Dear, dirty Dublin

Don't feel you need to limit yourself to Dublin just because you don't want to drive. You can get to loads of places by train or bus. Admittedly, it's a bit of a job to get to the Slieve League without a car, but it is possible. Of course, the Slieve League scenes from Bad Sisters were almost certainly not filmed there. Indeed, the idea that they were driving from Dublin (or even their seaside town north of Dublin) to the Slieve League and back in one evening was pretty absurd. But I digress.
It's not only American tourists that have driven up costs. Dublin is a popular weekend destination for folks from all over Europe, as well. And it's AirBnB (I'd go so far as to say it's stag/hen partygoers packing into apartments with as many bunk beds as will fit in the rooms) that takes from the local housing pool, not hotels and purpose-built apart-hotels, of which there are plenty. Tourism is a huge part of the economy all over Ireland and has been for a long time. Outside Dublin, I happily use AirBnB.
P.S. I LOVED Bad Sisters! If you have BritBox (and a tissue box), I recommend Northern Lights for your wife. It's set in Dublin.

We were in Dublin this past spring, and don't recall any vibes of resentment coming our way. Everyone was more than gracious in a bigger city way. I love Bad Sisters, and I wonder if you could find a day tour to get you to the sites. Check this out for a Ulysses walking tour: https://jamesjoyce.ie/book-a-walking-tour/

As someone who doesn’t want to drive in Europe, I’m finding buses and trains in Ireland that will get me cross country and scheduled day trips to see sights. I’ll be in Ireland in July after three weeks in England.

Here’s a link to a thread from a month ago that may help you, similar ages and concerns: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/ireland/27-day-1st-time-travel-to-ireland

From talking to my American-born friend living in Dublin while planning my trip, I think your “Yank” concern is unnecessary. When I visited Ireland in 1992, the obnoxious tourist complaint was about Germans. Just be polite and there will be no problems. Your trip will be great.
Slainte!

I was just in Dublin and other cities in Ireland three weeks ago and met with only good vibes from everyone there. Of course there is stress with the higher cost of living and housing— just as there is here in the U.S. People I spoke with still love Americans, even if they are perplexed by current events. The housing shortage isn’t due solely to AirB&B’s. but, in part, some outdated laws that allowed a single neighbor on a block to veto any redevelopment of a building that was abandoned and boarded up years ago. Now, there are construction cranes everywhere you look in Dublin, so there is progress being made to add more housing, which should moderate prices in the near future.

As a James Joyce and Ulysses fan— you might want to get hold of a copy of “THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE STREETS OF DUBLIN CITY” by Neal Doherty. A native Dubliner ( and a Failte Ireland tour guide) Mr. Doherty put together a comprehensive guide with color photos of Dublin’s fascinating historical architecture and venues.
I read it during my flight from L.A. and really had a great time discovering places I never knew were in Dublin until this read.
Have a great trip!
- Kenny

I just saw the book Kenny recommended on World of Books for 12.99 with free shipping in the US.

Kenko, thanks for the book recommendation. I just ordered The Complete Guide to the Streets of Dublin City and The Complete Guide to the Statues and Sculptures of Dublin City.

Slieve League is stunning (but rather far afield) and also was not actually used in bad sisters. I believe (?) the Antrim Coast was used in part....

You can head north from Dublin via train and maybe do some bus touring from Belfast. The cliffs are not as high (as Moher or Slieve league) but are quite beautiful and maybe less difficult to access without driving. Also - while I haven't done it, I believe the train from Derry to Coleraine is supposed to be quite scenic.

We did walking tour (fitzwilliam square) through the Little Museum in Dublin -- not sure if they have Ulysses specific but they were great.

Everyone was lovely on recent trip which included both Dublin, Belfast and Donegal.

Have a wonderful trip...