Help with Ireland Itinerary
 

My wife and I are looking at a package self-drive trip with prepaid fixed hotel bookings June 21-June 28.
I've heard that vouchers are not readily accepted during high season. Comments please. What sights can we realistically expect to see during this
time with this itinerary?
Jun 21 Arrive in Dublin, drive to
and overnight in Waterford
Jun 22 Waterford to Kilarney,spend night
Jun 23 Spend another night in Kilarney
Jun 24 Kilarney to Limerick,night in Limerick
Jun 25 Limerick to Galway, night in Galway
Jun 26 Galway to Dublin, night in Dublin
Jun 27 Night in Dublin
Jun 28 Flight to UK, night in Manchester.
Jun 29 Flight to US

This seems like a lot of driving,in a short time and we are not fond of crowds or waiting. Will probably be asleep by midnight. Any comments are appreciated.
Please excuse multiple posts as I am new to this forum.
Thank you,
MadBax

It's impossible to make a useful comment, because you don't give us a clue about what you want to do.

Why is Limerick on your list of places?

Too many stops and too much driving. You'll probably spend most of one morning, depending on traffic just going from Waterford to Killarney. If your road route is 60 miles, plan on it taking at least 1 and a half to 2 hours drive time.
This itinerary will only allow you to see Ireland through the car windshield as you pass by. If you want to see any of the major sights, you may end up having to wait in line for tours etc and that eats up more time. Plus, several places we thought we'd spend an hour or two seeing ended up taking alot more time because once we got there there was so much to see and learn. With your driving schedule, you won't have much flex time built into your days.

Padraig,
Just looking at this seemed like too much driving over a short time. This is a package deal and we have not bought it. Limerick is one city in the package of hotels.
Perhaps we should book or own hotels and B&B's.
We would like to tour Dublin for at least two days.Then...
Russborough,Glendalough, Kilkinney, Cashel, Cork, Killarney, Ring of Kerry,Limerick, Bunratty,Cliffs of Moher, Galway and Aran Islands,Clonmacnoise, back to Dublin.
Or from Aran Islands back to Shannon for flight back to Charleston.
In late June, how much time should we allow for this itinerary?
Or, as an alternative, should we take smaller chunks, say six nights in and around Dublin and some more next year. Thanks for the help.

Why are you using a package if you are driving?? If you mean vouchers - they really aren't of much benefit.

Also - are you flying Transatlantic? You don't want to be hopping into a car and navigating "the wrong side of the road" in a jet lagged stupor.

So 1) skip the vouchers, 2) stay the first night IN Dublin w/o a car to relax, get over the jetlag and acclimate, and 3 cut waaaaaaay back on the distance you are trying to cover.

I will not use vouchers. I did think about a couple of days in Dublin to reset my internal clock. ok- in and around Ireland for seven days- what is realistic in late June?
Thanks for the help.

Okay, we're getting somewhere now. You have identified some particular targets and implied that you don't need to do everything because you can come again for more.

So, how about two days in Dublin to start?

Then to Kilkenny, starting early to get into Glendalough before the crowds have built up too much -- say a stop of two hours. Over the Wicklow Gap to Blessington, and thence to Russborough, stop for two hours (light lunch in the cafeteria). Then via Naas to Kilkenny, arriving late afternoon. Ramble a bit and have some downtime.

Next day, see Kilkenny Castle and the cathedral, and leave just after lunch. Drive via Cashel (visit the rock) and Cahir (might as well see the castle while you are in the neighbourhood) to Cork. Overnight.

Then Cork-Killarney via Kenmare (choice of routes, coastal or inland, both scenic). By getting in Kenmare-Killarney you will have had the best of the Ring of Kerry without all the work. So take the day and use it for the Dingle Peninsula. Overnight somewhere on the peninsula.

How are we doing for days? I'm losing count. You still have some. I'll stop here and allow you to take all this on board, see what other suggestions you get, and you can indicate if this is the sort of programme you like.

Padraig,
After the overnight on Dingle Peninsula,
maybe drive to Limerick, then to the
Cliffs of Moher then to Aran Islands.
Overnight on Aran Islands.
Back to Limerick, via another route. Overnight in Shannon area.
Next day, turn the car in at Shannon and return home to Charleston, SC.
Looks like seven nights to me.
Comments please.

I think I may have been unclear in not indicating an overnight in Killarney. So we have
Dublin 2 nights
Kilkenny 1 night
Cork 1 night
Killarney 1 night
Dingle 1 night

If you fly home from Shannon, what happens the Manchester bit?

I think what you have so far from Padraig sound fine if you don't mind being on the move...it's one way to see a lot.

