10 Day Ireland Itinerary - thoughts, advice...

We spent time in Ireland in April, two years ago. I’m guessing you’re going to be driving to these destinations. If so, be prepared for longer drive times than you might have anticipated. Heavy traffic and/or slow drivers up ahead on “N” roads, with long stretches of no-passing zones, often made drives slower. Side roads, even the ones that weren’t super narrow with super wide tractors sharing them, were slower yet. Maybe all the road construction in the vicinity of the cities of Cork and Macroom will be done - it caused many traffic jams and slow-downs when we were there.

If you’re using public transport for any of this itinerary, then travel times could be even slower, although age more restful. Be prepared for rain - we got some gulleywashers. The gardens at Blarney Castle were our favorite part there.

Thank you! We are driving and I expected the drive times to be a bit longer but it sounds like it maybe longer than I have thought… The one drive that I am “concerned” about is Dingle to Galway with a stop at the Cliffs of Moher, it looks doable but I wondered if we should stop in Doolin or if we should extend in Killarney/Dingle and save Galway for another trip….

Are you talking about this April? If so you may find stops are determined by where you can find accommodation...

You are covering a lot of ground in quite a short time...

Day 3 - The drive is going to take 4-5 hours without any stops... So you aren’t going to have time to see much of Kilkenny or Rock of Cashel or Kinsale...

Day 4 You won’t be in Killarney until after lunch. So again that isn’t going to allow a lot of time for Muckross house and Killarney National Park.

Day 7 - you are looking at 5-6 hours drive PLUS any stops... This is a lovely journey and it would make sense to slow down, stop in Doolin (or that area) and see some more of the Burren. The limestone scenery is completely different to anywhere else in Ireland.

Cut Galway from your itinerary and add the extra night in elsewhere - either Kinsale to allow you to visit Blarney Castle, Cobh etc

OR add a night into Kilkenny trickling down through the Wicklows with stops at Powerscourt Gardens and Glendalough early Christian site. That would give time next morning to see something of Kilkenny and also Rock of Cashel on the way to Kinsale...

Ireland is a place to slow down and savour rather than to trush and try and do everything. Less is more here...

Galway’s my favorite city in ireland, so do get there, eventually! This trip, if you stay more southerly than Galway after the Cliffs of Moher, we stayed in (and loved) Lisdoonvarna, just up the road from Doolin, and down from the Cliffs.

I agree with everything that has been said. Days 3 and 4 don’t look doable in reality. So if those places are important, you may have to cut some other stops.

What about using arrival day to head on to Galway by bus and rent your car from there? That might make better use of your Dublin days (not sure since you haven’t said what your priorities are there).

With an early start, I do think you could make a stop at the Cliffs and then get to Dingle.

By saving all your days in Dublin at the same time at the end, you might actually gain a night you could spend elsewhere.

Thank you!! clearly need to tweak this itinerary but better to do less and fully experience what we can see than to do more and we miss the experience. Any thoughts on what is a must do, and what could be cut or saved for another trip please let me know. I really appreciate the help!