My wife and I will be flying into Shannon and out of Dublin (two weeks later) starting at the end of May. I have put together the following itinerary and would like your suggestions:
Possible Itinerary
Day 1 Leave for Shannon
Day 2 Arrive Shannon/ Pick up car/ drive to Cliffs of Moher, Doolin
Day 3 Doolin ( Explore Burren/ other towns
Day 4-6 Galway Explore city, Connemara, Kylemare Abbey, Aran Island, clifden
Day 7-8 Drive to Dingle
Day 9 /10 Kenmare Ring of Kerry, Muckross House
Day 11 Kilkenny Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle Glendalough
Day 12 Drive to Belfast and stop off at Powerscourt on the way
Day 13 Belfast, Derry, glens of antrim, giants causeway,
Day 14-15 Dublin stop at Newgrange
Day 16 Fly home

Questions: Are 5 days too much for Doolin and Galway?
Day trip to Connemara from Galway?
Drive Galway to Dingle. Best route. 1 or 2 nights?
2 days to see Ring of Kerry and spend the nights in Kenmare?
Can we drive Kenmare to Glendalough and in one day see: Blarney Castle, Rock of Cashel, Kilkenny and spend the night in Glendalough?
2 days to see Belfast, Derry, glens of antrim, giants causeway?
2 days for Dublin? Should we find 1 more day here?
** Doolin (2 nights)
Galway (3 nights)
Dingle (2 nights)
Kenmare ( 2 nights)
Glendalough (1 night)
Belfast (2 nights)
Dublin (2 nights)
Thanks (in advance) for your help.

Disclaimer: I haven't done this yet; we're going for 2 weeks in July...but I have read a lot of posts and studied books and maps. Thoughts:

1. Could you manage driving straight from Shannon to Galway? Check in and explore as much of city as your jet lag will allow. Then a day for Connemara and one for Aran. Then drive to Doolin, exploring Burren and Cliffs of Moher along the way; overnight in Doolin or nearby. Then work your way towards Dingle -- most people recommend taking ferry to Tarbert. This would free up a day or two -- and you wouldn't "waste" time backtracking from Galway through the Co. Clare territory that you visited earlier.

2. Most people would say to add time to Dingle if possible -- at least 2 days IN Dingle: one to explore the town and one for the Slea Head Drive.

3. One day to drive from Kenmare to Glendalough, stopping at Blarney, ROC and Kilkenny en route: impossible! I'm driving from Killarney (admittedly not setting out before 9:30-10 am since I have to check out of a weekly rental) for Cashel (optimistic estimate = 2-1/4 hrs.) Figure 2 hours for ROC visit and very quick bite to eat, then 1+ hour drive to Kilkenny. I figure I may make last guided walk of day at 4:30...but won't try to visit Castle until next day, ending up at Glendalough that evening. And this doesn't include a Blarney stop.

4. Can't comemnt on northern Ireland -- I'll be headed to a family gathering near Sligo instead.
Good luck!

Thanks skibumette for your suggestions! If I were to head directly to Galway from Shannon do you have any idea how long the trip is and whether or not to stop someplace special? If I were leaving from Kenmare where would you suggest I stop? Any suggestions for a one night stay at a castle based on my itinerary? One last thing: do you suggest I book B&B's before I arrive I have heard that at the time I am leaving, May 27-June 11 it may not be necessary. Thanks!

Three years ago this month we drove from Shannon to Galway. I don't remember exactly how long it took us. But I'm guessing it was a couple of hours. I do know that it wasn't at all a bad drive, jet lag and all! And that we got to Galway before our room was ready!

I would most definitely add Dingle to the trip. We went 7 years ago and felt like it was the most true, nontouristy part of Ireland but the most breath taking is no doubt the Cliffs of Mohr.
If you go to Dingle, check out Dick Mack's pub. They love Americans and we had the time of our life singing with a crowd full of Irish, one guy from Australia and one other guy from America. We still want to go back.
We stayed in B&B's the entire trip- all 8 nights- and have our favorite as well in the Killarney National Forest. if I can remember the name, I'll revisit and post.
On a side note, I'd skip the Guinness tour unless you have lots of time.

