Itinerary Help for SW Ireland please!
 

Hi all,

Still planning this trip with my mother I've asked a million questions about but I think I'm almost there!

I've listened to everyone's advice and we've decided to fly into Shannon instead of Dublin.

We want to visit Doolin and Dingle and spend 1-2 nights in a cute village that my mom and I can explore on our own without a car (my husband will drop us off on his way home).

Where does it make sense to go first with driving - Doolin or Dingle? The idea would be to spend 1 night in Doolin, 2 nights in Dingle and then finish with 1-2 nights somewhere (Bunratty is on the top of my list right now).

Thanks a lot for your help.
PittPurple

Doolin first - it's less than an hour from Shannon.

Then it's down the coast past the Cliffs of Moher, Lahinch, Miltown Malbay to Killimer for the Ferry across to Kerry; then you continue west to the Dingle Peninsula.

Doolin and Lahinch may qualify as 'cute little villages,' as well as Bunratty; but I would opt for a city like Ennis: more shops, more lively, and if things get slow you can go to one of the 'Music Pubs' like Cruise's. The last full week of May, Ennis celebrates its Spring Music Festival (Fleadh Nua) so lodging then might be a problem.

Thanks - sorry I should have explained more! We're going at the beginning of July and my mother specifically requested villages as opposed to cities. She lives in Houston and I'm in Edinburgh, so she really wants to escape. I'd love to find somewhere near a beach to stay, but it seems it would be difficult to get back to the airport from anywhere like that.

Thanks!

Ennis isn't a city; it's a moderately small town with many of the characteristics of a village. Bunratty is very small, and if you subtract the tourist stuff it virtually disappears.

Doolin has very little to see outside the three music pubs and ther is precious little to poke around in. I would lean towards Ennis also as a place you can wander around. If you just drive through Ennis, you'll not find yourself very excited about it, but the "city" center is quite nice with old cobbled roads and nice shops and music pubs.

Dingle certainly has lots to walk around. If you can find a way to get there, Ventry has a long beach which is worthy of a walk. Ventry is just west of Dingle on the Slea Head road.

Bill

Dear pittpurple.

I think I'd skip Doolin and spend the 3 nights in Dingle. The village has shops and much, much more to do than Doolin. Without a car get one of the tours that take you around to see the beautiful scenery. We had a car but still took a tour so our driver could enjoy it also. I'm a devotee of Ennis but you won't have that beautiful scenery you will get in Dingle, you can see those green,green hills and water even from the village. I'd stay in Dingle town(village) so you could walk around easily.

Enjoy, Joan

pittpurple writes: "... We're going at the beginning of July and my mother specifically requested villages as opposed to cities. She lives in Houston and ... she really wants to escape. I'd love to find somewhere near a beach to stay, but it seems it would be difficult to get back to the airport from anywhere like that."

Not necessarily! Lahinch is'nt much more than an hour from Shannon and it has a beach, surf shop & all. But Lahinch is maybe 200m from end to end. In Miltown Malbay, down the coast from Lahinch, there's the Willie Clancy Memorial Summer School & competitions around the beginning of July. There's another beach at Spanish Point, about 2km from Miltown Malbay.

You can't equate Irish cities or villages with the likes of Houston or Freeport, or even Alvin, TX.

www.irelandexpert.com is a terrific resource.