Dublin to Adare
 

Help! I have been to Ireland once with my parents about ten years ago and am about to plan a trip with two friends to go over Thanksgiving. We are definitely staying in Dublin for two nights (weeknights and looking at the Paramount as a hotel option) and then we are driving down to Adare and staying there on 3 nights for a Wedding. Those two things are planned.

I guess my question is--between Dublin and Adare we have one free night. We were thinking of renting a car and driving and I didn't have a clue where we should stop for that one evening. Any advice on a smart itinerary would be much appreciated. A small, out of the way town is fine or somewhere like Cork or Galway could be fun too--I just don't even know where to begin!!!

If you want to stay in a "medieval city," pick Kilkenny. If you'd like to get a little closer to Adare before calling it a day, pick Caher. You could visit the castle there and the next day take a slight detour to see the Rock of Cashel before going on to Adare.

Okay--so it sounds like Kilkenny might be a little silly? We don't care about doing super touristy stuff--I would definitely like to see the Rock of Cashel so that sounds good. Is there anything to do in Caher or Cashel after dark or are the tourist destinations it?

Kilkenny is actually a wonderful city, and I have been there on two different trips. It has a little night life, traditional as well as modern. For trad, I really enjoyed a night of trad music at Kyteler's Inn, a pub since the 1600s.

There are two cathedrals in the city, both worth a visit (one is Catholic, one Church of Ireland) and the Black Dominican Abbey as well as the castle are great. If you prefer older ruins, just south of there is Kells Priory and Jerpoint Abbey. If you like picturesque towns, Inistioge is where they shot the film 'Circle of Friends'.

Here is how the Lonely Planet Ireland guidebook describes Kilkenny:

"To simply call Kilkenny a 'medieval city,' as many tourist brochures do, is misleading. Kilkenny has, shall we way, aged gracefully. It rates among Ireland's most elegant cities. Although much of Kilkenny's architectural charm owes a huge debt to the Middle Ages, when the city was a powerful seat of political power, modern Kilkenny is a vibrant cultural centre, renowned for its devotion to the arts."

I don't know anything about night life in either Caher/Cahir or Cashel.

I stayed 2 nights at Cashel Place Hotel and we walked out the back door and up a hill to the Rock of Cashel and out the front door a few steps to the main street with a few very lively pubs. I like Kilkenny also. Cashel would put you about an hour closer to Adare.

Awesome--thanks for all the help! I think we've decided on Kilkenny. I appreciate y'alls advice!!