We are a family group of 9 and wondered if driving from Shannon to Clifden for the night is too much for a first day? Half the group has never been to Ireland and the rest of us have never seen Connemara. We plan on driving back to the Killarney area the next day. I should mention we range in age from 50's to late 80's.

Hi C,

According to www.viamichelin.com it's a 2:34 hr drive.

That's at the edge of my limit for driving in jet-lagged condition.

It is about 120 miles from SNN to Clifden.

I personally would NOT do it even on my own let alone w/ 9 people. What type(s) of vehicles are you driving? If you will all be in one large van - good luck. If in 2 or 3 cars - nope. Driving at all after an overnight flight is iffy, but w/ a large group it is even harder.

(FYO it is usually better to use more detailed titles. "is it too much for the first day" could be asking about anywhere in Europe)

Hey! 9 people...hire a bus!

Don't even consider it.

I am interested in how you are going to transport nine people. I took a group of seven to Ireland last year and rented a van that resembled a small UPS truck. It would carry nine people but space for baggage would have been tight. I am a very experience Ireland driver and I have to say driving this large vehicle was very trying. At the end of each trip I really needed that pint. The trip from Shannon to Clifden in not a hard drive but getting through the endless roundabouts around Galway can be trying if your not used to them and very tired from an overnight flight.

To do this drive and then the next day backtrack to Killarney does not make sense. Stay another night and do the Sky drive and visit the National Park. Having said all that I agree with the prvious poster, nine people, hire a bus. Have fun

People always say not to drive after a long flight, but my husband and I have done it many times without any problems. Granted we haven't been to Ireland, but I'm going next month for the first time and plan on driving right after we arrive. I don't think 120 miles is that far. However, I think it depends more on how well you and your group handle jetlag. If you think you will be bothered by it, I wouldn't suggest driving the first day. DH and I handle it pretty well and don't have problems, but if you can't sleep on the plane and arrive exhausted driving probably wouldn't be advisable.

Tracy

Everything about the OP says DON'T DO IT!

Why would you drive all the way to Clifden just to drive back (even further) the next day?

And don't think for a minute that 120 miles means 2 hours driving in Ireland...especially with 9 people in the mix.

The thought of my jet-lagged, car-sick, 75-year-old grandmother trapped in a vehicle with a suitcase on her lap for 3 to 6 hours two days back-to-back does not sound like a good way to start a holiday.

In Ireland,120 miles is THAT far after an overseas flight. As for jetlag, with a group of nine people you'll likely have varying degrees of fatigue. Jetlag, generally, but not always, affects one according to their age and amount of travelling they do.

We went from Shannon to Westport (about same distance) on our June trip with 10 family members (ages 12-70's)...but we did as GSteed suggested...we hired a private driver/guide.

It was money well spent. We had a very comfy 16 passenger bus (looked like the big ones with nice big windows and comfy seats ...but smaller...if you click on my name you can see pictures).

We made our own itinerary, selected our own accomodations, sights, etc...it truly was the best of both worlds.

in 2003 we (just 2 of us) enjoyed renting a car and going it on our own...but with a group...it was so nice to have freedom without the headache. It was especially beneficial to my father-in-law who was able to relax and nap whenever he wanted...no one was crunched in the backseat...plenty of storage behind and in the bus.

I think if you were staying another day or two it may be OK...but turning around the next day and traveling twice as far back south...you will have a mutiny.

&quot;<i>I don't think 120 miles is that far</i>&quot; As historytraveler says -- it most definitely is THAT far (and even farther).

The roads in Ireland are narrow, winding, and mostly slow going. If the OP is in a massive van - then count on about of 3.5 hours. And if in 2 or more cars, count on even longer to account for one or the other driver getting off route.

The problem w/ saying &quot;jet lag never bothered us&quot; is that one does not know until after they are buckled up in the car whether they are in any condition to drive. And by then it is waaaaay too late to make other arrangements for a group of nine . . . . .

My point really wasn't that it was 120 miles. My point was that one may be able to drive after flying overseas if one handles jetlag okay. I personally don't think 120 miles is that far, even in Ireland where I know the roads can be slow and difficult, although I'm personally trying to keep the driving to a maximum of about two hours upon landing in Ireland on my own trip there next month. I was just making a point that some people can drive after landing and others can't. Its all about the jetlag tolerance, as I said in my post.

Tracy

And janis, I do understand your point. We took a daytrip from Berchtesgaden to Cesky Krumlov, CZ a few years ago. While the mileage alone wasn't too bad, the roads were twisty and it was really difficult to pass the slow moving vehicles, so it took what we assumed would be an hour and a half drive and turned it into an over three hour drive. So I see where you are coming from, and I'm sorry if my post was interpreted to confuse anyone. I really was commenting more on driving after landing than I was on the mileage part.

Tracy

I've always thought that people who think they can drive any great distances after a overseas flight can, at times, be compared to those that think they can have a couple of drinks,get behind the wheel and drive competently.

With years of travel experience, I still can't predict how and to what extent jetlag will be a problem.

I looked for 9 passenger vans and the ones I found were manual shift.

I get an attack of the &quot;willies&quot; thinking about trying to drive after an all night flight in a large vehicle where I am on the wrong side of the road and trying to shift gears with my left hand.

Moreover, road signs in Ireland are poor and finding your way requires powers that border on the supernatural.

What is your objective on this trip?
A rolling recreation of the Bataan Death March?

If I were a passenger, I would mutiny.

Do you know if you can find a sufficiently large enough vehicle that has an automatic transmission?

They are scarce, so how are you at gear shifting with the left hand?

bob brown: &quot;Bataan Death March&quot;. LOL! BTW, willie means something else entirely in Europe and other parts of the world!!

cable, anyone travelling in their late 80's is my hero and deserves an overnight near Shannon in a cozy b&amp;b with a delicious morning Irish breakfast, or tea and porridge, before heading off to your next stop. For anyone who hasn't been to Ireland yet, there is plenty to see and do in County Kerry and County Clare.

Remember 9 people will slow you down...one has a lotta bathroom stops...one has to hit all the little shops...one is always hungry...one has to get out to investigate something on the side of the road...Two argue over the map and get you lost...

Enjoy! We loved Ireland! We had 4 people and that was confusing enough. We were glad we spent our first night at Bunratty Lodge near Shannon. There are a lotta little interesting towns within an hour's drive or less of Shannon. I wouldn't go further than that with 9 people your first night.

It might help if we knew about how many total days you have, what you plan to cover in those days...

&gt;...one does not know until after they are buckled up in the car whether they are in any condition to drive. &lt;

Worse. If you are not in condition to drive, you don't know that you are not in condition to drive.

...and 'getting the willies' is not a uniquely American phenomenon.

Thanks to all who responded. In planning this trip my eagerness to see other parts of Ireland overcame my common sense. We are hiring a driver and van but my concern is the two 89 year olds who will be really tired from the overnight plane and I really don't want to start off the trip with them exhausted. God love them, they are more excited then the rest of us. Will concentrate lodging close to Shannon. Thanks for all
the input.