Help Me Fill in the Blanks
 

My husband and I are travelling to Ireland and England from August 25 to October 25 this year. I will post my question about England separately. Our first night in Ireland (Aug 27) we are staying at a B&B in Cashel, then two nights at hotel in Ballycotten. Then we are in a self catering cottage for a week in Kinsale. Next week we are staying in an apt. in Newport, Co. Mayo - where my husband's family is from. The final week in Ireland (Sept 13-20) we want to explore Northern Ireland making our way to Dublin, where we will stay at a hotel near the airport the night before (Sept. 19) our flight to Manchester. We need help for this last week in Ireland. We have no fixed itinerary. We don't really want to get a different hotel/B&B every night but if that's the best way to see it, we would. Some places we are thinking of investigating, (unless someone has something better to suggest, or has a horror story that will turn us away), are:
- sculpture of the gaelic chieftain near Boyle
- Arigna Mining Experience Museum (dedicated to coal mining, my ancestors were coal miners from Lancashire and Scotland),
- Ballymote (O'Donnell connections for my husband)
- Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
- Lough Gill/Lake Isle of Innisfree
- great beaches: Mullaghmore, Rossnowlagh????)
- Ballyshannon (O'Donnell connections)
- Beleek Pottery Centre?
- Donegal Castle (O'Donnells)
- Rock of Doon near Kilmacrenan (O'Donnells)
- Glenveigh National Park & Castle?
- Lough Swilly - Flights of the Earls Heritage Centre
- Rathmullan
- Ulster American Folk Park
- Giants Causeway (not a priority, but could be swayed), Portrush and Portstewart
- Monasterboice, Brú na Bóinne Visitor Center, Hill of Tara (don't have to see all of it)

Would appreciate any advice for this final week - yeahs or nays, great places to eat in the area, or inns and B&Bs that get the thumbs up. Are we doing too much or not the most interesting things? Appreciate that some places like the Rock of Doon might take half an hour, others like the American Folk Park might take 5 hours. Anyone want to take a shot at a driving itinerary? We are middle aged, seasoned travellers, who go to Ireland because of family connections and to take great photographs, eat good food and drink in the amazing scenery. We will have a rental car, don't care for posh hotel rooms, just need a room that is clean, and we'd rather eat in a great pub than any fancy restaurant. Should we book ahead for accommodation or at this time of year will we be okay? Thanks for any assistance you can give.

http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Maps?...RVdU9UTXdNRE09 Great for distance.

I have heard the Belleek pottery tour is awesome and they have a great tea room. I am drinking my coffee out of a Belleek mug as I type! On my list for Northern Ireland.
I want to see the Hedges and Dunluce Castle plus drive the coastal rd. I am plnning on basing out of Portrush for a couple of nights.


http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...t-171235-2.cfm

Thanks for your great report flpab. I will probably have more questions once I read it through it more carefully. Sounds like the Giant's Causeway and area is definitely worth a visit. We should probably juggle some of the other things to make sure we get there.

It was songdoc's report but one I am planning on using. Green Dragon has great trip reports also of off the beaten paths.
I wish Tony2phones would pop in so we know he is ok. He has great maps and suggestions.

Thanks flpab, songdoc's report was very helpful. We enjoy off the beaten track adventures. Some - maybe most - you can't plan for, that's part of the excitement, but I believe you have to be in the right place - give fate a nudge - to experience the best of travelling. Fodors' adventurers always help point us in the right direction.