I would suggest Kinsale or another West Cork coastal town vs Cork itself.

I think the Cork to Kenmare to Killarney via the scenic route, then on to Dingle is a pretty ambitious day. I remember taking most of the day going from Kenmare to Kinsale via the coastal route. Maybe inland is faster. I wouldn't rush through this scenic section.

I would suggest spending a second night in Dingle so you have a full day to explore the peninsula and town.

Then the next day go to Cliffs of Moher via the Killimer/Tarbert Ferry across the Shannon and up the coast. Then stay in Bunratty.

While there is a ferry near Doolin to take to the Aran Islands I think you would have a hard time catching one in time (not sure of the schedule). Dingle to the Cliffs would be 3-4 hours and maybe longer via Limerick. Then you would want to spend a little time at the cliffs and then you would have to get to the boat docks.

MadBax,
Starting from Padraig's suggestions:
Dublin 2 nights
Kilkenny 1 night
Cork 1 night
Killarney 1 night
Dingle 1 night

I'd make a couple of amendments"
Dublin 2 nights
Kilkenny 1 night
Kenmare 2 nights
Dingle 1 night
skip Limerick unless there's a family reason to visit
1 night near Shannon
fly home

That would enable you to slow down, see the countryside and towns and not spend your time in the car. Book your own B&B's ahead of time - it's easy to do online.

I have amended the omission that chip noted -- overnight in Killarney. I don't love the town, but I think it makes for a more balanced driving schedule, particularly if MadBax decides not to take two nights in Dingle.

Yes, the inland route from Cork to Killarney is much more direct, but there is an obligation to divert into Gougane Barra for its beauty and to take a walk in the forest park.

I agree there is a point in spending two nights in Dingle, even if it means scrubbing all possibility of the Aran Islands. You need to get out of the car and walk (or even sit) and be in a place rather than simply passing through.

One further note: a car is a liability in Dublin. If you decide to spend a couple of days there, get the car on day 3.

Consider this:
Dublin two nights
Kilkenny one night
Kinsale one night
Kenmare one night
Ring of Kerry
Killarney one night
Dingle one night
Cliffs of Moher
Bunratty one night
Shannon to Charleston, SC
Is this reasonable during high season?
Comments please.
Thank you

No reason to move from Kenmare to Killarney. One or the other. They are about 45 minutes apart. Dublin to Kinsale will be a day of driving and you will, in the end, be able to proudly sya you've been in Kinsale, but not much more. There are so many things you could pass enroute, either by going through Kilkenny, or through Cashel and Cahir that I think going to Kinsale is too much. The far SW is too much in my mind. Somewhere between Dublin and Kenmare/Killarney (Kilkenny or Cahir).

Just a thought.

Bill

MadBax, let me give you a caution. It looks to me as if you are trying to accept as many suggestions as possible rather than choosing between them. It's your time and your money, and your right to select the itinerary. I won't be upset if you say "thanks, but no thanks" to any of my suggestions, and I'm pretty sure that other contributors will take the same position. We won't have wasted our time, because your choice will be better informed, and our ideas will be out there so that others might benefit.

I'll explain the reasoning behind some of my suggestions.

I wanted to spread the burden of travel as evenly a possible. The good places are not evenly distributed; for example, the distances between Kinsale and Kenmare, and Kenmare and Killarney are not great. My general thought on overnights is that what you want is good accommodation, a chance to get a meal that you enjoy, and (if that is your taste) a nice place to have a drink.

My reason for going with Cork for an overnight was that you would have done a lot on that day already. The extra distance to Kinsale is not great, but it is bothersome to get through the city. Further, from Cork you have a choice of two good routes to Kenmare, the coastal route for a lovely meander, or the inland route through mountains and high ground. You can choose on the day depending on how you feel about the driving effort involved. While not as pretty as Kinsale, Cork is interesting and not a bad place.

I suggested Killarney for an overnight rather than Kenmare, even though I think Kenmare is a much nicer town (certainly, if you are not overnighting there I would suggest that you take a break there and wander around a bit just to absorb the atmosphere). That is because one of the most scenic bits of the route is the road between Kenmare and Killarney, and in my opinion it looks far better when the sun is towards the west. Further, Killarney is a better place for jumping off for the Dingle Peninsula.

I am of the opinion that the Ring of Kerry is overrated, and you would have got the best bit on the drive to Killarney.

I count eight nights on your latest draft. Have you got that many?

Thanks to everyone for your help and perspectives. I'm excited about putting this trip together and I will, no doubt, return to get your insights on specific
topics. The one thing I've learned here is that it is better to slow down and enjoy fewer areas than to say "yeah, I drove through there on the way to Galway".
Best regards,
MadBax