We will be needing a map for driving in Ireland the end of May. During our trip we will be driving from Kerry Airport to Dingle, to Doolin, and eventually Galway. Would the Michelen country map for Ireland be detailed enough for us? Should we purchase a map here in the US before our trip or will we be able to find a sufficient map in the Dublin Airport? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Just Google the maps and you can probably get drving directions also. If you have time, consider going to Kenmare and the Ring of Beara. You will not be disappointed
Enjoy the trip.

Get a spiral binder of ORANDANCE SURVEY maps of Ireland. Easier to look at while in the car and very good detailed maps showing streams, rivers, etc. You can get them at some book stores in the USA or you can purchase them when you get to Ireland.

Use the Automobile Association web-site route planner for turn-by-turn driving directions: http://www.aaroadwatch.ie

Alternately, try: http://www.viamichelin.com

For cities/large towns: http://www.citymaps.ie

The Michelin Road Atlas, available at most Borders, Barnes & Nobles and Booksamillion is pretty good. For more in-depth, the Ordinance Survey Spiral Atlas is hard to beat. It was running about 13 Euro at the Top Shop just across from the Car Hire desks at Shannon Airport, just a couple of years ago.

For the casual tourist, just trying to make it from Killarney to Dingle, the free map provided by the Car Hire company is probably adequate, though.

Bob

For just driving directions, I found the AA Route Planner to be an excellent source:
http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp
When it opens, it defaults to GB so be sure to click on Ire. It also gives the distance and driving time from one point to another.

I just ordered my Ordinance Survey Atlas online. It's the second edition, but it doesn't say which year that is. '94?

thank you all for your help!

The Ordnance Survey spiral bound book is great, it's the one we always keep in the car.
If we're going out for the day exploring though and want to get off the beaten track and find rivers, valleys, waterfalls, views etc, we always bring one of the OS Discovery Series maps with us.
http://www.irishmaps.ie/productlistingM.cfm?SeriesID=11

We used the Rough Guide map for Ireland on our 8-day driving trip earlier this month. I bought it from Amazon ($9.99). I have used Rough Guide in other countries as well and I find them easy to read and reliable. I like the fact that they show places of interest as well (e.g. Powerscourt or Newgrange) and that their thin plastic coating keeps them from tearing from constant opening and closing like other paper maps.
Whatever map you choose, I would buy it in advance of your trip and familiarize yourself with your routes. I, too, found AA Route Planner to be a valuable aid in determining driving distances and driving times, but I did not use them for specific driving directions.

I think we had the Michelin spiral bound. Get it here before you go and get a very detailed one. When we do it again, I will have a gps with me. We got lost even with the maps.