BRITAZ

Hoping you can share your wealth of knowledge to help with my 'not so finished' itinerary. 6 adults aged 36-young 60's taking 1st self-tour of Ireland in May. Plan to fly in DUB out SNN (book flights this weekend) & 2 rental cars. Lodging booked for Kilkenny & W Cork already. Having problem fitting in a Cong visit for the John Wayne fans and if we're up that way we can see Cliffs of Moher on the way down South.
Day 1-Arrive DUB early am. Stay Glendalough & include Powerscourt.
Days 2-4 Via National Stud, Kildare on to Freshford, Kilkenny. Booked 3nts. Visit City attractions, Jerpoint Abbey, Inistioge, Rock of Cashel, Cahir Castle & Glen of Aherlow.
Day 5? Can we fit in Cong/Cliffs with 1 night stay only & is the drive feasible?
Days 6-7 Killarney area for ROK, Muckross, Lakes etc
Days 8-11 Stay W Cork. Booked 4nts. Horse ride, Mizen Head & coast, Kinsale. Maybe Blarney Castle & Distillery if time. Relax!
4 of us fly back to USA from SNN but husband & I drive (long?)to Rosslare for Ferry to Wales. What do I need to review?

jeffergray

I thought Cong was great, but I wouldn't do it in the middle of the trip the way you're planning. You'll chew up the better part of two days running up there and back to Killarney, with little time to actually see anything. I would go from Cashel and Cahir to Cork, then to Killarney, and finally to Cong near the end. From Cong to Shannon isn't a bad drive.

We very much enjoyed staying at Ashford Castle, the Guinness family estate, just outside of Cong. That's where the stars stayed when they were filing "The Quiet Man." They run boat trips out to an island in Lough Corrib with some medieval ruins. There's also Cong Abbey in the town, itself, of course, and you'll pass the well-preserved ruins of Ross Errilly friary off to the left of the road on your way up there. And I seem to recall that there are tours available to locations used in filming "The Quiet Man".

We also liked northwest Clare, which is where the Cliffs of Moher are. Doolin is known as a folk music center. Next time we go to Ireland, I'll budget in some time for hiking in the Burren, the limestone desert in northern Clare.

I haven't visited Cork, but I have visited Killarney, and it might merit receiving an extra day from somewhere else in your itinerary. The Ring of Kerry drive itself can take the better part of a day, and there's lots of other scenic spots and hikes in the area. You could also do the Dingle peninsula drive in a long day trip from Killarney.

Finally, if you don't mind living dangerously, the boat trip out to the monastery island of Skellig Michael (typically taken from Portmagee on the Ring of Kerry) is a never-to-be-forgotten experience. But you should appreciate that this will consume a full day, and if the sea is at all rough, it's not for the faint-of-heart (you're crossing 8 miles of open water). Here's a post with a memoir of the trip:

http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Journals/Journal/454951

janisj

BRITAZ: jeffergray has give you some good info - and I agree w/ him that you are trying to zigzag a bit much trying to fit in a Cong visit.

But my main advice is to re-post w/ a better title. I suspect you would have received several more answers if folks knew what you wanted. While this may be a "Once in a lifetime trip" and you do need "help!" -- neither says what you are looking for. At very least put Ireland in the title.

Or better yet, I'd try something like "Trying to fit Cong into our Ireland itinerary"

(w/ two cars trying to tag team each other, it would be better if you could simplify your route a bit)

BRITAZ

Thank you jeffergray & janisj for taking the time to reply.
Advice noted on posting suggestions (I'm a first-timer). After reading advice to other posters I guess I'm going to be one of the many that need to lighten the itinerary too.
Both the Kilkenny & Cork accomomdation is booked and we have 3 days in between so I need to zig-zag somewhat. I think Killarney area may be the solution and forget further North much as it pains me but we've already stretched our week into more. We arrive May 7 Bank Holiday Monday & overnight Glendalough. Do you think the area will be REALLY busy?

IrishEyes

Been there, done that. Spent a Bank Holiday weekend in Glendalough a couple of years ago and it was jumping. Everything was very crowded including accommodations, restaurants, pubs and sightseeng attractions. However, Moday is the last day of the long weekend holiday. Toward evening everyone will leave and go back home.

