Buckeyeknitter

I had posted earlier with a proposed itinerary - have made a few adjustments. Hopefully this is not too insane. I just really want to see as much as we can as I do not know when we can ever return. But I do not want to feel like I am on a crazed mission either. We are planning on bypassing most cities in favor of rural areas and scenery. I would appreciate your comments

04/01/09 Wed 04/02/09 Thu Arrive Dublin 8:40 am and will spend 2 nts Kilkenny

Drive to Kilkenny On the way stop at Glendalough and possibly Powerscourt Gardens. In Kilkenny visit either Kilkenny Castle (heritage pass) Jerpoint Abby in Thomastown 9 miles south or St Canice’s Cathedral. Miles from Dublin to Kilkenny about 80 miles

04/03/09 Fri
Drive through Cashel (see Rock of Cashel) Stop at Blarney Castle (my friend wants to do this) Then drive to Cork area and spend the night in Kinsale area About 110 miles

04/04/09 Sat 04/05/09 Sun
Spend Saturday looking at Kinsale and then drive to Kenmare, about 105 miles. On Sunday drive around the Beara Peninsula.

04/06/09 Monday Tour Dingle peninsula. Then drive to Kilrush to spend the night From Dingle to Kilrush is about 70 miles.

04/07/09 Tuesday 04/08/09 Wednesday On Tuesday see Cliffs of Moher and Burren. Drive to Westport and spend two nights During the day on Wednesday visit Connemara area sites From Kilrush to Westport is about 135 miles

04/09/09 Thursday 04/10/09 Friday
Spend the days driving around the northwest – stay in Donegal. From Westport to Donegal is about 100 miles – I know these roads are probably very slow but hopefully scenic I have read that the north is unspoiled and beautiful. Saw the bloody forelands on video - is that worth the trip to see.

04/11/09 Saturday 04/12/09 Sunday
Stay on Antrim coast possibly Portrush– go to Giants Causeway, Derry Mileage from Donegal to Portrush is about 80 miles.

04/13/09 Dublin
Spend night at airport hotel

Will we really regret not doing Ring of Kerry? Is touring Beara Peninsula and Dingle redundant? Is one day enough for Cliffs of Moher and Burren? Thanks so much for your input

Pam

rosetravels

Hi Pam -
First to tackle your last questions -
You won't regret not driving the Ring of Kerry. I think 3 peninsula drives would simply be too much.
One day is enough for Cliffs of Moher & the Burren. The Cliffs of Moher is a stop along your way of about an hour. The Burren - you can drive through and stop at 2 or 3 places along the way to enjoy it.
Blood forelands - it's a lovely drive if it's on your way somewhere else. Yes, Donegal is more unspoiled than elsewhere and it's gorgeous.

Overall comment - You're spending way too much time on the road and you really won't have much time to see things or relax. What portions can you skip so that you can slow down a bit? Think through the areas you're going to and see what you can pull. If it were me I'd cut from the first few days and spend more time in the more remote areas. I'd cut Kilkenny, Cork, Kinsale. Visiting Ireland is really more about enjoying the small towns, quiet walks, teatime and visiting with local people in the pubs. It is less about the list of 'must-sees'. You shouldn't feel like you need to hit all four corners or a top ten list even though you may not be back in a while, if ever. Getting to know a few areas well is better than the long cross country drives in Ireland. They're just not that great. Donegal has so much you could easily fill a week there.

For instance, because you're going to Kilkenny, Kinsale, etc., you probably won't have time to see much in Donegal. You won't make it to the Slieve League and may not have time to tour the gardens and wonderful mansion at Glenveigh. You probably won't have time to both walk along the top of the Giant's Causeway and to visit the bogside and see the murals in Derry.

If it were my 13 days I'd choose just 3 counties. I'd visit Kerry, Clare and Donegal or better, Clare, Mayo and Donegal. That way you can have more time for scenic drives and having fun and seeing the cool sites. Less time just in the little rental car hurrying along the crazy bad roads getting to the next site. You could even squeeze in an island visit or two. The islands are memorable.

If you do stick with this general itinerary you should stop and see Connemara on the way to Westport. The scenery around Westport is fantastic and you'll only really have 1 day there.

Let us know if you're open to a serious reworking to make it a slower and better trip and I'm sure you'll get itinerary ideas!

CAPH52

Rose has given you excellent advice!

Ireland is a beautiful country with much to see. But really enjoying a visit there is much more about <i>experiencing</i> than about <i>seeing</i>. Unfortunately, I don't think there's a way to really explain that to someone until they've been there.

But my guess is that, if you slow down and really experience the country, you <i>will</i> be back! And what you don't see this time will still be there.

lrock5

You are underestimating how long it may take you to drive 70 or so miles. You will not get there in an hour or an hour and a half. We live 90 miles from Houston and can get there in about 1.5 hours or less. In Ireland roads are tight and narrrow. It may take a while.

janisj

You mention the mileage each day -- that can really be a big mistake. 100 miles back home - heck you might drive that far just to visit someone for a couple of hour or do some major shopping. Well, 100 miles in Ireland could easily take 3 hours w/o stopping for photo ops etc. And it could take all day on a scenic route (which most of these are)

I'd really re-think your plan and cut back a place or two so you aren't spending so much time viewing Ireland through the car windows.

