lovexhappiness

Hi, everyone!
My boyfriend and I are making our first Ireland trip (my first European trip completely; he's been to Italy) and would like some recommendations of things to do at each stop of our trip.
We booked our Ireland flights, to and from Dublin. I would have preferred flying into Dublin and out of shannon but it was too expensive to make it worth it in my eyes.

Here is our itentiary:
Day 1: spend the day exploring Dublin and recovering from jet lag. Guniess storehouse tour. Hotel is Greshman Hotel

Day 2: drive from Dublin to Cong. Stay at Ashford Castle. Do the grounds your and falconry. I would like to try to stop in Westport and see the town. I have heard it is cute. Maybe try to get dinner at Matt M'olloys pub

Day 3: drive from Cong to Galway. Possibly horseback ride in Connemara national park. Hotel is the Jury's Inn

Day 4: drive from Galway to the county Clare area. Plan to stay in a little town called Ennis. Hotel is Woodstock hotel

Day 5: drive from Ennis to Killarney. Want to explore and see Killarney national park, muckross abbey, Ross castle. Hotel is dromohall.

Day 6: drive from Killarney to the cork area. Looking at staying in either Blarney or cobh. When we do the drive from Killarney to cork we plan on driving the ring of Kerry. Debating on the seeing the mizzen head cliffs in cork. No idea on the hotel yet.

Day 7: drive from Killarney to Kilkenny. Would like to see the rock of cashel on the drive to Kilkenny. No idea on hotel yet.

Day 8: drive from Kilkenny to Dublin. Flight leaves next day @ 11 am. On the drive to Dublin we are going to stop in glendalough and possibly Wicklow.

Before I get told I'll be in the car the whole trip, I know I will be spending time driving in the car but it won't be the whole trip. I want to be able to say that I actually saw Ireland and didn't just stay in Dublin the whole time.

I am looking for recommendations on sights to see in the cities I plan on staying in. If there is something in my plans you highly are against please tell me! The only thing that is booked is the airline tickets.

bilboburgler

Ok, it might be useful to know which month you will be there... Dates are also useful incase there are any sports on while you are there which can change access to places etc.

If possible pick up the car when you are leaving Dublin rather on arrival from the flight, a) you'll be jet lagged and a danger to other road users, b) a car is more or less no use in central Dublin most of which is walkable.

There is a bus from the airport straight to the central area and when we last stayed at your hotel it stopped almost outside.

Get ready for the whole wrong side of the road, gear stick, roads are narrow thing. Watch a few youtubes to get a hang of it.

lovexhappiness

Bilboburgler - we will be going in March! Sorry I left that out. We know it is off season and the weather isn't as sunny. But march worked better with our planes and things are also cheaper in the off season!
Good idea with the YouTube videos. Didn't think of that.
I have heard about not getting a car until we are ready to leave dublin but I also don't know if it is more of a hassle to have to go back to the hotel to get the car the next day.

Cathinjoetown

You can pick up a rental car in Dublin without going back to the airport.

bilboburgler

You will find that Ireland has a lazy wind in March so bring layers. You need to find nice warm pubs in the evenings.

March, should be an interesting trip report.

As Cath says.

lovexhappiness

Good to know about the rental car. I will take your guys' advice and pick it up Sunday morning.

I know it is a bit chillier in March but I still think we'll have loads of fun!

Cathinjoetown

You should have a great time, it's a wonderful country. Be sure to look for pubs with traditional music.

Cong to Galway is not very far, you can exlore more of Connemara before you head to Galway. If you haven't seen "The Quiet Man" try to before you go, it was filmed in and around Cong.

Between Galway and Ennis, see the Cliffs of Moher.

Monkross House and grounds just outside Killarney are very interesting, there's the Ring of Kerry.

SeeDee

If you are spending only a single night in Dublin, it probably makes sense to drive to the Gresham (they have a car park) in your rental car and have it at your disposal after breakfast for your trip to Cong.
Including Westport in your itinerary on Day Two - not a great idea. Best spend as much time as possible in Ashford Castle, you'll be paying well for it. Westport is further away from Dublin than Cong; Matt Molloys is a pub by the way, no food.

bilboburgler

I'd just get the car delivered to the hotel.

I would remind the OP that driving after a long flight is dangerous. My last company banned all staff from driving after any 6 hours flight, because the medical data was there. Still maybe it gets easier once you factor in driving on the wrong side of the road , using your other hand for all the gear changes etc. I think not.

lovexhappiness

Cathinjoetown- I am looking forward to listening to traditional Irish music in the pubs. I have heard it is a great atmosphere. Cliffs of Moher was on my list! I have heard that it is more widely talked about than it is worth it. But I can't go to Ireland and not visit them. Plus I'm going in off season so I'm hoping that helps elimate some of the crowd. In regards to the movie, I will have to check it out!


Seedee- do you know if they charge for parking at the hotel in Dublin? When do you recommend going to Westport? Or do you recommend skipping it all together? I wasn't aware Matt M'olloys didn't have food.

Bilboburger- they deliver rental cars to the hotels? Yes, due to the long flight and jet lag, we are staying in Dublin our first night and going to Cong the following day. After one night in Dublin I think we will be fine to drive to Cong. We will be getting an automatic car so we do not have to worry about switching gears.

bilboburgler

to hotels, yes Enterprise in UK deliver to wherever you want, not sure if Enterprise Ireland do,

I tend to use auto europe as it is a broker, and experience has shown me that since every country has their own crazy rules that a broker tidies it all up for you and this one has gone into bat for me.

