you are young and if you are in the least adventurous I would advise you to hire a car. I know automatics are more expensive but shop around - we asked for a manual (stick shift to you) several years ago (we are Australian and used to driving on the left and manual tranmission) and ended up with an auto - which Imust admit we were glad of at times - one less thing to concentrate on. You will miss a lot if you do not drive.

Hi Bob-
I had figured, once we drove up to galway from ennis and explored some places north of galway, we could drive across ireland and i read about athlone as somewhere we should visit. that seems to be right in the middle of the trip from galway to dublin.
as for what we would be interested in doing...Look at scenery, explore ancient ruins, mingle with the locals. yup! all of that! we really arent big drinkers or partiers or anything like that, but we also wouldnt want to be in a romantic bed and breakfast in the middle of nowhere either :0) thanks so much for all of your help!
i have booked
butler court in kilkenny
garnish house in cork
greenmount in dingle
and bunratty villa
still looking for ideas in ennis, galway, outside of dublin, kinsale and kenmare!!!

Hi jhg, we stayed at Windsor Lodge in Dun Laoghaire a few years ago. Big, lovely old home with warm hostess. We walked to the DART, which was fairly close.

You could also consider staying a little north of Dublin. Next week we will be staying in Howth for a few nights. The DART is also convenient from there.

Definitely go for the automatic, since it will be less distracting when you will have so many other things to be focusing on while you are driving. (Stay left, stay left!) On our trips, my husband has always been the driver, and I the navigator.

I think you will have a great trip!

or should we stay in howth instead of Dun Laoghaire??? if we were interested in seeing bru na boinne wouldnt howth be a better option near dublin? or not?

Some additional suggestions:

I've heard the Poet's Corner, a pub attached to the Old Ground in Ennis, is an excellent place to eat with great food and good craic (atmostphere/conversation).

On your way to Dublin, don't miss seeing Newgrange and/or the Hill of Tara (before the M3 is built near it). Newgrange is an iron age burial mound you can go inside to the center, and Hill of Tara is where Irish kings have been crowned for several millenia.

Dun Laoghaire is a nice little seaside town, but not a whole lot happening for the young, at least when I visited 10 years ago (may have changed!)

While in Kilkenny, consider going by Jerpoint Abbey, about 15 minutes south near Thomastown -- great ruined abbey :)

Kilkenny has a great restaurant called Breathnachs on the other side of the river from the castle, about 2 blocks down from the bridge. Contemporary food, great steaks, mushrooms, etc. I went there last in 2002. They have a dance club next to/under it, as I recall.

Well, we have booked hotels everywhere and we were hoping you all would let us know what you think. all of them have cancellation policies, so if you find a problem please please let us know!!! and thank you to everyone for helping!!!!

ennis-rose cottage
galway-adare house
dublin-clontarf castle
kilkenny-butler court
cork-garnish house
kinsale-old presbytery
kenmare-hawthorn house
dingle-greenmount
bunratty villa

For heaven's sakes, you have a lot of time before you go - rent a standard shift for a weekend and have a friend show you how to drive it. You should learn how to do this anyway. Drive up and down hills, and learn how to manage the gears. Save money and drive! Have fun

Sheri---I don't know where you live, but shifting with the left hand after learning with the right is totally different. It would be especially difficult for a recent learner. I have driven a "stick" all my life and will not own anything else, but I find it terribly difficult to shift with the left hand on top of all the other stresses of driving on the left. It isn't just age---my 20-something son, who is totally competent about everything, says the same. If the OP's (the sisters) are going to drive (and in Ireland they should, to see everythng) they should rent an automatic.

We've stayed at Rose Cottage in Ennis. Best part about that stay was: we arrived from Shannon around 9:30 AM and Carmel Daniels had a family room ground floor and away from the Pub all ready for us. So we checked in, took a nap and got up about 1:00 PM, ready for lunch and a walkabout in Ennis (Carvery lunch was at the Queen's Hotel).

Stay at Rose Cottage was uneventful, Breakfasts, prepared & served by Carmel Daniels, were great! No, her Husband's name is not Jack!

One of our stops was the Poet's Corner Pub at the Old Ground Hotel, just past St. Peter & Paul Cathedral. Evenings, I prefer Cruise's Restaurant & Pub on Abbey Street adjacent to the Queen's Hotel ('Trad' Irish music every night).

Hi,

I just had to respond to your question. A couple of years ago, my sister and I, then 58 and 60 took a five week trip to Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. WE HAD A BLAST!

Rented a car in Ireland for 10 days-explored the west and northwest and had plenty of time to do what we wanted. Neither of had been outside of the United States, but we had no problems on this trip.

We rented an automatic car, she did the driving(considering herself to be the better driver) and I did the navigating, since I am better at that. We never felt any sort of threat-everyone was great and friendly.

