Several years ago, my husband and I toured Ireland via car rental. We found the driving too anxiety provoking to give it another go. If you have successfully toured the country, especially the western portion, without personally driving, please share the specifics of your trip. Thanks!

ttt

The Republic of Ireland has a third-rate public transport system. But its reputation for having a third-rate road system is now seriously out of date.

With a decent motorway web from Dublin to the major cities, the bulk of driving (apart from the problem of paying tolls on the M50 Dublin ring road) is now relatively painless. Especially going to the West, since relatively few ordinary roads there are obscured by protruding hedges. Loonie nationalists still churn out the nonsense about all the trees being chopped down to build British ships - as if all those cows the pre-British chieftans were forever stealing from each other lived in dense woodland.

But whoever deforested the West did a thorough job.

You can travel round Ireland's cities by public transport - and even rely on it to tour Northern Ireland. But it's hopeless in the West. Your only alternatives are bankrupting yourself on a private driver, or coping with a coach tour. Neither would be my cup of strong Irish tea.

I think your only choice is to hire a private driver. I tried the trains and they were pitiful. And I understand the buses are very few and far between (esp to someone from NYC who expects one to pull up every 5 or 6 minutes).

Buses/trains work great for traveling long distances between regions. But for touring the beauty spots in the West/Southwest -- they are crap IMO.

I'd buck up a bit and drive. But if you are sure you won't enjoy that -- a guided coach tour, or a pricey personal driver guide are about your only options.

Now, some hardy souls do manage to tour using local buses -- but that <u>severely</u> limits where you can go and what you can see in the short time of most vacations.

Just back from six days in Galway. Used a personal driver/guide and it was absolutely the best. Used Ireland Chauffeur Travel. Our driver was a font of info. and history.

I have toured Ireland several ways but this next trip none of us want to drive. We are doing Dublin, staying close to Trinity, taking the train north and south for day trips, if we want to do a day tour there are many, just check out the tourist office on Suffolk st. We are taking the gobus 25 euro rt to Galway for the Oyster festival. Staying in town and taking a tour to Cong and ferry to Aran Islands for 45 euro one day, another day trip to the Burren and Cliffs. Google day tours Galway. The festival will be great for entertainment. I want to stay put and really enjoy things I have never squeezed in on previous trips. I want to see Croke park,explore the other side of the Liffey etc. This is my fourth trip and I don't want a whirlwind trip this time.

flpab...would you mind corresponding with me via email? I'd love to hear more about your trip. Sounds like you have traveled pretty extensively without driving. My email is [email protected]
Thanks!