Staying in Belfast for a few days with no rental car, we use the bus and train, what are the best thing to see ie. castles, pubs, historic things, help me out with ideas.

Will be taking train to Dublin, using Dublin as our home base looking for day trips again by bus or train, we will be there for 7 nights.

What towns do suggest we visit, what is there do do in these towns. We want the whole irish experience.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

It's going to be very difficult to get the whole experience using Dublin as a base. You will be doing way too much toing and froing - which can be slow - since roads through the countryside (no matter who is driving) are not speedy.

Strongly suggest you pick out your most sees (and I love Dublin and would definitely spend 2 or 3 days there - perhaps going to Newgrange) - but then heading to 1 or 2 centers in other parts of the country from which you can see major sights.

I personally would not stay in Dublin for a whole week if they paid me (I like Dublin but definitely don't love it). Many more of the things I enjoy in Ireland are all the way across the country. 3 days would be plenty for Dublin + a day trip.

In fact most of my trips to Ireland I haven't set foot in Dublin.

I am interested in advice too. Besides Newgrange, is there any other town that would make a nice two or three night visit?

Seven, if you do decide to hang around Dublin, then stay here http://kingsitric.ie/ lovely little port on the end of the railway line with a serious wine cellar

I have not looked where the train drops off, this, sounds like 3 nights in Dublin might be one to many, what other towns are worth staying 2 nights, are these towns connected by train too, or would I have to reconnect through a major city.
Thanks

Newgrange is just a day trip from Dublin in order to tour the prehistoric monument. It;s not a place to stay several days.

You really need to get some guide books and determine what you want to see: Ring of Kerry? Stay in real castle?, Cliffs of Moher?

Then you can figure out where you need to stay. And really car is by far the best way to see beyond Dublin.