We have read multiple postings and think we have a pretty good itinerary for our "driving" trip to Irleland. However, we still would like a little help in a few areas. Any advice would be appreciated!!!!

For example, can we drive from Dingle to Killarney National Park, do Gap of Dunloe all in one day??

Day 1, May 5th - leave Dublin by car and head to Cahir - sleep in Cahir. (Can we drive through the Wicklow Mountains and still make it by early afternoon to see the Castle??)
Day 2 - Drive to Kinsale, tour and spend night
Day 3 - Drive to Kenmare (stop at Mizen Head & take Healy Pass) night in Kenmare
Day 4 - Drive to Dingle via Conner Pass (night in Dingle)
Day 5 - Drive around Dingle Pennisula - night in Dingle
Day 6 - Drive to Killarney National Park, Gap of Dunloe..stay nearby???
Day 7 Drive to Kilkenny, tour spend night
Day 8 Drive back to Dublin

It may be doable, but that's a LOT of driving in such a short time. Why not sleep in a couple of central locations and day trip to Dingle/Kenmare, etc...? Also, you could consider flying into Dublin, out of Shannon to save driving back to Dublin. It takes a lot longer than it looks to drive from one place to another. Good luck with your planning.

FYI, we did a 7-day trip to Ireland in 2001...beginning with 3 nights in Dublin...drove to Cork area for one night (at Ballymaloe House), with a quick stop at Cashel...then spent 3 nights just outside Killarney, seeing Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula from there. As nice as it was, if I had it to do over, I would have skipped the one night at Ballymaloe and pushed straight through to Killarney. (We stayed at Hotel Dunloe Castle there.) We flew out of Shannon.

The tour of the Gap of Dunloe began in Killarney around 10 - 10:30am and included transportation to Kate's Cottage (you have the option of walking the gap or taking a jaunting car (horse/buggy) thru the gap), boat ride thru the 3 lakes to Ross Castle, and transportation from the Castle back to Killarney. It was a package thingy (50 Euro for the two of us).

If you could buy the boat trip separately, you could drive to Kate's, hike the gap, take the boat, and taxi back to Kate's to pick up your car. Probably would be less expensive in the long run, but not sure about purchase of boat trip separately. If you could do that, that's the way I would do it in the future.

BTW, the jaunting car was 80 Euro per car. We shared it with another couple, but on up-hill stretches of the Gap, we had to get out and walk -- so, why did we take the car? If you're physically inclined, it's a nice hike.

I agree with both Carmen and Budman, fly out of Shannon if you can and save some drivetime. Now how about going from Kenmare to Killarney, Its a pleasent and scenic drive up the N-71 thru the Mts, and National Park. spend the rest of the day touring and do the Gap of Dunloe on the second day. Budman is right, walk it if you can, seven miles, halfway up and halfway down. And the ride thru the lakes is very nice. Nex day a short drive to Dingle for your two nights. Its a rather long drive to Kilkenny but if you have to head back east towards Dublin I guess you have no choice. Mizen Head is worth the detour, nice views all around the peninsula. Have fun.

Are you flying out on day 8 or do you have that night in Dublin? (maybe you said that in another posting). I certainly agree thst if you haven't made flight reservations yet, you should fly out of Shannon.

I'm guessing that you will be landing in Dublin from overseas and then driving. I tracked down an earlier post that suggested that Ireland would be your 1st stop. If that is the case, you should certainly not try to drive the Wicklow mountains with jet lag and still try to make it to Cahir. If you will have been in Dublin for three nights, you will be fine with the driving, but you can easily spend a full day in the Wicklow mountains and not make it to Cahir in time to see the castle. You could always catch it the next morning. I would spend the 1st night in Kilkenny, then Cahir, then Kinsale, to Kenmare. Do as JOHNOD suggested and do the Gap from Kenmare rather than back tracking from Dingle. Do Dingle for a couple of nights and then head back to Dublin. Pick a town in between Dingle and Dublin for the night if you have to go back to Dublin.

If this is still the 3-4 month trip and it starts in May, it must be getting pretty close so I'm guessing the fligts are reserved. If not, fly out of Shannon.

OK, I just read further in the old post and it seems that you have reservations to Edinburgh. Half of what I said may not apply, but maybe there is some info in there that is helpful.

Bill

Thanks for all the great advice. I like the idea of doing the Gap from Kenmare.

We will be flying in/out of Dublin as we already have plane reservations to Edinburgh.

Bill, why do you suggest going to Kilkenny and then Cahir? Can't we make Cahir our first night and then make Kilkenny the city we stop at between Dingle and Dublin?

I'm with Bill. Cahir would be a good spot on the return to Dublin, but it IS a bit far to make VIA Kilkenny, on no sleep. If you are still eager to go on after Kilkenny, head south toward Kinsale until you are ready to stop.

And you really can't go to Cahir Castle, and not stop off in Cashel , for a quick tour of the Rock!