Car rental

Your question is just a little too general. I suggest you go to AutoEurope.com and enter your dates, cities, etc. and it'll give you a price. Then go to Hertz.com and compare prices. If you join a frequent renter program for free like Hertz.com, you may get a discount on the rates.
I'm still traveling on a Hertz fleet discount card from my company, even though I've been retired 8 years. It's saved me a lot of money.

We paid $1200 for two weeks with the full insurance package and this was for a small SUV.

I would use sites like expedia, kayak, booking etc to see what you can get and then also try the car rental company sites directly.

The real challenge is finding an apples-to-apples comparison of insurance costs and coverage which can be tough to glean from individual rental company websites. Most credit cards won't cover you in Ireland, and those that claim to have gotten decidedly mixed reviews from other contributors to this forum.
We've usually rented from Hertz at Dublin airport and just accepted their cover, but others here have recommeneed Dan Dooley - a local company that spells out clearly (in advance) exactly what you're getting. Their rates seem to be pretty fair.
There have been numerous discussion threads here about the topic - might want to do a search and read thru a few to familiarize yourself with the experiences and lessons learned of others who have faced the same challenge.

Thanks for your input.

If your'e a Costco member, check out their rates as well. They're usually much cheaper than going through Hertz, Avis, etc. They don't show prices for insurance, but I would recommend getting it (just for scratches from the roadside hedges on the narrow roads).

Reserve your car in the states ensuring you specify an automatic. We rented through Avis. We buy car rental insurance through Allianz for $9 a day. Many credit cards also offer car rental insurance, so check your card.