Ireland--final itinerary check
 

Thanks to all you Ireland experts for your very generous advise this year as we've planned our first trip to Ireland!

We leave next month so this is a final itinerary check. Does it look reasonable to you? Any suggestions for "not to miss" attractions along the way?

We've made lodging reservations & tried for variety (B&Bs, hotels, castles). Listed are attractions we hope to see. We have your restaurant & pub recommendations so I haven't listed those; however, wherever we go, we're always on the look out for those special places to have a drink and watch the sunset and welcome your suggestions.

Day 1-arrive Dublin 8a.m. Historical walking tour. Evening: trad musical pub crawl (if too tired, then Night 2). Lodging: Davenport Hotel

Day 2-Dublin. Hop on/off bus tour Evening--either trad musical pub crawl or the Abbey Theater.

Day 3-Dublin. Day tour to the north: River Boyne Valley, Newgrange, Hill of Tara. Evening: either Abbey Theater or literary pub crawl.

Day 4-to Cashel via Powerscourt Gardens & Kilkenny (castle & abbey) Rock of Cashel either late p.m. or a.m. of Day 5. Evening: Bru Boro. Lodging: Legends Guesthouse.

Day 5-to Kinsale via Cahir Castle, Vee Drive to Lismore (castle gardens). Maybe Youghal,time permitting. Lodging: Old Presbytery.

Day 6-Kinsale. Charles Fort & walking tour.

Day 7-to Kenmare via coast road, Dromberg Circle. Will we have enough time to drive the Beara Penninsula this day? Lodging: Shelbourne House.

Day 8-to Dingle via Muckross House, Killarney NP. Lodging: Heatons Guesthouse.

Day 9-Dingle. Rick Steve's tour of Dingle Penninsula.

Day 10-to Miltown Malbay via O'Connor Pass & Tarbert Ferry. Lodging: Berry Lodge

Day 11-to Clifden via the Cliffs & Burren, maybe a couple of hours in Galway. Lodging in Clifden: AbbeyGlen Castle.

Days 12 & 13-Clifden. Connemara drives (thanks, Ger!) w/stops to hike.

Day 14-to Newmarket-on-Fergus (stop in Galway if we miss it Day 11). Lodging: Dromoland Castle

Day 15-depart Shannon Airport 12 Noon

Thanks!

Overall, looks like an excellent itinerary. A few thoughts: If you want to visit the Kilmainham Jail in Dublin (which I highly recommend), be sure to use City Sightseeing bus tour - the other one doesn't go to the jail. Also, Glendalough is worth a quick stop on your way from Dublin to Cashel. We loved the ruins there. Although not quite as impressive as the Rock of Cashel, they were intimate and in a lovely setting. Cobh is a beautiful town near Kinsale and also worth checking out - Kinsale doesn't really require a full day, in my opinion. There aren't a lot of sights there, although it's cute as can be and the ambience is great - and yes, the fort is worth it. (Try Jim Edward's for dinner.)
On Day 7, you'll be pushed to drive the Beara Peninsula if you take the coastal drive from Kinsale. I think it probably could be done if you keep moving, but it will seem like lots of driving and leave you little time for spending in Kenmare. If possible, I'd try to work in a day for the Aran Islands - a trip highlight for us, even if it means cutting time in Connemara. If you haven't seen it already, you may want to check out my trip report (Karen and Penny's great Ireland adventure), a little ways down the Ireland board. We covered many of the spots you're visiting and I gave a fair amount of detail. Have a great trip!
Karen

Thank you, Karen. I enjoyed your trip report so much when I originally read it. It sounds as though you & Penny had a great time and it made me even more excited for our trip! I will re-read it shortly to pick up these details.

We hope the days in Kinsale & Connemara will give us some down time. Did the Aran Islands take a full day? We really would like to do the Beara Penninsula too so may have to tweak that part of the itinerary.

I'll add Jim Edwards to the list! Thanks!

