dbates12

Hi,
We are planning to rent a car and drive around Ireland in the off-season (Nov 2017). We know that the days will be shorter and that there will be rain, fog and ever changing weather. All that is OK. What I could use help with is our driving itinerary which I have been working on (see below).

I have been to the Republic of Ireland a couple of times but have not visited Northern Ireland. Also, this will be the 1st visit for the person I am traveling with. We have 10 days (including arrival / departures)

Day 1: Arrive Shannon Airport 6:00 am. Pick up rental care and travel to Kenmare via Killnary stopping to see the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle along the way
Day 2: Drive the Ring of Kerry to Killorglin where we would go north to Limerick for the night
Day 3: Drive to St. Bridget's Well, Cliffs of Moher, afternoon meal in Doolin and then onto Galway via Kinvarre. Stay the night in Galway
Day 4: Drive through the Connemara region (my favorite part of Ireland, so far) taking in the Quiet Man Bridge, Clifden Castle and Kylemoor Abbey. Take the Sky Road to Sligo for the night (Should we just drive straight to Londonderry?
Day 5: Travel to Londonderry (Visit Portrush Whiterocks Beach, Giants Causeway and the Dark Hedge; travel to Belfast for the night
Day 6 Belfast to New Grange (debating this one..I've been there but my travel mate hasn't
Day 8 - Dublin
Day 9 - Dublin
Day 10 - Depart Dublin airport

Also, as a special treat we were thinking of trying to stay in a castle one night. Any suggestions?

Thanks very much.

janisj

I would not do this -- but that is just me. One night stand after one night stand after one night stand. You will packing/unpacking, checking in/out every day until you get to Dublin. Not fun IME -- especially with the possibility of bad to downright terrible weather.

If you are flying in long haul your first day will likely be EXTREMELY difficult. More than 4 hours driving time plus the RoC and Cahir Castle visits along the way. Not recommended at all.

Padraig

This is not feasible. Days are short in November; light is often poor; rain is fairly probable on at least some days. It's not enough to acknowledge these points and then proceed as if they were irrelevant.

Your routing is questionable on day 1. Shannon to Kenmare via Cashel and Cahir is awkward, to say the least. If you have just travelled across the Atlantic, it is worse than awkward; it's recklessly ambitious.

Galway through Connemara to Sligo is a long trek in summer. In wintertime much of the trip would be in darkness.

And so on.

[Don't mention Londonderry while in the Republic of Ireland.]

dbates12

Thanks JanisJ and Padraig. This is what I thought. I'll discuss it with my travel mate. We definitely want to see the Cliffs of Moher, the Connemara region and if possible, the Giant's Causeway. Maybe we cut out the Kenmare / Ring of Kerry. From your experience, is the plan below more achievable?

Day 1: Arrive, rent car and to to Ennis, Lahnich or Doolin (sleep in chosen town)
Day 2: Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, (sleep in Galway)
Day 3: Explore Connemara (sleep in Galway)
Day 4: Drive from Galway to Derry (sleep in Derry)
Day 5: Explore along coast (Giant’s Causeway, etc., (sleep in Belfast)
Day 6: Belfast
Day 7: Drive to Dublin (visit Newgrange along the way); return car to Dublin airport (sleep in Dublin)
Day 8: Dublin
Day 9 Dublin
Day 10: Fly home from Dublin

Thanks

Padraig

That is much better in terms of being able to travel in daylight hours.

You are still taking your chances with the weather. Personally, I think taking a scenic drive on a rainy day is okay - it's just another way of seeing things. The risk is closed-in conditions with very limited visibility. You could end up standing on the Cliffs of Moher and not seeing the see. or driving through a valley in Connemara and having no view of the mountains on either side of you.

Be prepared to maker changes when you are on the ground.

Macross

I have never been in November, October but a freind did and they has perfect weather a couple of years back. Hope for the best. I am glad you are doing NI. I Love that northern coast. Belfast has a lot of interesting sites. Visit the City hall and Crown pub, Black cab tour is a must for me.
I saw Newgrange on a wet sogggy day but am glad we went. Buswell's hotel on Molestreet in Dublin is centrally located and nice.