Help please with itinerary for 2 weeks in Ireland, Dublin as a 1 week base
 

We have the opportunity to stay for a very low cost for 7 nights in Dublin in February but want to know if that is a good base for day trips around that part of the country. Based on reading the posts on this board we probably would only want to concentrate 3 days on Dublin itself for sightseeing. Are trains a good way to get around to some of the surrounding sightseeing areas for day trips?

Plus we would like to tack on another week somewhere but don't know where. We don't like to hop around and would prefer another "home base" for 5-7 nights. Probably rent a car for the second week. I see lots of web sites for holiday cottages in all parts of the country. This will be our first trip to Ireland. Thanks for the advise.

Galway or Killarney. You could do both-spend 2 or 3 nights in each and you'll have a good base from which to travel each day. You could fly into Dublin and out of Shannon or vice-versa and save hours in the car.

From Dublin there are a couple of options for longer daytrips like to Newgrange and Glendalough. You can certainly fill 7 days if you want. The train system in Ireland isn't great so I would lean towards tour companies.

As far as the next week. it depends on how much you want to see. Keep in mind that the days are fairly short with a sunrise about 8:00 and sunset about 5:45. You won't get a ton in during the day, but you'll have more time for the pubs.

One of the problems is that covering a lot of ground in Ireland is not particularly easy. I respect your desire to use cottages and it's a fantastic way to explore an area in depth. Average travel speed is about 35 MPH in Ireland and much less on the tiny minor roads. If it were my first trip I would choose at least two points for jumping off.

Killarney suffers from an over zealous devotion to tourism, but in the off season, it's tolerable. I prefer Kenmare, but there are some Killarney lovers. The area around Killarney is spectacular, though Kenmare is certainly close enough to enjoy all of Killarney's charms and then some.

Leaving from Shannon is a pretty good idea if you can arrange it.

Have fun!

Bill

Hi abbekit,
We are heading to Ireland in September and I had some of the same questions. One thing that has been highly recommended to me is a day trip to Powerscourt on the 44 Bus from Dublin. You catch it on one of the quays in the Temple Bar neighbourhood I think.

I also just ran into a ex-pat in a clothing store on the weekend, who said that she recently went back to Sligo and it is highly underrated. Pristine and quiet and filled with solitude. We are heading to the northwest for a week of our trip. I know it will be on our list!

Alison

These are great ideas. Sounds like we should fly into Dublin, spend our week there, taking daytrips (maybe via local tour, by bus?), then head over to Killarny, Kenmare or Galway? Then fly out of Shannon.

I see a plan forming!

I would stay in Dublin and do 2-3 days for city tours:

Duinness
Kilmainham Jail
Museums- National Gallery, Chester Beatty, Nationa Museum Kildare Street.

Hop on/off tours take you to many of these places

Evenings:

Musical Pub Crawl
Literary Pub Crawl
Ghost Bus - Takes you to haunted sights in Dublin supposed to be fun.

Outside Dublin tours:

Powerscourt Gardens
Newgrange (I love this one very pagan)
Malahide Castle
Glendolough
Avoca (Ballykissangel)

Afterwards I reccommend Galway as a base.