I just checked google maps and SIXT is on the next block as your hotel and Dublin blocks are small. So maybe a 100m metre walk. If you book through auto you'll be fine.

rncheryl

Doesn't seem like enough time in Dublin to me. That first day can be a jet lagged killer.

Macross

Where are you flying from? I get the rt bus and drop off luggage and hit it hard but I fly straight through from east coast. Storehouse, buy tickets on line so you can pick your time. You can take the Luas there. https://www.luas.ie/jamess.html
Smithfield stop, Cobblestone pub is great for music and Jameson is to be open in March, close for a refurb right now. Christ Church is a nice stop or Dublin castle.
Westport was great, JJ O'Malley's has good food and good music.
In Cong Pat Cohen's pub was good.

Cobh is a good stop, and Blarney also. We had a great time in the pubs there at night. That was many years ago. I need to explore that area again.
So glad you are including Glendalough.

lovexhappiness

Bilboburger - Awesome! That is good to know. Thank you for all your help.

Mcheryl - we just plan to sleep on the plane. I know that the jet lag might affect us, but we have a lot we want to do. So we'll spend the first night and last night in Dublin. So we'll have about a day and a half to explore.

Macross - we are flying from Chicago. Thankfully it is a direct flight, about 7 and a half hours there. Hoping we can get a little sleep on the flight, so we can enjoy our day in Dublin. I know we'll be a little sluggish, though.
I am hoping we can fit Westport into the itentiary. Do you think we should go straight there from Dublin on day 2 before checking into our hotel in Cong? I'm excited for Glendalough! I have heard it's a fun area. What do you recommend us do there? Through pictures I've seen of cobh, it looks like a cute, charming town! Thank you again!

SeeDee

There is an overnight charge at the Gresham of €17 for car parking; as there are ongoing roadworks on O'Connell St, best to check and reserve a space in advance if you are planning on bringing a car into Dublin city.
Westport on Day Three would still not appeal if your ultimate destination is Galway city, as it would add a considerable distance to your drive. It is doable of course, Cong-Ballinrobe-Partry-Westport and you can then travel Westport-Leenane-Kylemore Abbey-Clifden-Galway.
A less demanding trip would be Cong to Clifden, via Leenane and travel the coast road from Clifden to Roundstone (check out the beach at Dog's Bay en route), joining the main Clifden-Galway road after dropping in to Ballynahinch Castle for a coffee.

Debs

If you're on the Aer Lingus flight from Chicago which leaves about 5:40ish, you'll arrive in Dublin shortly after 5am, which is nice as it gives you a full day in Dublin. For such a short amount of time, would suggest taking a city tour (hop on/hop off) with a stop at the Guinness Storehouse. You can reserve your tickets on line for the Storehouse and believe you get a discount doing so. The Storehouse stop is near the end of the bus tour, so plan accordingly.

I wouldn't drive in Dublin as traffic congestion is terrible. Your hotel is on O'Connell St, pretty much the main street in Dublin, which is also under construction as they're expanding the LUAS lines. The suggestion of having your car delivered to the hotel is good. You'll land at Terminal 2, and you can take the shuttle into the city, probably about 1/2 hr or so. The shuttle will stop literally at the hotel, so it's very convenient. Cost should be about 10 Euro/each.

The River Liffey splits Dublin in two and the area you're staying in is North of the LIffey, Temple Bar South.

The Temple Bar area is less than a 20 minute walk from your hotel, if you're planning on seeing that. If you do decide on renting your car at the airport, don't drive once you're in the city as parking is pretty much non existent.

A good place to eat (open for breakfast/lunch/dinner) is Murray's, less than 2 blocks from the Gresham. Walk out the front door, turn right and you'll see it, on the same side of the street as your hotel. It looks small, but isn't,
as they have downstairs seating that you have to see to believe! It might be the biggest sports bar area in Europe!

You'll find Dublin to be very safe, but like anywhere, be cautious.

You're visiting in March-take into consideration if your visit is on St Paddy's day as that will impact what you'll be able to see/do!

Have a Guinness or two for me!

lovexhappiness

Debs - Thank you for all the information!
We may need to skip Westport this trip, because of the distance it is from where we plan on being. We will take all of the recommendations and have the car delivered to the hotel the morning after we arrive.
We will try to make a stop at the restaurant. Thank you again!!

Tony2phones

Apologies for only speed reading the above.

Dublin day 1. Have you considered getting a bus direct from Dublin Airport to Galway collect a car there for the short drive up to Cong and Irelands most expensive hotel. Or get the train Dublin to Westport and have night one there. problem with that is there are no major car hire operators in Westport you might have to get the bus to Knock Airport to collect a rental.

You could then explore the Connemara on the drop to Galway (Jury's can be a bit loud Friday/Saturday nights) or have night 2 in Cong.

Burren and Cliffs ect on the drop to Ennis. I might use the Old Ground/TempleGate or one of a couple of B&B's in town. The Woodstock is nice enough but a bit out of town if you plan an evening out.

Option of driving the Dingle peninsula loop between Ennis and Killarney but if you do that the rest on the list would have to move back a day and the trip to Cork is already overloaded.

Cobh/Blarney to Kilkenny via Cashel/Cahir is fine. consider the Rivercourt hotel.

Kilkenny to Dublin.. If you do head west on arrival you have 2 days together in Dublin and only one hotel to book.