First time to Ireland, rough itinerary looks like:
2 nights Dublin
1 night Kilkenny
2 nights dingle
2 nights Galway.
But wondering if this is too much moving around? We had considered doing Dublin for 4 nights and then one other base for the rest of the time while doing day trips from those locations if we choose.
Thoughts and suggestions?
Don't Forget to allow time to drive between these places. At this rate you will be spending a lot of time seeing things through through the car windscreen. 1 night in Kilkenny isn't going to allow time to see much. Also 2 nights is only effectively one and a bit days for sightseeing.
The fact that you are wondering if this is too much moving around is beginning to answer your question. Ireland is a place to slow down and enjoy.
Dingle is one of our favorite places, but an eight day trip is too short to include the farthest point from Dublin. We made a trip like yours ten years ago and although we enjoyed it, it was tiring amounts of driving and we returned home exhausted.
The first day is shortened by a long flight, unless this is part of a bigger trip. Leaving Galway on the day you fly out is risky, unless you're headed somewhere besides Seattle.
You'll only have 1/2 a day at best in Kilkenny, then a long drive to Dingle, which gives you one full day in Dingle. Another long-ish drive to Galway, meaning one full day in Galway and early departure for flight?
First time driving on the wrong side?
Every drive will have innumerous stops to see ruined and intact castles, gorgeous gardens, waterfalls, Neolithic sites, museums, folk villages, and viewpoints.
It's too much. You really need to prioritize what you want to see and do. Only you can decide what's important to you. Make the list, estimate the time each thing takes, add the drive time (including picking up the car). I don't agree that it's impossible to get to Dingle in an 8-night trip, but I would definitely listen to the person who said they've done it your way. If you want to visit Dingle, you're likely going to have to skip Kilkenny and Galway to do it. One option might be to fly to Kerry airport and get your car there. I've never done this, but I've seen it mentioned on the forum before. I think the reason a lot of people choose Galway as their second base is that it's much closer to Dublin and still puts you in reach of some of the iconic scenery.
I believe we have decided to do Dublin, Kilkenny, Galway.
2 nights Dublin
1 or 2 nights Kilkenny
3 or 4 nights Galway
Suggestions if we should have that extra night go to Kilkenny or Galway?
I would do 2 nights in Kilkenny so you have at least one full day.
Definitely Kilkenny as there is so much to see and do there and you can't do it justice with just one night.
3-4 nights in Galway will need a car, since Galway City is tiny and only has a few things to do (besides the music in the evening). Connemara, Gallarus, Sky Road, Athenry(?), Doolin are all easier with a car. A day (or even better, one night) on Ihishmor doesn't need a car but a bike or horse trap on the island.
For such a short time frame I would use just Dublin and Galway. Both places have many options for guided day tours, and as others have pointed out, two nights only gives you one whole day on the ground. Some of your time will be eaten up getting from and back to the airport. Kilkenny could be done as a day trip from Dublin as it’s only about an hour by train.
