Tips on Ireland Trip
 

We are flying into Dublin June 10th and departing from Shannon on June 24th. We plan on staying in Dublin 2 nights and would like to pick up a car on Monday when we leave Dublin. According to Hertz car rental sight they have a rental place at So. Circular Road. Anyone ever pick up a car there? Would this be the hertz/o'scannlain that I've read about on this site. Not sure where we are staying yet in Dublin but know we do not want to drive while there. Need help planning the rest of the trip. Know we want to Cashel, Wexford, Cork, Kenmare, Dingle, etc. and anything else that sounds interesting. Not sure how long to stay in the different areas. Would like to stay 2-3 nights in each stop. We (boyfriend & I - 40 somethings) like to do the sights during the days and the pubs at night. Any help would be appreciated.

I have not heard of hertz on So. Circular road. Try the one on Haddington road which is more central to the city. AAlso Dan Dooley have a rental place in town at the back of trinity college beside the Pearse Street Dart Station.

OK, you've got 14 days, starting in Dublin, ending in Shannon. I would say, based on the places you want to see, that a 'U' trip is needed... start in Dublin, head south, then west, then north, and end up in Shannon. THis would minimize backtracking.

Dublin isn't as scary to drive in as I've heard folks say here -- certainly I'd rather drive there than in Miami on any day (grew up in Miami). I've driven several times in Dublin, and had no problem... I enjoyed the flexibility. The worst downside is the cost of parking. However, if you utilize B&Bs, you can usually leave the car there. Since you are only doing 2 days in Dublin, this might work fine.

I would head south from Dublin to Wexford. On the way, I would recommend visits to Glendalough Abbey and Powerscourt Falls and Gardens.

Then I would head west, going through Cashel, Cork, then to Kenmare and Dingle/Ring of Kerry area.

My personal preference is B&Bs, as it is much easier to get to know the locals that way, and find out the best pubs for 'craic' (conversation/atmosphere, etc.).

I think you will have a delightful time, and a wonderful trip!

Yup - there's a Hertz car rental place on South Circular Road. Hertz aren't on Haddington Road - that is Argus.

In any case, South Circular Road (SCR) is very central (moreso than Haddington Road!!!) and it's also handy enough for getting out of the city on to the M50.

If you are staying in Dublin for a night or two when you arrive, you'd be better to use public transport, and then take your luggage to Hertz on SCR and just head straight out of the city.

If you need help with directions, just shout!

We're doing the opposite: picking up car at Shannon and ending up in Dublin. When we get to Dublin, (via Kilkenny) we want to return the car before we go to our hotel in the city. I was thinking we would drop it at the airport and then cab to the Westbury.

Is that the easiest or would this Hertz office on south circular road be easier? We haven't acutally rented the car yet. It will be a Sunday in early July when we get to Dublin.

Cailin, I think we will plan on picking up the rental car on S. Cir. Road and we will need directions. Plan on doing Powerscourt and Glendalough and then on to Wexford and/or Waterford? Any reason to go to Wexford. Can we do that in one day. Need to know for reservations for B&B's. Don't want to be to rushed as we do have 11 days once we leave Dublin. Thanks for your help!

WWW.aaroadwatch.ie will let you custom build an itinerary and then print out route directions. The driving times they quote are a bit conservative, otherwise it is excellent. While there is no place in Ireland that I would deem unworthy of a visit, Waterford and Wexford hold no overwhelming interest for me personally. I would spend most of my time in the West (North - Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Clare; or the South - Cork, Kerry and Limmerick) as there is more 'bang-for-the-buck' there IMHO.

Cork, for me, has family, but also Mizzen Head, Sheep Head, Bearra and the Lee and Blackwater Valleys. Kerry has Killarney (Lakes, National Park, Torc Falls, Gap of Dunloe and Ladies View), the Ring of Kerry AND Dingle, as well as more archeological sites per square mile than almost anywhere.

I was ther in sept/oct 04 used hertzx/oscannlain - it is on s. circulr dr. - cots me 10 euro from temple bar by cab - east shot out of town as you are going opposite way of most folks heading toward dublin - suns right into main hwy
bob

Picking up our car at Hertz on Circular was the EASIEST pick up/drop off of all our rentals in the UK last November. Easy in, great people, easy out. By the way, we rented it through 1-2-Ireland and had great rates.

Okay, hubby says it might not have been on Circular. It was at the airport, though.