Ireland is not having a navigator. Have a good look at the map and try to memorize the towns inbetween your start-off point and your destinations, as the sign postings tell you what town you're going toward. Easier than remembering road numbers.

brewlew

I took the bus from Dublin to Ennis and found it a good way to get across the country. And from Ennis it is easy to go to the Burren, Dingle, the Cliffs of Moher and Connemarra. Galway just seemed like a big city to me. I second 12perfectdays' suggestion to skip Cork/Kinsale. I'd skip Galway City, too. But I wouldn't miss the Burren and the Connemarra. In Ireland, unlike Europe, the bus system is better than the train system. And when in Dublin, if you can get out to Glendalough or Powerscourte Gardens, you won't be disappointed. Also, please consider a visit to the Rock of Cashel. Have a wonderful time!

Subright04

I think I got it, how does this sound!


Ok, so I think I have finally come up with some sort of a plan for my trip next month.

Sun. April 8th- leave dublin, drive through and explore cashel/cahir, sleep in Cork
Monday-Explore Cork and Kinsale, drive to Killarney to sleep
Tuesday-Ring of Kerry, sleep in Killarney or Limerick (need help trying to decide if driving to limerick is feasible that day)
Weds.-Explore Limerick?? Drive to Doolin, spend the night there
Thurs.-Cliffs of Moher/Burren, drive to Galway City to sleep
Fri-Tour Connemare, Galway City to sleep
Sat-Explore Galway City
Sun-home

How feasible does this all sound? I want to see as much as I can in the smallest amount of time. I will be by myself so there is no pressure of anyone else wanting to go anywhere else.

12perfectdays

Hi Subright04,
How funny, we'll be passing each other that Wednesday somewhere along the road. (We'll be taking the bus from Shannon to Killarney)

Have you had a chance to check out the AARoadwatch site to plan your route? The routes are great, the timing is off. We worked our routes on 30-35mph and it really worked for us.

DH and I were both discussing the best way if we had to drive solo and being a driver by trade his suggestion was a good one.

I suggest printing each portion of the days drive on individual sheets (one sheet Dublin to Cashel, one sheet Cashel to Cahir etc.) for easier handling. DH added that he would use a few post-its on each of the printed pages with route changes in a sharpie for ease of reading (N74 Cork - Dublin N8)without a navigator pointing the way.

Our last trip was Dublin to Cashel via Kilkenny so I am unsure of the timing of the direct route to Cashel, but it is 100 miles.
IMHO- you may want to slow it down a little (see below, doable but exhausting)and time could slower for you too for navigation.

<i>8a-11a Dublin drive to Cashel
11a-2p Cashel walkabout
2p-3p lunch and drive to Cahir
3:00-5:00 tour Cahir Castle &amp; such
5:00-7:00 drive to Cork</i>

You would also be better off to go from Killarney to Doolin
I would skip Limerick, stay in Killarney and take the Killimer/Tarbert Car Ferry and head to Doolin (87 miles) much better than working your way around.

The last part- Moher, Burren, Galway sound great.

Good luck!
Dawn

chatham

Subright04,
As Perfect said go to the AA Roadwatch. My last trip I printed the routes and took them with us. I found it a great help.
Have a great trip. Joan