Dingle to Dublin drive advice needed
 

We will be travelling to Ireland in June with our 19 month old son and another couple and their 6 month old son. After spending some time near Limerick, we will be off to Dingle for 2 nights. From there we were planning on staying in Cork for 2 nights and then travelling to Dublin. We are renting cars.

My friend is concerned about the drive time/distance between Cork and Dublin (especially with the babies). I would appreciate any suggestions for another nice town/city to stay in that is between Dingle and Dublin. Also if you have any accommodation recommendations, that would be great.
Thank you!

Kilkenny would make a good overnight stop. I think you might like staying in Kinsale more than in Cork.

Thank you for your replay Tim.

I think my original post was kind of unclear. We are looking for a city/town in between Dingle and Dublin that is closer to Dublin than Cork is.

I thought you were planning to stay in Cork and then were looking for a place to stop between Cork and Dublin so you wouldn't have to drive it in one shot. Thanks for the clarification. I'm still recommending Kilkenny.

I did that drive a few years ago and stayed overnight in Cashel at the Cashel Palace Hotel (which used to be the Bishop's palace). Gorgeous place. And very worth the stop to see the Rock of Cashel (right behind the Bishop's palace).

Thank you both. Tim when I read Kinsale, I just thought Kilkenny was near to it. Can you tell I'm a novice? Upon closer inspection of the map, I see it is inland between Dingle and Dublin. Knowing this, I better understand your reply.
One more oversight from my original post, is that we were planning to drive along the coast.

Longueville House near Mallow was lovely. However, further south than Kilkenny.

Another second for Cashel and The Cashel Palace Hotel. I like Kilkenny very much but Cashel is more of a small town, the view of the rock is beautiful, and the hotel can't be beat.

I have not been to Kilkenny or Cashel but I have been to Mallow. The town is quite attractive and the countryside pretty but there is not much to look at in town. Not far outside there is a very nice national park at Doneraille, which itself is a cute little village. I agree that Longueville House is very nice but so expensive at 180 to 200 for the most basic double ( superior is 235 to 260 Euros a night) http://www.longuevillehouse.ie that it would be out of the question for me. The Hiburnian Hotel http://www.hibhotel.com/rooms.html which is on the main road in the town has a good reputation but lacks charm. At 100 - 110 Euros a double it is at least affordable.

I think I would plump for Kilkenny with its castle and the church with one of the famous round towers (this one apparently dates from the 6th Century AD) and other interesting sites in the area. This website shows some of the sites and what looks like a reasonable hotel, the Butler Court, at 130 Euros a double.