Just booked a trip to Ireland flying into and out of DUB late next April. We are a family of 5 (kids 15/13/10) + grandmother and need to start planning. We have 8 days free and clear (not including travel days). We love exploring, being active, and are looking forward to the beautiful sites! Killarney, Cork, Cliffs Moher, Dingle or Kerry and Dublin all look fantastic. Ideally we would like to drive no more than 2hrs at a time and would prefer 2 night stays minimum. Any and all itinerary suggestions appreciated!

Need more info than that: how mobile is granny? That's going to go a long way to determining what you can do in a given day.

You can't drive to all those places in eight hours - you'll have > 2 hour drives. Ireland's highway system won't be confused with California's any time soon.

Standard Itinerary.
Arrive Dublin, stay 2 days,
day 3 head for 2 days Killarney, drive round Dingle to 1 night Ennis see Clare including the cliffs on the way to Galway and back to a Dublin Airport hotel for the last night Unfortunately you can't fit all you want into 4 x 2 nights, you fit 3 x 2 and 2 x 1 nights.

BigRuss, "granny" is exceptionally fit and active...and would be pissed to hear herself referred to that way. LOL
And my list of interesting locations was just that, not a list places we are set on going.

Tony, in my initial research online I see your name on all kinds of Ireland threads so I greatly appreciate the suggestions.

I'd get a job with Fail(te) Ireland but don't think they'd have me

If your list is only a think list then Dublin~Killarney~Galway vice/versa could be compressed slightly if you want a fixed base. Adare works for the area between Killarney and Galway but its worth remembering that a fixed base involves more back and forth travelling than a logistical flow road trip, so its balancing living out of suitcases or lots of extra miles.

A fixed base/s would be a very good option for a family. could you be more specific about where you would base out of? Sounds like Adare in the West...and?

Probably Adare 4 days, Dublin for 2 or 3 days gives an option for 1 or 2 days somewhere between, Possibly Kilkenny off the M7 route Dublin~Adare or Connemara west of Galway heading back from there on the M6/4.

Ok, thanks again. We are on award travel so our flights in and out are staggered. I will work on a general itinerary and check back in for editing!

I loved Kinsale on the southwest coast near Cork. There's an awesome old English fort guarding the harbor and a fun ghost walking tour at night. Cool town with good food.

Thanks Edward-I'll take a look at it.

Indeed Kinsale is beautiful

Ok, I'm back for more advice! Here is a first stab at our itinerary. Our flights are staggered so some of us will have more time in DUB than others. I think our Must See list is: Blarney Castle, Cliffs Moher, Killarney seems like a win for the NP and proximity to Dingle. But with 3 kids I'm not jazzed about spending tons of time in the car. I'm open to suggestions to consolidate and stay longer in certain areas if that makes sense.

Day 1: last of group arr DUB (other 4 already there) go right to Kilkenny for night
Day 2: Rock Cashel en route to Cork
Day 3: Cork City
Day 4: Blarney Castle en route to Killarney
Day 5: Killarney (NP/Muckross)
Day 6: Killarney
Day 7: Ennis/Adare ? (Cliffs + maybe Burren)
Day 8: Make way to Dublin
Day 9: Dublin
Day 10: first of group Depart

Any suggestions? Is this too much?

Looks a fair itinerary. Ennis always gets my vote and drive round Dingle between Killarney and there on day 6.

Looks like u've gained a couple of days?

Thanks Tony. Yes I miscalculated by a day. ��

I have tried to streamline to avoid a lot of drive time and short stays, but it seems like this basic itinerary makes sense. Could you give me some logical drive times between our locations? Does a visit to Kilkenny castle on day 1 seem feasible? Also, what makes you partial to Ennis?

Drive times are from a couple of hours to all day depending on what you want to put in there. Kilkenny Castle closes at 5.30 and I guess you need 45 minutes.. Same closing time for St Canice’s Cathedral if you want to climb the round tower then get in before 5pm
Best times for Blarney Castle are just outside the 10am~4pm tour bus runs.
Ennis is an Irish town with a few tourists, lots of history and enough options to eat drink and be entertained within a fairly compact area, always something going on and friendly locals that don't take themselves too seriously (unlike some folk who have populated a certain town in Kerry over the last 30 years )