My husband and I are first time Ireland travelers. I have this picture of a green pasture and a sheep. 🙂
We will be there for 7 days- starting in Dublin the first week of October.
Any recommended itineraries for 7 days for first timers. Not looking to be too touristy.
Also- lodging recommendations welcome!
Thank you!
Will you have a car?
Yes we are picking up at airport. Was thinking start in Trim… ???
It may be difficult to see just a green pasture and a sheep. They like to travel and hang out with their friends, you will probably see entire flocks of them on the green pasture. Will that be ok?
The only problem may be if you are travelling in winter as they may well be inside instead of on the hills and that would be sad for you.
A flock of sheep or a herd of sheep— no matter 😉. We’re going in October snd having trouble mapping out an itinerary.
Trim was nice. The castle looks better from the exterior as there was little to see on the interior. Pastures and sheep are everywhere, so seeing them won’t be a problem.
When we visited years ago from Dublin we drove to Northern Ireland and stayed at the Crawfordsburn Inn prior to driving the Antrim Coast.
You will likely see green pastures and sheep in any rural area. With only seven days, just don't try to do too much, or you end up spending all your time in the car. Focus on "the West", or "the South", or Northern Ireland
and don't circumnavigate the island.
We can make more specific suggestions if you describe your preferences (Neolithic, ruined castles, occupied castles, easy walks, hikes, churches, waterfront villages, trad music, etc.). You can Google "7 day Irish vacations"?
From Trim my suggestion would be to head further west into Connemara - our favorite part of the country for its rural landscapes and exceptionally beautiful scenic drives.
A good base would be the pretty little market town of Clifden, from where you could strike out by car for scenic drives around the area including the Sky Road just west of the town, and the "Connemara Loop" drive that goes to the National Park, Kylemore Abbey, and the village of Cong. There's also the short ferry ride from the nearby (15 minutes) village of Cleggan over to the Island of Inishbofin - one of the country's best kept secrets and (on a sunny day) a great place for a short hike thru the countryside - lots of sheep there. There's plenty in Connemara to keep you busy for a week, though since you're pinched for time a few days would probably suffice.
Along the way, either going or coming, I'd suggest a stop at the monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise. - a very evocative place in its own right. Doesn't take much imagination to envision Viking longboats coming up the Shannon to raid the place back in the 9th & 10th centuries.
From there you could head north or south to see a little more of the country according to your particular preferences.
In October you'll be dealing with shorter days so an early start would be advisable in order to maximize the hours of daylight available. It'll likely be rainy too, so be prepared for that.
I wouldn't agonize too much over a specific itinerary - sometimes just pointing the car in a general direction and seeing where the day takes you can be the best plan and can result in some of your favorite memories.
Robert’s itinerary would work well and I love Connemara.
Have you thought about visiting Newgrange while in the Dublin area? It dates from around 3200 BC, making it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.
If heading to Galway, I also recommend the early Christian site of Clonmacnoise with its round tower, ruined churches and carved crosses. Arthenry is also worth seeing - a medieval walled town with a ruined castle and priory.
Galway is a vibrant city. Clifden a lot quieter and more old fashioned. Don’t miss tiny Roundstone, with its harbour and superb views over to the Twelve Bens.
The National Museum of Country Life near Castlebar is also well worth adding to the list of things to do. As well as lots of information and artefacts about the way of life in Ireland 50 + years ago, it also has recordings of people talking about their work, traditions and customs. We found these fascinating. Some of the traditions were decidedly spooky.
Do spend a day around the Burren - can be done as a day trip from Galway or alternatively find accommodation around Doolin/ Lisdoonvara area for a couple of nights. This is limestone scenery and completely different to anywhere else in Ireland. The drive around the coast via Kinvarra to Ballyvaughan to Doolin is some of the best scenery. The Cliffs of Moher are on everyones tick list but are always incredibly busy. They are best seen from below on a boat trip.
From the Burren, you can return to Dublin the 'long way' via Rock of Cashel or Cahir and Kilkenny. Spend a night in Kilkenny as there is a lot too do and see in the town
You won’t cover a lot of Ireland but you will see one of the best parts in some depth and really get an understanding of the country.
Am interested as well. Not going until May of 2024, but already planning... landing in Dublin, 3 days in Dublin, then getting a car and heading west. Definitely want to spend 2 nights in Galway, but not sure what to see in between. My 24 year old son is going with me - he prefers the smaller town, outdoors, country (Eagle Scout lol). Small towns along the way, castles, farms, historical sights appreciated, as well as airbnb/farm stays. :)
charlene you will have plenty of time to think and plan this. I find the DK guide books are some of the best. Get a copy of DK Eyewitness Ireland and/or DK Eyewitness Road Trips Ireland. These cover many places not found in other guide books (including some real hidden gems) and will include many places falling into your criteris of small towns, castles, farms, historical sights... There are also lots of pictures and the maps are good enough for planning purposes.
They also produced an Eyewitness Travel Back Roads Ireland guide in 2018 but I'm not sure how different this is to teh Road Trips book.
You can probably buy cheaply second hand on Amazon. Check current opening times etc on the web as they may well have changed since the books were published.
I agree with Robert about Clifden and Connemara and the Burren. You will likely see all the sheep you want to see-in the road.
I took all manner of sheep photos in green pastures with the sea in the distance when we went to County Donegal. Of course this was April--so lots of lambs too. My husband actually stopped eating lamb after this trip.
Yes be careful of the sheep in the road. Be patient with them and let them do their thing; no honking, revving or nudging. Don't be offended if the sheep aren't very keen on getting to know you. They will generally want to keep their distance unless you have food. Having a pocket full of sheep nuts to feed to someone else's stock would be verging on the weird, but it would be how you'd make friends. Don't consider feeding them anything else.
