We will be traveling to Ireland (flying into Dublin) towards the end of April 2024 after 2 weeks in Scotland. We will be arriving early afternoon on Monday and leaving Saturday morning. It is a pretty short time but had a few extra days and didn't want to pass up the opportunity since we will be so close. I would really like to spend most of the time on the western/southwestern part of the country as that seems like the most scenic and less crowded than Dublin (I'm not much of a city person) but not sure if I want to mess with renting a car. Is that possible to do easily? I want to see what I can, but after travelling for 2+ weeks in Scotland I'm not sure how tired we'll be and have a history of trying to take in too much in a short period of time.
Is there a way to get from Dublin to the west side with luggage?
How do you get around once there (we would like to see Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, other ideas?), are there tours?
It was also suggested to us that we should just get a place to stay in Dublin and take day trips but since we are going on the shoulder season I haven't been seeing much, any suggestions?
Can anyone suggest places to stay that are not typical modern hotels. I'm more interested in historic hotels or guest houses. I'm 65 and not really interested in staying in hostel situations but don't want to spend a fortune on lodging either. We're in pretty good shape and don't mind a bit of a walk.
Any must sees, tips, or suggestions for first timers in Ireland are appreciated.
Posted by
1588 posts
I think you mean the west and southwest of Ireland. If you can fly into Cork or Shannon you will be much closer to both the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6790 posts
Dublin is on the east coast of Ireland. I think you are talking about trying to get to the west/southwest, which is where much of the famous, most compelling, eye-popping scenery is.
It takes pretty much a whole day to get from Dublin to the far southwest, and most of another day to get back. Do the math.
If you could fly in to Shannon (more conveniently located, but with quite limited flights) that would save you that day crossing the country, but possibly impractical in your case.
It may not really be practical for this trip, unless you just want to hop across to Galway and back (by train or bus). There's some good stuff nearby, but it's not like the southwest corner. Might be a tough call (effort/benefit) given that it'll be at the end of your trip and you may be wrung-out (I know that feeling...).
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Yes, I did mean west (edited). It is significantly more expensive to fly into Shannon but might be worth it if we decide not to spend much or any time in Dublin. Would it be a mistake to skip Dublin altogether? I haven't really looked into Northern Ireland, pros and cons?
Posted by
1588 posts
Do you have a guide book for Ireland? If not, you might want to get one to help you decide whether it is worth it to you to pay up for a ticket to Shannon. If you stayed in Dublin and wanted to go to the Cliffs of Moher it is literally a 12 hour day most of which is spent on a bus. I have no idea whether you could take a day trip from Dublin to the Ring of Kerry and quite frankly, can't imagine it would be any fun to do so, especially in April. From Dublin, much more manageable day trips include the neolithic passage tomb of Newgrange and it's surrounding area, the monastic ruins of Glendalough, the Rock of Cashel or the gardens of Powerscourt. You could also take a bus or train for the day to Belfast or to Kilkenny. And then of course there are things to do in Dublin itself.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
If we flew into Shannon on Monday evening and planned 2 days in Galway, 2 days in Killarney and the last night in Dublin it looks like we could get some day tours out of those towns. What would be our best options for transport between Shannon and Galway, Galway to Killarney, Killarney to Dublin? If we do a bus, do they allow luggage on the bus? Since we will be coming from a 2 week trip in Scotland, and given the weather may be pretty cool that time of year I'm guessing we will each have a medium piece of luggage and a backpack.
Posted by
Land of La
9224 posts
Forget Dublin. Fly into Shannon and explore the West Coast of Eire. Rent a car.
I’m older than you and travel solo. Have driven the entire island twice. Best way to appreciate the beautiful scenery.
Posted by
RIchmond, BC,Canada
933 posts
With so little time you want to try to avoid backtracking so I think it makes sense to fly into Cork, rent a car, and head towards Killarney. From there you can visit the park and the the ring of Kerry and then head towards Dingle and continue up the west coast towards Galway and the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren area. If you still have time you could also visit the Connemara area before driving straight across to Dublin to fly home. If you were to fly into Shannon you would have to backtrack as Killarney is south, and Galway is north of it. If you decide not to rent a car then I think you should just go to Galway and do day trips from there as it is the closest by train or bus and has lots of day trip options.
I used a website www.irelandyes.com to plan my trip many years ago. There is a forum there, also, where you can get a lot of great advice.
Posted by
1588 posts
Distances are further than you may think in Ireland and it is not easy to get around via public transportation. If you look at Rome2Rio.com it's two buses or two trains and 5+ hours to get from Galway to Killarney. Even with a car it's over 2.5 hours. To minimize driving and maximize your time I would suggest the following. Fly into Dublin. Upon exiting the terminal catch the bus to Galway (you'll get a little tour of Dublin too and yes, you can bring your luggage on board). Tuesday take an organized day trip to the Cliffs of Moher. Wednesday rent a car and drive to Killarney or Kenmare and maybe tour Killarney National Park. Thursday drive the Ring of Kerry. Friday drive to Dublin airport and drop off the car, maybe stop at the Rock of Cashel on your way.