BRITAZ

Thanks,IrishEyes.

Was hoping to spend our first day sightseeing & driving at a relaxed pace as we arrive early. I didn't envision the Wicklow Mtns crowded. Would the Holiday Monday be better spent say,in Doolin,if I change my route or will I find crowds most places?

janisj

&quot;<i>Was hoping to spend our first day sightseeing &amp; driving at a relaxed pace as we arrive early.</i>&quot;

Assuming you are flying in on an overnight transatlantic flight. If so, most or all of you will likely be jet lagged and pretty exhausted. Hard enough to drive, plus add in the &quot;wrong side of the road&quot; confusion. I wouldn't plan on ANY extended driving. Or even -no driving at all.

You will have the added issue of needing <u>two</u> drivers awake, and alert. Now, everyone may be just feeling super - but you won't know until you are there. If it were me, I might plan on staying in Dublin the first night and not even pick up the cars until the 2nd morning when everyone has had a good night's sleep.

GSteed

Hmmmm...Have you considered hiring a van and driver? Have you all travelled together before? If this is to be the trip of a lifetime why not do it in comfort. Our rule: Each time we add a body to a trip we add 15 minutes to the suggested departure time. Two vehicles and the Irish roads may pose unknown difficulties. Good luck and may the little people smile on you!

Padraig

GSteed wrote: &quot;may the little people smile on you!&quot;

That's an inappropriate wish. You should wish that the sidhe be unaware of you because they are not benevolent creatures.

Timlin

When we arrived in Ireland, dimembarked, found our rental car and headed out we soon found the excitment being replaced by sleepiness. We had to pull over and have a nap on our way to Carlow.....be prepared for folks to be wilting. The roads in Ireland tend to be narrow and you really need to be awake to tackle the &quot;wrong side of the road&quot; and learning to do as the natives do. (They turn a 2 lane highway into 4 lanes at an instants notice and you better be ready to move over to the shoulder of the road everytime anyone wants to pass in either direction. It's not like home at all.)

I would only suggest you take it a bit slower. Take time to enjoy the places you do see and perhaps see fewer places. I hate a trip where I don't get a feel of where I've been and it's all a haze later. Walking about, enjoying the places your visiting is what makes a trip memorable.

kaneda

Make sure you visit Kilkenny castle (fully restored). I hope you have parking there as it costs to park there (tickets from shops).

Kinsale is a nice little town but too touristy, and packed with people.

Blarney castle is just a poor skeleton of a building. No one is going to gain the gift of blarney talking by kissing a piece of stone. I don't know if true, but there was a rumour several years back about local lads peeing on it, their revenge on the unwanted tourists who clog the area when they kiss it.

BRITAZ

Thanks to all for the advice. For me, Ireland is driving on the 'right side of the road' as I'm from UK but moved to AZ 5 yrs ago. My idea to stay at Glendalough 1st night was because of the reasonably short drive and maybe wander around before/after jetlag sets in. Please advise on my revised itineray. Is the longest drive Kilkenny-Killarney and what is the prettiest route? Fly in DUB out SNN

1nt Glendalough
3nts Kilkenny area - booked
3nts Killarney area
4nts W Cork - booked

We try to do a trip together each year but including husbands this year. Last year we rode in the yearly Buffalo Round Up in S.Dakota. Great experience.

IrishEyes

I would have a reservation for your first night in Glendalough. Riversdale B&amp;B is excellent. If you prefer a hotel try Lynham's. Another attraction in the area is Powerscourt Gardens. Very beautiful scenery. I would wait till evening when the crowds die down and then have a peaceful walk through Glendalough.

Where are you staying in W. Cork? Are you driving from there to Shannon Airport and the ferry? What time are departures?

BRITAZ

IrishEyes,

Powerscourt &amp; Glendalough are on my list &amp; I've been looking at Derrymore B&amp;B near the lake. Thought we'd drive Wicklow Gap/Blessington as a scenic route to Kildare next day on way to Kilkenny for overnight. I booked Clomantagh, Freshford and Galley Head Lighthouse Cottage nr Rosscarbery &amp; Clonakilty. Wanted a variety of accommodation &amp; suited 6 of us. Not interested in large towns though I will tour Kilkenny. Flight from SNN is 1pm. Thought we could deal with long drive on last day after staying W Cork for 4 nts &amp; relaxing a little. Still unsure of the best route Kilkenny-Killarney.??

