Hi,
We are spending 6 nights in Ireland and, because of a really good deal, we booked the entire time in the same hotel which is located near the Killenard/Kildare area (about 1 hour south west of Dublin). I am wondering, is it feasible to take day trips from this home base to any of the major sights around Ireland? All of the itineraries I read suggested spending some nights in various cities as you travel around the country but we won't be able to do that. I don't mind driving but as I began looking at a map of Ireland I started to wonder if we will be spending our entire trip in the car.

Any advice/suggestions on where to go and what to see based on this is much appreciated.

It might have been a really good deal on paper but factor in the cost of fuel for day trips and the limited options from a fairly poor touring base and I would be a bit disappointed. There are a few options within a couple of hours but I think you might be spending a lot of time and money in the car, sorry.

Possibly a bit harsh last night. Kilkenny is Just over an Hour away as is Glendalough in Wicklow, Tullamore 45 minutes, Bray on the coast is just under 2 hours possibly calling at Powerscourt on the way over. Rock of Cashel or Birr castle again an hour, Clonmacnoise a little further. So maybe not that bad really, just wouldn't have been my first choice.

That's the Helpful Tony we all know and love. I wondered about that first post!

I too got out my atlas and wondered where we would send benjoanna. Good choices, Tony.

I understand Tony's first reaction. For most visitors, a midlands location is not the best option.

There is a good day-trip to be made featuring Kilkenny and places south of it. There is far more in the Wicklow Mountains than Glendalough -- at least two day's worth of scenic touring without retracing your steps very much. Specific attractions like Wicklow Jail; Russborough House; Mount Usher Gardens; Avoca (Ballykissagnel location); loadsa stuff.

And anywhere you go (not just in Ireland) there are likely to be local things of interest, things that might not make it into guidebooks. The hotel staff might have some ideas. Things like this: http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/mid...oast/emocourt/. It's on my "I must get around to it" list. You could check it out for me.

Some additional possibilities:

Obviously you could also spend some time in Dublin though driving and parking in the city is challenging. You could circle around Dublin and perhaps make it out to Howth. There is a beautiful walk along the sound end of the peninsula that makes it difficult to believe you are that close to Dublin. This is a close as you will probably get to a cliff in Ireland.

Along with Tony's Glendalough idea would be Powerscourt and the Wicklow Mountains. The road from Avoca to Laragh is a nice drive.

You could probably squeeze a trip north to Bru na Boinne and Trim Castle. If you do Bru na Boinne, get an early start so you make sure you can make the tours as they can sell out by midday sometimes.

Just north of Tullamore is Kilbeggan, home of Locke's Distillery which is now a fairly interesting museum to the old place.

If you make it down to Cashel you may want to head a bit further down the road and visit Cahir Castle which has been kept in remarkable good shape over the years.

Closer to home is the National Stud Farm and Japenese Gardens. Goban Saor apparently is the local trad pub in Kildare and may have music on Wednesday nights. I haven't been but it gets good reviews.

So you will be able to keep yourself busy. As Tony said, it's not really a 1st choice (which may explain the deal) but you can certainly find a way to have fun.

Bill

Emo House is a nice one, and right in your backyard.

Also the Rock of Dunamase is worth a visit (and costs nothing). Near Portlaoise
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Dunamase
No tourist, and a grand view.

If the Misses gets the shopping blues, try Kildare Village (outlet center). Right on M7, exit 13.

Once you get west of Portlaoise, you can visit "authentic Irish towns" - like Roscrea or Nenagh.

In between Portlaoise and Roscrea are the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Guided/signposted auto and hiking trails are abundand.
Roscrea is a nice heritage town - you should not miss it when you are in the area.
http://www.roscreaheritage.com/

So is Nenagh. You can go around Lough Derg from Nenagh. Great viewpoints from R494, Killaloe/Ballina nice stop for lunch, boat trip to Holy Island from Western shore of the lake (from Mountshannon, seasonal), Portumna, and back to Nenagh to catch M7 back to your hotel.

And, of course, everything that got mentioned already.

To be quite honest, I would change your hotel plans if your paln is to do the "major" sights as you call them. Please don''t flame me for this, I'm really being brutally honest here.

I come exactly from this area and it's not interesting at all - from the point of tourist sights and scenery.

There are some things you can do and see of course, but to get to the "major" sights, it's not a good base. From the point of view of experiencing "real Ireland" without hoards of tourists - it's great.

I presume you are staying in the Heritage hotel in Killenard.
Killenard is a townsland with that hotel, one bar, a school and a church. Also lacking around there are restaurants etc.

Nearest town with restaurants (a couple) is Portlaoise.

Portarlington, which is nearby has a train station, so you could theoretically get a couple of trains rather than drive everywhere - eg to Dublin or Cork.

The Hotel itself is quite nice. The food is so so. The Golf course is great.

Don't know if OPs still monitor this post, BUT, Lawchick, did you know you got a pub nearby that made Ireland-wide fame:
http://www.the-fishermans.com/
The video made the charts!

But you're right: That area is not what I would call a 1st time tourist's obvious choice for a home base.
But once OPs realize that Dingle and ROK are not possible, they sure can do a lot of nice day trips.

Yes indeed. Many's the night I spent propping up this bar - and also the bar in Killenard by the way.

However, in my day (mid eighties on) of juvenile drinking, this bar was a complete dive. I remember one night I put one of those plasic turds on the bar and the barmaid (old lady) tried to discreetly wipe it away. There was a cat in the place and I'd say it wasn't the first time something like this appeared on the bar.

It's great fun though. It's years since I've been there.

This is an authentic Irish bar and I'd imagine not many tourists ever happen across it.

Thanks. I realize our location isn't ideal for sightseeing but I forgot to mention that we also plan to do some golfing (so yes we booked at the Heritage golf resort - good guess Lawchick). I have heard that it is pretty easy to take a train to Dublin and also farily easy to drive to Kilkenny and those seem to be both good spots to tour. 6 nights is not much time to spend in Ireland so I knew upfront that we weren't going to get to see a ton of tourist spots. I was just looking for a few suggestions and these are all quite helpful. Because we did get such a good deal, we are considering driving West one day and getting a hotel so that we can spend a night there - perhaps in Limerick or Shannon. Quite honestly I am just excited to be going to Ireland at all so I won't let some of these posts (like Tony2phones' first post) get me down.

I should also mention that I am much more interested in exploring the "real Ireland" without the hoards of tourists (it is my spouse who is more into "top tourist" sights) so I appreciate the advice/tips regarding the nearby pubs and authentic Irish towns. Thanks again!

Last weekend I was on a day trip through County Carlow. More or less a "zero tourist" county.
Altamont Garden near Tullow - one of the finest parks in Ireland.
http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/Sou...tamontGardens/
Free entrance, maybe 10 cars parked outside, saw probably 15 people altogether.

More "green" destinations in Co. Carlow:
www.carlowgardentrail.com/

Rathgall Ringfort - 10 minutes away from Altamont
http://www.megalithicireland.com/Rathgall.htm

Just a minute from there in the village of Rath
www.chocolategarden.ie/

Tiny town Tullow, just 5 minutes from Rath, is also one of those places that are not 100 pct "picture perfect" like Kinsale or Adare, but have a nice town square, main street lined with colorful houses and stores. Yet, some stores may be more of the "euro saver store" kind or a Centra mini supermarket than the "antique shoppe" or the surf&turf style "grilles" you find in the fancy coastal tourist towns.

Another option not that far away is Birr Castle Desmesne http://www.birrcastle.com/ The gardens are wonderful.