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Day trips vs Overnights from Dublin

hi! I’ve been browsing the forums for a couple of weeks now hoping to find someone with an itinerary that has a similar set up as mine but no luck yet. I’ll be in Ireland at the end of June/early July and am flying in and out of Dublin… the part that is throwing me off is that we need to be back in Dublin for a concert right in the middle of our 8 day trip. We land in Dublin on a Friday in the afternoon, need to be back in Dublin on Tuesday, and again for departure on the following Friday. We figure we will stay in Dublin for the remainder of the trip after the Tuesday concert (so Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night) and possibly do a day trip on Wednesday or Thursday.
I’m feeling stuck on what to do with the three days before the concert (Saturday, Sunday, Monday). Would it be best to just make Dublin our home-base and do day trips on those days? Or do an overnight somewhere on the west coast? Trying to optimize our time and also not feel stressed/overwhelmed with moving around a lot on a short trip.
Any suggestions or must-see’s are so appreciated! We will not be renting a car this trip.
Friday - afternoon arrival in Dublin

Saturday -

Sunday -

Monday -

Tueday - Dublin for concert

Wednesday - Dublin/day trip

Thursday - Dublin/day trip?

Friday - afternoon departure from Dublin

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1894 posts

Is this in 2026?
You can certainly visit the west coast, and I would encourage you to do so. Choosing a destination depends a lot on who "we" are, what your interests are, and where you can find accommodation at this late date. Popular destinations are Galway (access to the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands) and Killarney (access to the Ring of Kerry, Killarney National Park, and MUCH more).
Cork is also good choice, as there are good day trips to Cobh and Kinsale on the southern coast, as well as several sights within the city. 3 hours on the train from Dublin.
There are lots of tour companies. Two of the most popular are Rabbies and Paddywagon. Departures from Dublin, Killarney, Galway and/or Cork, depending on the operator.
Here is a map of where the trains go in Ireland. https://www.seat61.com/reference/Ireland-map.pdf?dl=0
You can also get a direct bus (a nice one, called a "coach" there), from the airport to many other cities. https://www.dublinairport.com/to-from-the-airport/by-bus