GO TO DINGLE!!! Check out Emlagh Lodge (run by Maggie Flaherty) - wonderful place - right on the bay - great hostess - great breakfast (included for 35 euro each) - it was so beautiful there = great foods - great music - great scenery - I wish we had stayed longer than the 3 days! and Shannon to Galway is under 3.5 hours -- it's only 3.5 from shannon to dingle - definitely not a bad drive -

My two pieces of advice: get the smallest car you can!
Pack ...L...I...G...H..T!!!!! DO NOT OVERTAKE CLOTHES!!

I thought the guiness trip useless....unless you've got lots of time.....like other said - if you want more details email me at [email protected]!

Leanna

You really should reconsider your itinerary.

From Shannon you go north.

Then you drive south.

Then you drive way north and east.

Then you drive south again.

Instead of zig-zagging, plan a more circular route. It'll save time and money. Land in Shannon, drive south to ROK area. From there you do the north drive (You can ferry across the Shannon river at Talbert) until you get to Belfast. Then head back south to Dublin.

Day 1 Leave for galway (wasn't our favorite...especially to drive in...I would stay outside of close to where you pick up boat to aran islands)
Day 2 Aran islands...return...stay in connemara (clifden area)
Day 3 connara/kylemore abbey
Day 4 drive thru burren to cliffs of moher/doolin
Day 5-6 Drive to Dingle via kilmer/tarbert ferry, slea head
Day 7-8 ross castle/muckross house on way to kenmare...drive best part of ROK to kenmare...imho), next day beara peninsula/healy pass
Day 9 Blarney Castle (I would skip), cashel, kilkenney
Day 10 Glendalough, Powerscourt drive to Newgrange area
Day 11 Newgrange (you really should get there early...take your time to enjoy)drive to Belfast
Day 12-13 glens of antrim, giant's causeway
Day 14-15 (long drive back to dublin)
Day 16 Fly home

Here is the latest idea for our itinerary: Please give me "notes".
Thanks

Day 1 Leave for Shannon
Day 2 Arrive Shannon/ Pick up car/ drive to Galway and explore city
Day 3 Go to Aran island from Galway and stay another night
Day 4 Leave Galway for Connemara/Kylemare Abbey/ stay in Clifden
Day 5 Drive through Burren/Cliffs of Moher and stay in Doolin
Day 6-7 Drive to Dingle via kilmer/tarbert ferry, slea head stay in Dingle
Day 8 Drive to ROK and stay in Kenmare
Day 9 Glendalough, Powerscourt, drive to Newgrange area
Day 10 Newgrange, drive to Belfast
Day 11-12 glens of antrim, giants causeway
Day 13-15 Drive to Dublin airport( drop off car) head into Dublin
Day 16 Fly home

Day 12 Drive to Belfast and stop off at Powerscourt on the way
Day 13 Belfast, Derry, glens of antrim, giants causeway,
Day 14-15 Dublin stop at Newgrange
Day 16 Fly home

Day 9 - Kenmare to Newgrange - that will be a long day, with LOTS of things to see on the way. It's doable, but at a rush. Glendalough, Powerscourt, those are all places that deserve a couple hours you don't have. I don't really know what to suggest other than to cut a part out, either Galway or Antrim. You are, however, trying to see an entire country (all the way up and down and across) in two weeks, what we call a 'green blur' tour. And you're in a different place almost every night.

I would calculate the driving distance between each place using either www.viamichelin.com or www.theaa.com, and use 35mph as an average. Some roads will be faster, but some will be slower as well. Then add time for stops along the way - the random castle you want to see, or that cliff you just passed.

Then add the time it takes to find your B&B/Hotel, check in, settle in, as well as the time in the morning to repack, check out, and get on your way. When you stay in a couple bases, it makes it much easier.

I would recommend at least three bases. Perhaps one in Galway (for Shannon, Aran Islands and Clifden), see Doolin/Cliffs of Moher on the way to the next. Have one near Tralee or Killarney (for Dingle, ROK and Kenmare). And one in the north, to see the rest.

Also, check out www.irelandyes.com - Michele has been to Ireland about 40 times and has great forums and lots of advice.

