Here's the highlights and recommendations:

Note: if you have mobility issues be careful - many restaurants are up flights of steep stairs, and even when they are on the ground floor bathrooms are often up or down (I was glad I did my stairs prior to coming)

a note on bringing euros - obviously you can use the ATM's while here. I decided to bring $400 worth as I wanted to make sure to have enough to tip guides and hotel staff generously. I ended up taking out another $200 while here. In addition to tips we used them several times in taxis.

Hotels: Dublin - College Green by Marriott - excellent - only downside was not having an onsite restaurant for lunch and dinner. They do have a bar that serves food but the night we were tired and thought to try it we could tell by the noise level that there was already quite a party happening so moved on.

Kerry - Kenmare - Sheen Falls - amazing - I can't think of anything negative to say - loved the staff, the location was gorgeous, room huge and comfortable - so helpful arranging outings.

Maldron Inn at the airport - Yuk - enough said. can't wait to get out of here.

Restaurants: (note my husband is gluten free so all these restaurants were able to accommodate him)
Superb but pricey:
Glovers Alley Dublin
Patrick Guilbaud - Dublin
The Falls - Kenmare

Really good:
Pigs Ear Dublin
Johnnyu Fox's Dublin
#35 Kenmare

nice places for good food at good prices
The Ceders Lebanese Dublin
Kathmandu Dublin
Mikey Ryans Cashel
Lynches Castletownbere (lovely fresh seafood)
there were a few others that I can't remember - I'll add later when I do

To See:
Don't miss:
Dublin - EPIC (don't need advance tickets unless y9ou want to see the famine ship
not quite as amazing but really powerful/well done:
Kilmainham gaol - must have timed tickets - get them exactly 28 days in advance 7 pm EST - if you miss out a guide told us that tickets are released every day between 9:15 and 9:30 Dublin time
GPO - post office site of the 1916 rebellion - only takes about an hour (avoid the cafe for lunch although the coffee looked good) very close to EPIC
National Gallery - loved it
Grafton Street is fun for shopping

Day trips from Dublin:
Powerscourt Gardens was one of the superb highlights of the trip
also loved Glendalough which was on the same side trip from Dublin
Rock of Cashel is very powerful and worth the detour - doesn't take long to see, nice countryside and village

I personally wasn't wild about Malahyde Castle although others might like it - the gardens were nice, especially the butterfly house
Having been to many fishing villages I wasn't sure what the fuss was about Howthe - but it might have been our guide didn't do a great job of helping us see what was to be seen or experienced. We did have a great fish lunch there though.

County Kerry
The Dereen Gardens probably the highlight of the trip for me - non crowded, gorgeous and haunting
Ring of Beara - really great scenery and views, do it with a guide who knows the history
Killarney National Park - it was nice - not overwhelming , but I think if we'd had more time and lingered and actually hiked I would have liked it more.
I wish I'd left more time for hanging in Kenmare village and shopping (although I did buy some lovely scarves in the woolen shop in Dublin)

Guides: I recommend Dairine and Don C from Tours by Locals, and in Kerry use Wild Atlantic Tours. Don has his own tour company as well - Wild willow Tours.

ok one picture:

feeling nostalgic

abbey door at Mukross abbe

40 shades of green