I have been doing my research and trying to plan my solo trip to Ireland! I'm going to fly into Dublin and spend a day or 2 then head south kind of a long the coast checking out some landmarks a long the way but ideally my goal is Waterford, kilmacow, then blarney stone, and make my way over into Kerry to abbeyfeale, duagh, and up to Galway. These towns are all where my relatives lived prior to coming to the states and would love to find a way to see if I could connect with cousins so I'm not looking into a guided tour but rather a "gypsy" tour across the land at my place and staying at little inn's a long the way. I thought about renting a car but there's a lot that goes into that and private driver is what I'm looking into currently. This will be my first time in Ireland so I'm super excited and any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1744 posts
Find out as much as you can about your family connections before you book anything. A site like Ancestry can put you in touch with relatives (if you're not already) and give insights into the physical locations (home sites, headstones, etc). Stay in the towns/villages they came from if possible to get more of a feel for the place. Rather than hiring a private driver (and paying his/her accommodation) for the whole trip, consider using a combination of trains, buses and taxis. For example, there is a bus from Waterford to Kilmacow that takes just 11 minutes. If you're looking at several locations in and around Kilmacow that you're not sure about walking to (or if the weather doesn't cooperate with your plans), hiring a taxi from Waterford probably won't break the bank.
Blarney is an easy bus ride from Cork, which is a transportation hub.
I can't advise traveling without reservations in August. Especially without a car, you might get stuck somewhere. I can't see a private driver agreeing to take that kind of chance, either.
Plan your route carefully and book accommodation ahead. Study the bus schedules to make sure you know where and when to catch your bus. While most buses allow you to pay with a credit card, it's a good idea to have some cash on hand just in case. You can book ahead for the train and save some money, but even the full fares are pretty reasonable, all things considered. From Galway, you can take a bus directly to the airport or the train into the city center and transfer to the airport from there. The train is more comfortable and scenic, IMO.
Enjoy your trip!