Buckeyeknitter

Thank you so much for your replies. I have done another revision - thoughts please. I really want to see Dingle yet also the north - hope this makes a little more sense i do understand about driving times -we spent almost three weeks in Scotland five years ago.

04/01/09 Wed Arrive Dublin 8:40 am Stop in Kilkenny and then drive to Cahir possibly and spend the night, visiting Blarney Stone next day – my friend really wants to see it. I am going to try to talk him out of this

04/02/09 Thurs 04/03/09 Friday
Drive to Kenmare and spend two nights. On Friday tour the Beara Peninsula.

04/04/09 Sat On Saturday will tour Dingle Peninsula and then drive possibly to Kilrush to spend the night

04/05/09 Sun 04/06/09 Mon 04/07/09 Tues On Sunday see Cliffs of Moher and Burren. Then drive to Clifden and spend three nights During the day on Monday and Tuesday visit Connemara area sites

04/08/09 Wed 04/9/09 Thurs 04/10/09 Fri On Wednesday am drive to Donegal (about 100 miles) On Thurs and Fri tour Donegal area Still need to do more research on this part of trip. Would you recommend another town instead of Donegal

04/11/09 04 Sat and 04/12/09 Sunday nights
Stay on Antrim coast possibly Portrush– go to Giants Causeway, Derry Mileage from Donegal to Portrush is about 80 miles.


04/13/09 Dublin
Spend night at airport hotel


I really appreciate your help more than I can say - if anyone has any recommendations for reasonable bed breakfasts, restaurants, memorable pubs and places for great craft shopping I would love to hear them.

Pam

Padraig

Pam, I think you are not getting the message. It's just too much driving, most of it on roads not suited to fast travelling. Basically, you seem to want to visit the four corners of Ireland and various bits in between in less than a fortnight. I live in Ireland, know my way around, and know Irish reads and driving conditions. I wouldn't try that itinerary: it's work, not fun.

I think you should cut more than a destination or two: you should cut a chunk.

janisj

I am more than a little concerned w/ your first day. You want to drive (after a likely mostly sleepless overnight flight) to Kilkenny and Cahir? If possible, I would not drive at all on day one.

You do mention driving in Scotland - I spend a lot of time in Scotland and you really can't compare the two. Yes, the roads are narrow - but Irish roads are more so. Vast areas of Scotland are pretty wide open - maybe the roads are narrow but you can often see far ahead. Even on single track roads, you can make reasonably good time. Not so in lots of the areas you'll be driving.

Plus you have to account for possibly bad weather where a 2 hour drive can easily turn into 3 or more hours/

Buckeyeknitter

That first day might be totally unreasonable - maybe we should spend night in Kilkenny and then drive to Kenmare the next day - would that make more sense.

Do you think we should cut the Antrim area and add days in Donegal, Kerry, and Clifden? I know I probably am trying to do too much - it is just so hard to delete places.

When we were in Scotland we spent only two days in Edinborough and then three or four nights in Highlands, one night in Ulapool, three in Outer Hebrides, three in Skye and two nights in Moffat and one at airport - that was plenty full and at the time we hated cutting other areas but we did. So I guess I should start with the delete key - makes me sad but I do not want to be glued to the car seat the whole time. Thank you for any more advice.

Pam

Buckeyeknitter

You are all going to think I am nuts. After a lot of thought and reading other trip reports and your advice, I know that what I had proposed was not going to work. So I am going back to the drawing board and cutting out Donegal and Northern Ireland. Will post in a new thread (thanks for your patience and advice!)

Pam

CAPH52

If you haven't already booked an airport hotel for that last night, Bewley's is running a pre-pay special for 59 Eu a night:

http://www.bewleyshotels.com/dublin_airport_hotel.asp

Padraig

Pam, I think you are making a good decision. As it happens, that is the choice I would make if I were planning a tour in Ireland -- but what suits me might not suit you.

I suggest that you do not add much to the remaining programme. Treat it as opportunity for local exploration and discovery, for a bit of serendipity. You don't even have to commit too strongly on where you allocate the days except, perhaps, for Easter weekend. The general pattern at that time of year is that accommodation is easy to get: places are open, but not heavily booked.

If you keep the sequence you sketched, it looks like you might be in Connemara for Easter. That's not a bad thing (any time in Connemara is, in my book, a good thing; I was there last week, and experienced wind, rain, and some snow; enjoyed myself anyway.).

rosetravels

Hi Pam - so happy to hear you're revising. I think cutting out Donegal and the Antrim coast is exactly the right approach. Look forward to seeing your new itinerary!