1 First Time to Ireland

I’d say you’re trying to see way too much in way to little time. When you add in travel time you won’t even have a full day anywhere other than Dublin. I’d suggest you choose no more than 4 (ideally 3) places and spend a minimum of 2 nights in each location. That at least gives you one full day where you aren’t driving and can actually enjoy what the town or city has to offer. What if you travel by train from Dublin to Galway on day 5 and picked up your car there? Three nights in Galway, from which you can visit the Aran Islands; 2 nights in Killarney with a day trip to the Ring of Kerry, and 2 nights in Dingle before heading back to Dublin. Or some other combination.

This is doable. But I think for me (and we all have different likes and styles) I would enjoy it more by dropping your overnights in Cork and Limerick. Give those nights to two of the other cities where you currently only have one night stays. Most of your drives will allow for sightseeing along the way. And with 2 nights, you get a full day in that town. Dingle and Killarney especially would benefit.

It's really hard to look at all the wonderful places to visit and to eliminate some. I'd say to look at all that you have listed and decide what your priorities are. Why is a location on your list? What are the hooks of a particular place? When you close your eyes and envision the perfect Ireland trip for you, what is included? Only you can decide what you need. (Lots here can give suggestions for what you're looking for) And what can you save for another time? Maybe Belfast? Galway? Limerick?

We loved Kilkenny, and the whole Dingle peninsula drive, in particular. We also found the spirit of Ireland in the open fields, whether an ancient site like Hill of Tara, or a stop along the Dingle drive. It's hard to absorb the essence when racing to another accommodation.

My feet tingle thinking of all these places. You'll have a wonderful time which ones you visit!

big drives don’t bother me

There is a difference between driving lomng distances in Australia and in Ireland. Distances in Ireland may not seem that far but will take a lot longer to cover than you might expect. Driving in Ireland is slow.

The drive from Dublin to Belfast and on to Giant's Causeaway is about 330 miles and is going to take at least seven hours to drive and maybe even 8 - and that is without any stops...

The scenery in Ireland is so varied and there are so many things to catch the imagination on the way making you want to stop and stare. Ireland is a place to slow down, relax and enjoy. It really is a case of less is more. Allowing for driving time betweeen places, one night stops will only give a few hours to get a brief glimpse of a place. You would be struggling to include say Ring of Kerry or Slead Head drive in your time schedule.

Ah Ireland! No matter how you go, you’ll have a great adventure!

Have you looked at Rick’s recommended itinerary? https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/ireland/itinerary

Or at his at Ireland section? https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/ireland

I’m no expert but maybe the true secret to having a great time in Ireland is not so much the sights but the people and finding ways to interact — tours, pubs, music and so on. Driving? Well, that works too for the scenery, which is fantastic, but I’d take chatty driver or tour bus over driving. I like a lively pace and don;’t mind long days. But the best times I had were just sitting on stool in a pub and somebody next to me starts talking about his solar panels (which made no sense to me giving the latitude and cloudiness) and the songs while we are listening to a session. Random interactions, scripted local tours— just connecting— it all was delightful.

If you really want to maximize your trip, take the 7 day RS tour. But really everyone I’ve talked to who’s been— tour, self-guided— was enchanted. You’ll love it.

Happy travels

I'd skip Northern Ireland this trip. If you really want to see the GC, I'd suggest you get the car at Dublin airport on your way north and drive there yourself. Either skip Belfast or add a night there or in a nearby place like Bushmills (or a lot of folks like Ballycastle). Most folks think of the trip in terms of nights, not days, because it designates where you're staying.
I agree with the others to drop Cork and especially Limerick. I've been to Ireland five times and never considered visiting Limerick. As another comment suggested, make a list of the places you want to visit and estimate how long each one takes and plan your stops accordingly. With a car, of course, you can stay anywhere along the route where you can find accommodation that suits your needs and budget. You don't have to stay in a city whose name you know. I often use Google Maps to zoom in on small towns to see what hotels and B&Bs are there. Or I set the search area wide on a site like AirBnB or Booking to see what comes up.
One thing you didn't mention is what time of year you're traveling. In fall and winter, the days are very short, and a lot of these areas are very challenging to drive in the dark.

Thanks all for the replys and Ive got a bit ti think about now.
I had a look at the Rick Steves itinerary and it actually looks pretty good as well.
Whatever I end up doing I am looking forward to Ireland in early June
Cheers,
Scott