Go for it ladies--rent the car and have a ball. You'll be glad you did.

I am also traveling to Ireland with my sister in July. Our driver license say we are in our 50's (GASP) but our minds are still in their twenties! We rented an automatic car; I believe it was from AutoEurope. We are flying into London than to Dublin than making a loop back to Dublin, than to London than home to the Seattle area. We love adventure and when we travel we like to pack a lot into our travels. We will be staying at The Old Presbytery in Kinsale on July 14,15. Maybe our paths will cross. If not have a wonderful trip! I hope you enjoy your sister as much as I enjoy mine.

Old Presbytery is a great location; convenient to the interesting shops and galleries, plus restaurants of Kinsale.

Garnish House is wonderful - Ireland's most extensive breakfast, and close to Cork city center. The owner, Mrs. Lucey, though always busy, is a font of information about the city.

Clontarf is a good location with easy car-free access to center Dublin; although I've never stayed at the castle, it's well regarded.

If visiting Howth, the King Sitric restaurant, right on the pier has outstanding food.

We have a plan!!! I think it's pretty good, thanks to all of you. please let me know what you think! (my only thought is that i should stay in kenmare on the night of the 20th instead of dingle. what do you think?) thank you thank you so much for all of your help!!!! (and if there are any restaurant suggestions, i'll take those too!!!!) We are really excited!!!!
(we're renting an automatic economy car from europcar and a gps too just to be safe)

„N 7/7 depart us

„N 7/8 arrive Shannon airport, drive to ennis, see ennis stay at grey gables

„N 7/9 to the burren, cliffs of moher (see rick steves drive) stay at grey gables

„N 7/10 drive to galway. See galway. Stay at adare house

„N 7/11 connemara drive (rick steves) stay at adare house

„N 7/12 aran islands stay at adare house

„N 7/13 drive to Dublin. See athlone on the way. Stop first at newgrange. Stay in clontarf castle.

„N 7/14 see Dublin. Stay at clontarf castle.

„N 7/15 drive down to to kilkenny. See kilkenny. Stay at butler court.

„N 7/16 Visit cashel and cahir. Return to kilkenny. Stay at butler court.

„N 7/17 drive down to Waterford, then onto cork. Stay at garnish house. See cork

„N 7/18, see cork more, drive to cobh and then to kinsale. Stay at old presbytery. see kinsale.

„N 7/19 drive south along the shore, pass glengarriff to kenmare. Stay at hawthorn house.

„N 7/20 drive the ring of kerry, drive to dingle. Stay at kirrary house (or should we stay in kenmare again this night???)

„N 7/21 see dingle. Stay at kirrary house.

„N 7/22 drive to limerick? Adare? Drive to bunratty. Go to the banquet or traditional irish night?.

„N 7/23 bunratty castle and folk park. Return home.

Lookin' good, Joanna.

I think 2 nights in Dingle; otherwise a great itinerary. Limerick could be skipped - you will be tired, why fight big-city confusion....a stop in Adare to walk around, maybe lunch at the Dunraven Arms, then head to Bunratty and relax. Hope the weather cooperates for you. The trip will be unforgettable.

Looks wonderful! You'll be arriving as we spend our last couple of nights in Dublin (we fly out the 9th). I agree with spending the extra night in Dingle.

I'd add Hill of Tara to your list of things to see on the way to Dublin. It's not far from Newgrange, and they are scheduled to build an extension of the N3 next to it next Spring, so see it now while it's still peaceful and serene! :)

I think you will have a wonderful trip!

ok, we'll definitely keep the 2 nights in dingle, i was just a little concerned that after driving around the ring of kerry i wouldnt want to drive to dingle also, but it doesnt look like too bad of a drive.
thanks so much!
joanna

I just wanted to thank everyone so very much for helping us plan our trip. i think I have finally finished our itinerary, although i keep changing it because i just cant stop planning and thinking! but hopefully this is it. I know many of you are going to think its too much and we should take it easy, but we really want to see everything!!!! So, here is the plan, hopefully the final one. I have tried to use as much of your advice and input as I could. Any suggestions on must sees in these places would be great or any restaurant ideas. Thanks so so so so much! cant wait until july!

„N 7/7 depart us

„N 7/8 arrive Shannon, drive to ennis (25 mins), see ennis . stay at grey gables

„N 7/9 to the burren, cliffs of moher (see rick steves drive) drive to galway see galway stay at asgard guest house

„N 7/10 aran islands- (aranislandferries.com from rossaveal, (1hr-1hr25min. away departs 10:30, 30 min trip. Back at 5. drive up to clifden.(1hr) Stay at Seamist Guest house.

