I would appreciate any input on this situation. After much research, my fiance and I decided to devote 16 days to Ireland (honeymoon). I won't go into the day by day potential itinerary, but we are thinking of landing in Dublin, heading SW along the coast; after the Dingle Peninsula, cutting diagnal across the center towards Belfast; then swooping up the Northern section; seeing Donegal area and going down the E coast;last but not least hitting the Burren/Cliffs before departing from Shannon. The way I see it we can follow that route, or reverse it. Since we will be there this August (12-29), is this a good route, or would it be better to reverse it? Any hints, tips, suggestions are welcomed, since all I know of Ireland I have read about. Thanks so very much.

If you don't get many (or any) responses to your question, you may want to repost with a more desciptive title so people know, at a glance, what you're asking about. Be sure and mention the country in question.

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repost....so people know, at a glance, what you're asking about
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i agree...the irish will be scratching their heads wondering what the heck 'counter-clockwise' means.

Hi J,

I agree with the others about reposting.

I don't understand your itinerary. Have you got your East and West mixed up?

Dublin is on the East Coast
Belfast North East
Donegal North/North West
Dingle South West
Burren & Cliffs West

It's a lot of driving in 16 days, you will spend a lot of time in the car.

Helen

In Ireland our 'counter-clockwise' is 'anti-clockwise.'

If it were me, I think I would reverse course (i.e., Dublin, Belfast, Donegal) Why?? I like the West coast, especially August when daylight lasts until about 10PM: Dromoland Castle in County Clare might even be one of your stops (5-Star expensive but it is your Honeymoon). My suggested itinerary cuts out S.E. parts of the Republic

Suggestion
After landing in Dublin,spend a couple of days in Dublin sightseeing without a car. Then rent a car.If interested in Newgrange or the Hill of Tara then head north for a day ,if not head to Wexford or Waterford. then Kinsale
( Blarney casle ) and around the coast thru county Cork to Kenmare and Killarney ,Then Dingle and up the west Coast accross the Ferry to Doolin and Kinvara . On to Clifden, Leenane and Westport.in County Mayo. Then into Donegal and back to Shannon. Mostly Coastal route
Suggest 2 Nights Dublin
1 night wevford or waterford
2 nights Kinsale & Area
1 night Kenmare
2 nights Killarney
2 nights Dingle
1 night Doolin
1 night Clifden
2 nights Westport
1 night Donegal
Last night Bunratty
If you go to Newgrange eliminate Clifden
Just a thought , Southern County Cork, County Kerry and County Mayo are spectacular

Go to www.aaroadwatch.ie and use the route planner section to plug in your itinerary. Throw out THEIR time estimates and divide the TOTAL MILES DRIVEN by 35 (or better yet, 30MPH). Then you will have an idea of what you CAN accomplish.
If you really want to "see it all", fly in and out of Dublin or Shannon and make a grand circle -- you waste too much time 'criss-crossing' the country on roads ill-suited for high speed marathon driving.

Bob

agree with bob about just doing circle...if so, would start/end dublin since you don't want a car there anyway...

also agree this is too much driving...on our first trip we did dublin-galway-then sw loop back to dublin in 17 days...it was fun but exhausting...couldn't imagine throwing in Northern Ireland and Donegal...with less time.

just going off places you mentioned,...2 dublin, 3 antrim coast, 2 donegal, 2 westport/connemara, 1 doolin, 2 dingle, 3 kenmare, 1 bunratty

of course, like most here...would suggest prioritizing and picking dublin to shannon...north or south trip...either would be great for 16 days.

A lot of times, open jaw (into one airport, out of another) does save backtracking. If you were focusingin on either the south or the north, I'd recommend it. In this case though, I have to agree with Bob and Chip that a circle makes more sense, since you have a list that goes all around the perimeter of Ireland.

Otherwise, you're going halfway around and you're at your other airport - so you bypass it in order to see the other half, then have to backtrack anyway. To me, it would make most sense to begin and end in Dublin. That way you can pick up a car as you leave the city and drop it as you return - maybe even at the airport. But if you started and ended at Shannon, you'd have the car while in Dublin, which is basically a liability since you don't need it and would still have to park it.

I'm not sure it matters too much which way around you'd go if you were doing a circle.

Hi JTM,

We have done both, in 14 days and in 21days. Always started in Dublin, and ended in Dublin. We found it doesn't make much difference, either clockwise or counter clockwise. Just go and have a wonderful time We are going for a month in May , starting in Dublin and heading SE, then SW, West, and through the interior to Dublin. Have been to NI three times, so are not going this time. Next time! Happy Honeymoon!

Helen