IrishEyes

I have no knowledge of Derrymore B&amp;B in Glendalough although I have heard mixed reviews of it. Sounds like you are self-catering for the rest of your trip? There is a good tour of Kilkenny with Tynan Walking Tours that begins at the tourist office.

Looks like a long haul on your last day. Probably 3 hours minimum to Shannon and I would give it 4 hours in case you get involved with Cork traffic or have a flat tire or something. You should be at the airport 2 1/2 to 3 hours before flight time if the flight is Trans-Atlantic. It will be an early start for a long day.

Best route from Kilkenny to Killarney depends on what you want to see along the way and whether you want the shortest route.

xxxx

Regarding driving from Kilkenny to Killarney...I printed off directions for theaa.co.uk and followed those. Basically, they were spot on. What I found especially helpful was that every roundabout was named so we always knew if we were on the right track. It took roughly 4 hours. We did not hit traffic around Cork. However, it did take awhile to get through the smaller towns.

johngerard

Cork - recommend the old fish market &amp; shopping area. Also Kinsale is a good afternoon trip as is Cobh - the old Cork harbour.
If you are going to Cong it will be another few delightful hours well spent &amp; then I would head for a night at Westport.

wojazz3

Hi BRITAZ:

You've had some great suggestions so far. I've got a couple of thoughts and a question.

What time are the flights out of SNN? Are the people flying back to the States driving directly to the airport? I haven't tried driving through Cork in a long time, but previous attempts were slow and confusing. On the other hand, getting around Cork going east won't be very hard unless you hit terrible traffic. There is a &quot;beltway&quot; of sorts on the south side of Cork and it connects easily to the N25. I don't know of any such road to get you easily to the N20.

Consider staying in Kenmare. If you're not a fan of large towns, Killarney isn't large but it is very busy and Kenmare much more quiet with ample opportunities for great dining. I'm a big fan.

Getting from Kilkenny to Kenmare. This is by no means an impossible drive. Considering that you are staying in W Cork later on, there is no real reason to go south. The most scenic is rarely the fastest, so keep that in mind. You could feasibly Cahir Castle that day on the way through.

I know very little about the area around Mallow, but you will probably be heading in that direction. I found the scenery from Macroom west to be quiet beautiful. Though this is the long way around, you could take the R584 out of Macroom which would send you by Gougane Barra which is a beautiful forest park (with a fine example of thatched toilets), and then continue on and catch the N71 north to Kenmare. Alternatively, after Gougane Barra, you could double back a very short way to Inchigeelaugh and then wind through the mountain roads towards Kilgarvan and then into Kenmare. Both are fabulous drives. The roads towards Kilgarvan are quite narrow a lot of the time so the going is slow.

Heading to W Cork, if you've already done the N71, try taking the long route and going over Healy Pass on Beara. There are some narrow spots on the north side, but it gets better on the south side. At that point, you would have only doubled up the drive between Glenarriff and Ballylickey.

Consider spending some time in the interior of the Ring of Kerry. There is a beautiful drive from just west of Molls Gap, north towards Lough Caragh. It starts out rather unspectacular, but ends up going through Ballaghbeama Gap on a lovely tiny road. You'll see very few others on this route.

Bill

BRITAZ

Thanks everyone so much.

Looks like Cong/Doolin aren't fitting into my plans as everywhere else is south of Shannon. Oh well - dedicate more time to the other great areas. Flight out of SNN is 1pm for 2 of the party. Can you get to the airport from W. Cork(Rosscarbery) bypassing Cork City traffic? Also, our Killarney area days are FRI SAT SUN. Is any day better than the others tourist wise for ROK, Gap of Dunloe etc? Looking at Carriglea House B&amp;B nr Muckross - any comments?
Bill, thanks for all the driving info I'll check out my map. I'm not in a rush to get from A-B prefer a leisurely route.

tune

Just an opinion.I traveled the ROK and the Dingle Peninsula and thought that Dingle was much nicer.I also liked Kinsale and Kenmare.jack