„N 7/11 connemara drive pass kylemore abbey, (to achill islands 3 hrs ) stay in Westport- Linden Hall

„N 7/12 see Westport. from Westport drive to mullingar.( 2 hours 30min) Stay in Greville Arms Hotel.

„N 7/13 drive to bru na (1hr 13 min) then To Dublin, Stay in clontarf castle. (54 mins to Dublin) (drive to howth at night? 23 mins or dart?)

„N 7/14 see Dublin. Stay at clontarf castle.

„N 7/15 drive down to to kilkenny. (2hrs) See kilkenny (go to jerpoint abbey in thomastown) Stay at butler court.

„N 7/16 to Cashel (1hr) to cahir (13 min) to lismore (43 min) Lismore-Pinetree House. music festival

„N 7/17 onto cork. (51 min) Stay at garnish house. See cork

„N 7/18, see cork more, drive to kinsale. (44 mins) Stay at old presbytery. See kinsale.

„N 7/19 drive along the shore, pass glengarriff to kenmare. (3 hrs) Stay at hawthorn house.

„N 7/20 drive the ring of kerry,(rick steves) go to killarney national park. (torc falls) drive to dingle. stay in killarney.

„N 7/21 drive to dingle. (1hr 45min) Stay at kirrary house.

„N 7/22 drive around dingle peninsula, take a tour? stay at kirrary house

„N 7/23 drive to Adare (3 hrs) have lunch. drive to airport. Return home 5pm flight.

Sounds great, jhg, you'll have a fab time :)

We are going to Ireland for 2 weeks in July as well. Our itinerary is quite ambitious but I think we will be fine. We are flying into Shannon early morning..and renting an automatic van for the 5 of us. We are driving straight to Kilkenny where we are staying in a B&B for one night. It's called The Shillogher House and we received a nice e mail from the owner saying that we will be "shattered" and that he will take care of us whenever we arrive. I have head everyone is friendly over there! From there we are driving to Dublin and staying in a hotel for 2 nights. Everyone has said to ditch the car while in Dublin. After that we are driving down to Kinsale where we have rented a house for a week. It was great to hear about a good restaurant there..The White House. We will make sure we go. After that we are driving to Dingle and staying at a lodge there for a night. On to Ennis to a B&B working farm for a night and then back to Shannon to fly home. We will have a couple of drivers...my son is a lefty and wonder if that helps with the shifting and driving on the left?? Anyway...have a great time.....

I'd spend another night in Dublin and avoid Mullingar. The Boyne is a short drive from Dublin. There are plenty of B&Bs in Clontarf and Howth. Drive to Howth rather than get the Dart. The drive from the village in Howth to the summit and down the other side offers some great views of Dublin whereas, the Dart only goes as far as the village. Enjoy!

My sister and I did a trip 20yrs aga also and still talk and laugh about it. I did all the driving and I drove a stick. Had a few lessons in the States befor we left. We were in Ireland for five weeks and never stoped laughing. Go and enjoy you'll be fine.

Yes definitely do the driving--the tour buses have mostly white haired little old ladies and men--my 2 girlfriends and I just returned from driving 13 days (2500 miles) in Ireland with no problems at all--it was very rare to see women traveling together so we had lots of people talking to us curious that we were traveling without males--we are in our early 50's--but DO get an automatic even if it is more expensive. It was work enough to remember to drive on the left and the windshield wipers and turn signals are also on the reverse sides. I also recommend getting the super collision waiver even if it is more $$$--there were many times driving that the left side of the car scrapped along the side hedges or the side mirrors almost clipped another car so it was worth it in "worry"

By two sisters, do you mean two nuns?
:-)

I know I am a late comment,but as a woman who has been to Ireland alone many times, I can't tell you enough good things about the people and the safe feeling I always have when I am there. DRIVE! It is the only way. However, you have packed way too much in as far as your itinerary. It takes much longer than you might think to get to some of your destinations. If I were you I would pick an area ( i.e. Southwest, West or wherever and explore - else you will be driving the whole time - the roads are much slower than a map might indicate) You will have a blast and will want to return anyway!
Slainte!

I'll be there in Sept!
CC

My best suggestion -- ONE SUITCASE!!!! pack and take light!

Dingle - emlacht lodge is marvy! Maggie a great hostess - my one question on the car -- Do you have a world mastercard or are you planning on getting the CDW coverage -- that will cost quite a bit --

Don't you have to be 24 or somthing to rent a car in Ireland? Just asking -- good luck and have fun! Ireland's a dream! I agree -- i'd see less and save some for your next trip -- we did the south and west coast last feb - and are doing the West & north this coming Sept.....you'll want to go back -- trust me -- it's the best place to visit!

:) I was thinking how odd it was that the OP was no longer a member already! Then I noticed the date... it looks like this is from 4 years ago?

Still *very* relevant advice (and I wish they had posted a trip report).