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-   -   Please help with Ireland itinerary (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/please-help-with-ireland-itinerary-1727592/)

snooker11 Jan 17th, 2025 10:32 AM

Please help with Ireland itinerary
 
Planning trip to Ireland in mid-March. Thinking of going to Slieve League in Donegal but can't tell if that region is really dead in the off-season. I'm ok with somethings being closed, but would be lame if most everything was. Anyone know?

snooker11 Jan 17th, 2025 10:49 AM

Please help with itinerary
 
Going to Ireland in mid-March. So far, we are doing the below. BUT we have an extra 2 days unaccounted for. Trying to figure out where to spend more time or which other part of Ireland to see. Heard good things about Ring of Beara but not sure if too similar to Dingle? Curious about Donegal area esp. Sliev Lieg, but not sure if that area is completely dead and miserable in mid-March. Any advice?

Dublin - 2 days
Dingle - 2 days. Will stop at Rock of Cashel on way out there.
Cliffs of Moher/Burren - 2 days
Inis Mor - 1 day (will spend night there)
Connemara - 2 days
Northern Ireland - 2 days. Will stop at Newgrange on way back to Dublin for flight back.

Travel_Nerd Jan 17th, 2025 12:03 PM

By "days" do you mean you have 3 nights?

And this goes for your current itinerary, too. In order to have 2 days in a location, you need to figure on 3 nights in a place as transit and other logistics (i.e. checking in/out of lodging) can take a half day or more in some cases.

How many nights on the ground fo you have?

It would help to understand your interests as well to give you suggestions once you clarify the time you have.

virginiafish Jan 17th, 2025 12:56 PM

We were there in November with similar weather I would suspect. We loved the Northern/Northwest areas. Check out my trip report:https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...ember-1726882/
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

snooker11 Jan 17th, 2025 01:10 PM

We're spending 2 weeks total. Below is more of a breakdown, but it's really just a draft at this point since there are so many unknowns.

3/16 Arrive in Dublin AM.
3/17 Dublin
3/18 Leave Dublin in AM. Visit Cashel on way to Dingle/night in Dingle.
3/19 Dingle/night in Dingle
3/20 Leave Dingle in afternoon. Drive to Burren National Park area/night in Burren
3/20 Burren/Cliffs of Moher/night in Burren or drive to Galway area
3/21 Go to Inis Mor in AM/night in Inis Mor
3/22 Leave Inis mor AM. Drive to Connemora.
3/23 Connemora
3/24
3/25
3/26
3/27 day Antrim Coast/ night in Belfast
3/28 day Belfast /night in Belfast
3/29 day Newgrange/night around there or back in Dublin
3/30 leave from Dublin

snooker11 Jan 17th, 2025 01:14 PM

our main interests are hiking, ruins, and dramatic and diverse scenery

janisj Jan 17th, 2025 09:50 PM

Slieve League is a cliff -- so it doesn't close or shut down in the off season. If you are basing in Donegal anyway it would be a no brainer IMO. Be prepared for very windy and possibly very wet weather. Unless you just want to hike, a visit to the Slieve League can be very quick. You can drive to the very top viewpoint if you want (involves opening a gate and closing it but you can drive through). So it can be a simple (but glorious in the right conditions) photo op.

Travel_Nerd Jan 17th, 2025 10:01 PM

Snooker, you have two threads for planning. So everyone can follow along better as well as give suggestions, ask the mods to merge your threads.

You can do so by clicking on the orange triangle on the bottom left.

Moderator1 Jan 18th, 2025 07:12 AM

Merged two threads and added Ireland to the title.

snooker11 Jan 19th, 2025 08:50 AM

Thanks, all. Curious to get feedback on Donegal vs. Connemara in mid/late March. We love hiking, dramatic scenery, and ruins.


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