Ireland - our itinerary needs help!
 

Like so many others on this forum, I need some help in refining our driving itinerary in Ireland this May given there's so much we want to see and our fairly limited time. So, please, HELP!

Here's where we are with this so far:

Days 1-4 - Dublin, day 3 out to Glendalough perhaps picking up the car on that morning and driving out (or better to take a bus/minivan tour out there?)

Day 5 - Waterford via Rock of Cashel arriving Waterford in time to visit glass factory (not my choice but on friends 'must do' list)

Day 6 - Cork, Blarney Castle (again unfortunately not negotiable - on my friend's daughter's 'must do 'list).

Day 7 - at the moment Cork, Cobh and/or Kinsale.

So first real question - is Waterford to Blarney, Blarney to Kinsale in time for a late lunch then Kinsale to Cork in time for a wander around and dinner do-able/worth doing?

Because, if so I would scratch Day 7 in Cork and add that to the rest of the itinerary which is tentatively as follows:

Muckross House and then on to the Dingle Peninsula (best place to stay - near Killarney, Tralee, on the Peninsula?? Looking for B&B's)- one or two nights depending on Cork decision (Days 7 & 8)

Day 9 Doolin area via Tarbet ferry and Cliffs of Moher (stay in Doolin??).

Day 10 Doolin - the Burren, and/or maybe boat to Cliffs weather permitting.

Day 11 - early morning drive to Galway City. Day in Galway then 4 hour(?) drive back to to Dublin airport late afternoon, evening.

-Or, would it be better to leave Doolin the day before and stay in Galway after visiting the Burren? (I was trying to avoid moving every night but...??)

Please some help rationalizing this itinerary (at least as far as is possible given the constraints mentioned) would be much appreciated.

It looks like a reasonable itinerary to me. A few comments:
Days 1-4: Avoid having your car in Dublin - get the bus:
http://www.glendaloughbus.com/

A lovely route as well as a good day out. It's not a tour bus but collect info in the Tourist Ofice in Dublin/internet beforehand.

Q1: Blarney-Kinsale could take well over an hour to drive, depending on traffic around Cork. I think you're pushing it on this day- omit lovely Kinsale and do it on another visit. Don't forget that it will take time to find your lodgings each day.

Glad to see you're spending time in Doolin and the Burren. There are several good B&Bs in Doolin. I think this part of your plan is good.

Finally, if you need ideas about Dublin:
http://www.hidden-dublin.com/

Peter

Thanks so much for your comments (glad you think it sounds reasonably reasonable) and suggestions. I was thinking of getting the car the day before we left Dublin partly so that we could get away early in the a.m. the next day to go to Waterford rather than having to go out to the airport to pick up the car first (we're staying in BAllsbridge and my daughter's at UCD in Blackrock) but everyone seems to agree about the horrors of driving in Dublin so I will rethink.

It's hard to give up Kinsale though. >
Is it better to take the bus out and back to Glendalough rather than one of the minivan tours which go out there?

Also, any ideas anyone for the best area to stay after Muckross House to see the Dingle P - somewhere near Tralee or on the peninsulas itself?

Days 1-3 - Dublin

Day 4 get car in am...Glendalough to waterford

Day 5 -waterford to Rock of Cashel, (add...cahir castle... or would substitue for blarney) Blarney, to Kinsale

Day 6 -Kinsale to kenmare...drive beara peninsula/healy pass

Day 7 -Kenmare...via scenic drive past moll's gap, ladies view, killanry national park...to muckross house...on to dingle for the night...stay in town so you can stroll at night and enjoy pubs/dining

Day 8-dingle slea head...dingle

Day 9 Doolin area via Tarbet ferry and Cliffs of Moher (stay in Doolin).

Day 10 Doolin - the Burren, and/or maybe boat to Cliffs weather permitting.(if keep 4 days in dublin...skip this day and spend a bit more time in clare before heading back to dublin...I would still make time to stop at clonmacnoise since it is on the way)

Day 11 - early morning drive to Galway City...I would skip Galway

head out...stop at clonmacnoise...if get to dublin early...take cab into town for last night dinner/musical or literary pub crawl...
or visit malahide/howth/boyne valley sights

SonHall,
"any ideas anyone for the best area to stay after Muckross House to see the Dingle P - somewhere near Tralee or on the peninsulas itself?"

On our trip this past June we stay at the House of the Four Angels on the Dingle Peninsula. http://houseoffourangels.com/ We arrived there early evening after leaving Kenmare and stopping by at Muckross House and Torc Falls. It is on the Dingle Pen. in the small town of Inch. It is nested in the side of the cliffs overlooking Inch beach about a 20 minute drive to Dingle. It offers breathtaking views and is very reasonably priced. The owner, Dudley Morgan was a very gracious and informative host. It seemed like a great base for us.

In Dooln we stayed at the Ballinalacken Castle Hotel. http://www.ballinalackencastle.com/ Gus O'Connors was our favorite pub in Doolin for authentic music and a short drive from the hotel. Pictures of our trip can be found on webshots here. http://family.webshots.com/photo/205...02136807VDUMSy

Have a wonderful time. Just reading your plans brings back fond memories.