We leave in 2 weeks and I'm getting so excited after thinking and planning on this trip for 6 months.
We arrive in Dublin at 8am and picking up our car right away and heading for Galway. Please don't tell me this is a bad idea after sitting on a plane all night because the plans have already been set and can't be changed. Is there anything of interest between these 2 cities?
Thanks for your help, as always.

Clonmacnois is about midway and would be a good place to stretch your legs.

Carmar,

I can appreciate your excitement and anticipation, as Ireland is a splendid vacation destination.

Too often tourists make a beeline from Dublin to Galway without taking time to enjoy the sights and unhurried pleasures of the Irish midlands.

As noted by Mary, Clonmacnois is a stop-worthy site. Indeed, it's worth a special trip, given its location on the banks of the Shannon and as one of Ireland's most historically significant monastic sites. By getting to Clonmacnois early you'll beat the tour bus circuit, and all the more appreciate this noteworthy site.

Other stops to consider include a visit to Castletown House, the first Palladian mansion (early 18th century) to be built in Ireland. It's located just outside Maynooth, County Kildare. Also consider a visit to the town of Birr, in County Offaly. Here you'll find Birr Castle Demesne, containing formal gardens, a science museum, and perhaps most noteworthy, a telescope from the mid-19th century. When it was first introduced, the telescope was considered the most powerful in the world. While you can't tour the inside of the castle, a visit to the Birr estate is most worthwhile.

Best of luck.

Another vote for Clonmacnois!

You will find fewer b&b homes in that area, but the people are wonderful. I suggest you just leave Dublin and EXPECT to be surprised in a 'happpy way' many times before Galway. WE found it to be an interesting area.

While it may not be along the most direct route, we stopped at Newgrange driving from Dublin to Galway, to see the ancient burial mounds.