Ireland REVISED Itinerary
 

IRELAND ITINERARY 2008

(Note: I am disabled and can't do the long walks. Spending time in the car isn't really a problem.)

Aug 31
Arrive Shannon Airport 10 AM
Pick up rental car at Dan Dooley
Drive around locally, maybe Bunratty or Knappogue
Clare Inn overnight

Sept 1
The Burren
Aillwee Cave
Burren Exposure
Drive to Doolin
Emohruo B & B

Sept 2
Cliffs of Moher
O'brians Tower
Depart for Dingle/Kerry
Dingle Peninsula
Murphy's Farmhouse overnight in Castlemaine

Sept 3
Finish Dingle
Start Ring of Kerry
Muckross House
Ross Castle
Gap of Dunloe
Derrynane Park
Kerry Bog Museum
2nd night at Murphy's

Sept 4
Finish Ring
Travel to Waterford
Rock of Cashel (if time allows)
Waterford Crystal
Glenorney B & B overnite

Sept 5
Depart for Powerscourt
Site-see along the southeast coast
Undecided on route
Ritz-Powerscourt overnight (part of package, can’t substitute)

Sept 6
Depart for Antrim County
Sites along the way
Beechgrove Farmhouse, Carrickfergus overnight

Sept 7
Causeway
Antrim Coast Highway
Beechgrove Farmhouse, Carrickfergus overnight

Sept 8
County Down attractions
Flemingtownhouse B & B, Ratoath County Meath

Sept 9
Depart Dublin AM (changing flight out of Belfast not feasible)

Try to see the Rock of Cashel. We thought it was one of the best places.
Do not try the Carrick rope bridge if you have trouble walking. It is a hard walk back up and there is a narrow steel ladder like stairs at the bottom of the hill to get to the bridge.
There is a bus up and down the hill at the causeway.

You may want to add Newgrange to your itinerary.
http://www.knowth.com/newgrange.htm

you really need to consider listening to some of the experts who have advised you to scale down your itinerary...it really is not doable.

just had a friend return...she admitted that she underestimated the drive times...even tho I warned her...by the way her favorite visit was to her ancestors home town where she located several relatives...if you know geneology that would be interesting

also...how disabled...my mother in law is not disabled but has issues getting around and she was not able to paraticipate in many activities, particularly touring castles...don't see you enjoying aillwee cave, maybe not the cliffs (on the day we were there it was very windy and she just couldn't manage the walk),muckross house-maybe, definately not ross castle, powerscourt lots of walking to enjoy, giant's causeway...she took shuttle down but wasn't able to walk around that much...driving for long distances is tiring for everyone disabled or not...

the good news is ireland has many beautiful scenic drives...just can't do them all in 9 days...if you must do some of northern ireland...

31-cliffs...down coast via ferry to dingle (long drive-could go straight to dingle)
1-dingle/slea head drive
2-ROK-killarney
3-gap of dunloe tour (jaunty cart/boat to ross castle from killarney...this was one of our favorites and doable for you)-stay in killarney
4-head north...if go to clonmacnoise there is a bog train near there that my friend said was great...stay in area...
5,6,7 antrim/county down
8-would stay closer to dublin if you have early flight out

or

31-burren to cliffs/doolin
1-around coast/blackhead and on to connemara..stay
2-drive past kylemore abbey then then thru doo lough valley to westport
3/4/5 antrim-drive north to stay around giant's causeway (long drive)
6/7 meath
8 spen night close to dublin for am deparature next morning

On the first day, you might enjoy Cragganouwen near Shannon. It has a tower house and then a recreated crannog (farmstead built on island in middle of pond). Also there is the "Brendan", the leather clad sailboat in which Tim Severin crossed the Atlantic to prove St. Brendan could have done it 1000 years before Columbus) I found that very interesting. Nice little tea room to stop and have a cup of tea and sandwich or sweet. I was there with an older friend, well into her 80's, who was quite frail and needed a cane but she was able to manage all of the sights there. I love this place so much that I have returned many times. Every time I come with friends for a visit, I always take them there. Also might stop at Quin Abbey in that area(monastic ruins).

My frail friend also managed the Ailwee Cave like a trooper. I think we were in the cave about an hour and I think my friend was flagging at the end of the tour, but wouldn't admit it.

On the way to Powerscourt, you might want to stop in Avoca where the PBSseries Ballykissangel was filmed. Just one main street but worth a stop and a chance to stretch your legs. Fitzgerald's pub is there. Maybe you weren't a fan of Ballykissangel, in which case, give it a by.

If you are staying right at Powerscourt, you can do the gardens in bits. They are lovely and the walking paths are wellgroomed and the slope down to the fountain is quite gentle (as I recall). You might also like to visit the Powerscourt Waterfall, the highest in the British Isles. Don't expect a raging torrent, but definitely a pleasant place. You can drive right close
to the foot of the waterfall, so if you have done enough walking for one day, you can sit in the carpark and enjoy.

Thank all of you for the kind advice.
I have been working on this trip so long and have canceled reservations and re-scheduled other B & B til I am burn out.
Therefore our schedule will stand and we will learn the hard way I suppose.
I will give a full report when I return.

Thanks again