Thanks GreenDragon for your input. Here's my latest itinerary. Do you think I should book B&B/Hotels before leaving NY or make it up as I go along? The trip is from 5/27-6/11
Day 1 Leave for Shannon
Day 2 Arrive Shannon/ Pick up car/ drive to Galway and explore city
Day 3 Go to Aran island from Galway and stay another night
Day 4 Connemara/Kylemare Abbey/ Clifden Stay in Galway
Day 5 Drive through Burren/Cliffs of Moher and stay in Doolin
Day 6-7 Drive to Dingle via kilmer/tarbert ferry, stay in Dingle
Day 8 Drive to ROK and stay in Kenmare
Day 9 Drive Kenmare to Kilkenny stopping at Rock of Cashel
Day 10 Drive to Powerscourt and then to Newgrange for the night
Day 11 Newgrange in the morning and then to Belfast
Day 12 See Giants Causeway and stay in Belfast
Day 13 -15 Belfast to Dublin Airport then into Dublin
Day 16 Leave for NY

Much better! But maybe on Day 8 you want to do Slea Head Drive (instead of ROK) and stay a 2nd night in Dingle? (fewer one night stands) Most people would say that 1/2 day in Dingle (after arrival from Doolin) is not enough. Then drive Dingle-Kilkenny (via Cashel) on day 9 ...it would be about 45 min. longer than Kenmare-Kilkenny drive? If you set out early, you could you could make a brief stop at Muckross (Killarney) en route?

mark

Skibumette--Actually I am staying in Dingle for two nights (Day 6 & 7) so I could do Slea Head Drive. Won't I be able to do Muckross from Kenmare to Kilkenny?

Oops -sorry, I missed the "Day 6-7" for Dingle, giving you a second day there. That's great!

Kenmare to Kilkenny (via Cashel) is a pretty full day, if you want to have time to see Kilkenny when you get there. I'm driving Killarney-Kilkenny in July, although admittedly I can't set out from Killarney area until 9:30-10 in the morning. I (perhaps optimistically) figure 2-1/4 hrs. to Cashel, about 2 hrs to see Rock and have quick lunch, then 1+ hr to get to Kilkenny -- I hope to arrive by 4:30 to do last guided walking tour of day. (I'll see Castle next morning.) Kenmare is 40-45 min south of Killarney -- you'd have to get an EARLY start if you want to do that and stop at Muckross. Not impossible but a long day.

It might work though if you plan to "see" Kilkenny the morning of Day 10, before setting out for Powerscourt and Newgrange.

This morning on a couple of other threads, I noticed the suggestion to take the train to/from northern Ireland with a separate rental out of Belfast if needed. Rental car companies apparently don't like cross-border rentals and make you pay dearly for the privilege. But the train makes it harder to visit Newgrange...

I think it's much better. Still lots of one-night stands, especially on the latter half, but if you think you can handle them...

Good luck!

I would recommend getting B&Bs before you leave, and make sure you have GOOD directions AND a contact phone for each. I've used directions given by the owner before, and they sometimes think 1km is 5km - and vice versa Reserving the places before you leave is one less detail you have to pay attention to each day, distracting you from enjoying Ireland,... but then again, I'm a planner

Any suggestions for B&B in Galway, Doolin and Dingle anyone?

Would you suggest that I add 1 more night to Kenmare and then have 1 less in Dublin? It would still give me 2 days in Dublin.

My husband and I have traveled twice to Ireland (2 weeks each, 2001, 2006) and stayed at Marless House in Galway both times-nice people and very clean.

We rented a car, 1200 miles each trip-rent a small car(!). We flew into Dublin, out of Shannon each time. The second trip we drove directly north from the airport and got as far as Downpatrick-no days in Dublin that trip. We drove many back roads.

I did alot of research and planning for each trip, which included reservations at B&B's. We traveled at the end of June each time.

We tried to stay as close to the ocean as we could and took a trip to the Aran Islands and also Giant's Causeway. We actually stopped at all four corners of Ireland.

I was most disappointed with the town of Tramore.

I am a BIG fan of Ballykissangel (TV show), so we had to stay at least one night and have a pint at Fitzgerald's Pub! It's the town of Avoca, and very close to Glendalough, which we also visited.

The best music was at MacDermott's Pub in Doolin. It was a Friday night, so the place was busy.

We stayed at Crystal Springs B&B (very nice) in Killarney and then took the bus tour of the Ring of Kerry. We were picked up in front of the B&B by the bus at 10am and we were back to the B&B at 5pm. We like to explore on our own, but that particular road has many buses and we just felt we would ride instead of drive. We did drive the Connor Pass and Slea Head. I don't believe buses are allowed on the Slea Head road.

I would love to go back.... Palm trees on the road to Derry-go figure.

Have a great trip!

Yes, that would be something I would do, allyboy - but then again, I've been to Dublin several times.