If I had to chose between Beara and Mizen Head, I would opt for Mizen Head, hands down. Beara was nice, including the Healy Pass, but you are doing a "quickie" around the southern peninsulas. Go for Mizen Head. You will not regret it. ((b))

Sorry, forgot. Aran Islands in my opinion will take a full day. I don't see you having the time, based on your itinerary.

Do it on another trip. It is worth a full day. ((b))

Day 4: Also would recommend Glendalough, but think you would be hard pressed to add it in.
Day 5: Trip to Kinsale is a long day as well.
Day 6: Kinsale and Charles Fort are probably only a half day or a little more. It would be a lot easier to fit in some or all of Beara if you were starting from Skibbereen or even Bantry. If not possible, consider Budman's advice and do Mizen, instead.
Aug, the traffic may be heavy. Even if you only do Healy Pass, it could be tight.
Rest of schedule looks good.

Budman & Italian Ch--for some reason, I've confused Mizen Head with the Beara Penn! We do hope to do Mizen rather than Beara (based on your rave reviews!). If we leave Kinsale early, do you think we can do it in one day ending in Kenmare? We have a commitment in Kinsale the night before so we can't go on to Skibbereen as suggested.

On Day 5, we want to see Cahir Castle and do the Vee Drive. We're trying to avoid marathon days so if we eliminate Yougal, do you think Lizmore is doable?

Yes, agree with others that Aran Islands trip is a full-day. Would postpone it for another trip or cut another day elsewhere. (Personally, I enjoyed it more than Connemara - but both were wonderful. It would be hard to choose.)

If you drive to Lismore, it's probably just as quick to continue on, through Youghal, enroute to Kinsale. Pretty little town to drive through and if it is open, the Jack O'Patsy Pottery is a favorite (favourite, in Ireland?) destination for my wife, but no real compelling attraction to me, otherwise.
Take the South Ring Road via the tunnel, around Cork City (it's quicker than the ferry).

I've actually never "done" Mizen", Budman will have to give you a time estimate for your Day 7, but I would guess that you could, provided that you do not get too delayed enroute by the other sights. Beara (especially Healy Pass) IS phenominal. You should definitely plan to visit it on your next trip. Likewise, the detour from Rosscarberry to Glandore and Union Hall is pretty interesting and worth a look if time allows.

Based on my trip, I say that Kinsale to Kenmare in one day is doable, including Mizen and Beara (Healy Pass) Pn, because that's what we did.
We started from Kenmare though. We only drove over Healy Pass, which was awesome.... then down thru Bantry (didn't stop more than 20min) and on to Mizen. Driving that little peninsula out to Mizen Head took us about an hour to get out there, even taking the Mizen drive coast road.
Then we pretty much went straight on to Kinsale (1hr to get back out to main road, and then about 2hrs over to Kinsale I think - course we ended going back up thru Bantry somehow), with a quick stop in Glandore. So if you just want to hit Mizen and Beara Pn in that day, you could do it... if you want more stops along the way, you might be pushing it. We didn't hit too much traffic that entire way though... But that stop at Mizen was fantastic... Couldn't have been a more perfect, sunny day.

btw, for your Day 11 at the Cliffs of Moher, if you see them during the day, great, but I also highly recommend seeing them in the evening around sunset if you can.
We had such a great experience there in the evening that I can't suggest it enough. My most spectacular pictures came from that evening. And, you may even get away without having to pay for parking at night! :)

I loved Monasterboice - the wonderful tall crosses. I would do it instead of the Hill of Tara, which disappointed me. I did really enjoy Newgrange that same day - much preferred it to Stonehenge.

My visit to Glendalough was possibly my favorite of my Ireland trip. I think it is a "not to miss." Otherwise, your itinerary sounds fabulous. I would do the literary pub crawl instead of the traditional one in Dublin, but that is just my personal preference.

The Aran Islands was practically a full day excursion for us. You would be hard pressed to schedule anything else for that day.

So many great ideas and suggetions--thank you! I've added them all to my notes and we'll tweak the itinerary as we go.

I'll continue to check this post so if you think of anything else, please post! And if you don't, thanks for all your help so far. I promise a trip report!