First of all thanks for all the help I've gotten so far from reading the forums and trip reports. We would love some advice on our itinerary for our first trip. We are concentrating on the west, but must include a couple nights in Dublin (non negotiable for my husband I know we are missing out on the Ring of Kerry and Dingle peninsula, among other wonderful sights but I'm taking the advice of many on this board and trying to limit to 1-2 regions (and also Dublin). We will have a car throughout the trip. Any tips or advice are appreciated!

Day 1 Fly into Shannon
Explore the Burren, stay in Fanore
Day 2. Burren, Cliffs of Mohrer, ??
Stay in Galway
Day 3 Galway City, stay in Galway
Day 4 explore Connemara, Kylemore Abbey
Stay in Cong
Day 5 Ashford Castle, Co mayo, ?
Stay in Cong
Day 6/7 Co Leitrim, (husband's family immigrated from here) Glencar Falls, Carrick on the Shannon, stay near Lough Rynn castle in Mohill. Any advice here welcome, don't know much about this area
Day 8 Travel to Dublin--any sights you recommend along the way?
Stay in Dublin
Day 9 Dublin, stay night in Dublin
Day 10. See Rock of Cashel, on to Bunratty, see castle, stay night in Bunratty
Day 11. Fly out of Shannon

Thanks in advance for any advice!

My husbands family is from Co. Leitrim also (Balinaglera), We visit family still in the area every year,next trip May 26.

Carrick is a wonderful town with my favorite rest/pub in the entire country http://www.theoarsman.com . It is a great walkable town and can get busy.

Parkes Castle on Lough Gill in Dromahair is worth a visit

North of Leitrim is Marble Arch Caves (near Black Lion) is nice if you didn't see the caves in the Burren.

Carrick to Dublin is an easy 2 hour straight shot on the N4.We only stop for breakfast on our first morning mid route(coming from the airport).

Enjoy Leitrim!

Susan

couple of my maps with some points worth a look?

http://goo.gl/maps/e4gVk
http://goo.gl/maps/uqIi8
http://goo.gl/maps/FDZCV

http://www.discoversligo.com/?pagid=culture
http://www.leitrimtourism.com/

By the way,, You are missing nothing but tourism in county Kerry. Anything Kerry can offer can be found above the imaginary Dublin - Shannon line.

Thanks so much for the info about Leitrim, Susan and those fabulous maps Tony2phones. Thanks again for putting my fears at ease about missing Dingle and The Ring of Kerry, on other sites it makes it sound like it's not worth going to Ireland if you miss those .

A couple of questions, any thoughts on whether to stay in Clifden vs Galway? I want to add an extra day for hiking in Connemara National park as well as seeing Clifden, Kylemore Abbey, etc and wondering if cutting a day in Galway would be worth it.

Also, for our next to last day We are driving from Dublin to Banratty (we fly out of Shannon the next morning). We would like to see Glendalough and Rock of Cashel on the way. Is this doable? Or ridiculous?

Thanks again for your advice!

Kate

We had a week booked to stay in Cong not that many years ago, I managed 2 days before moving on to Clifden..

Fanore has a great beach we always take the grandchildren across to, Personally I prefer Kinvara as a place to stay but have the first 2 nights in Fanore. Take a Cliffs and Inis Oirr cruise the middle day.

See Galway and stay in Cong (Ashford ?)

Clifden has a good range of accommodation from a couple of B&B's I wouldn't stay in, a decent Hostel up to high end B&B and Castle. Good food a variety of bars with individual atmospheres.

Much as I love Clifden I don't think the 2 nights there then straight up through Mayo and Sligo is the best way to see what's on offer, certainly not giving time for north Mayo so maybe only one night Clifden and one Westport/Ballina?

Dublin - Cashel - Bunratty (or the Oakwood arms Shannon) is a sensible day maybe also fit in the Rock of Dunamase on the way but trailing over the Wicklow mountains to get to Cashel is pushing it.

Hey Tony, Nora Roberts has a trilogy out now about the Cong area and Ashford. I did read the first of the series as it was priced well for my kindle. The second book is much higher so haven't bought it yet but she does described a lot of the area well.

More a Dean Koonts type reader but you might like ; Meeting Mayhem by Katy McDermott not read that either but did give her a bit of assistance on the Clifden area before she wrote it.

I have read Tim Robinson who is a great cartographer and an interesting writer. Now living in Roundstone and writes about the Connemara with a mix of genuine history some stories and detail on the flora and fauna. fairly heavy going in parts for me but worth it for the detail.