Dingle or no Dingle and other itinerary help for trip with teens in April

Hi Karen- we toured western Ireland by bicycle & ferry in 2011, so we were traveling slower than you likely did/plan to, and we started in Galway and worked our way west and south from there, so we didn't visit Connemara. Still, Dingle was one of the absolute highlights of the trip, something everyone should experience sometime in their life, so I'd recommend not depriving the teens if you can make it work. A bike ride on rental bikes around the peninsula is highly recommended!

That, and visiting Skellig Michael by boat from Portmagee. April might be a little early for it, but the June boat voyage was enchanting, passing Little Skellig with its vast, circling flocks of seabirds was mesmerizing, and the good, stiff climb (your son might appreciate a sporting climb) up Big Skellig Michael to the historic, abandoned beehive monks' huts and other abandoned buildings was worth the effort. Again, the adorable little puffins might not be teeming on the island in April as they were in June, but any animal lover would love getting up-close-and-personal with them! And the magical views . . . everyone should make it to Skellig Michael at least one time -- weather, and calm-enough seas permitting!

1. You might consider Dublin at the start of the trip to get a few days of rest/time adjustment before driving. You can end up at the airport, drop off the car, and take the shuttle to a nearby hotel. Much closer for morning departures.
2. Killarney Park is beautiful. Not sure about any activities - there may be some hiking.
3. Inch Beach (on the way to Dingle) has some surfing, but you need a wet suit. There is a cafe so it's a nice stop. Dingle actually has a surf shop and school Basket Island visitor center is interesting for history buffs, but may not be worth the drive.

South of Cork is Kinsale. Lots of opportunity for walking/hiking, and some history as an old port, We took the walking tour with a gentleman (Don) who was on Rick's show. But it may be too much out of the way.

Many pubs have traditional Irish music at night.

Dublin of course, will have many activities. The hop on is a great way to get acquainted.
Kilmainham Gaol prison is where the leaders of the 1916 Easter uprising were executed. There may be something special as April will be 100 years. It is on the hop on/off route.
If you like theater, check what's on at the Abbey.

For sports fans, you might check out Hurling. My wife is not a sports fan but even she found it interesting. It's played all over at different levels.

You may already know this, but get the extra insurance. And take photos of any damage, preferably with a rental agent, when picking up your car.

Looks like a pretty good itinerary to me based upon the time you have available.
I would certainly recommend a stop in Dingle, but that will be something for you to sort out with your kids depending upon their interest.
A trip out to the Skelligs would be memorable, and on your way to or from I'd suggest a stop at the Gap of Dunloe just off the ROK - one of the prettiest Glens in Ireland. Would be a good leg-stretching hike for everyone or, if you prefer, a chance to ride in one of the jaunting cars for a trip up the valley and back.
From Dingle a very pleasant way to get up to Galway is to take the Tarbert ferry across the Shannon and drive up that way rather than going via Limerick. The route is quite scenic and will take you right past the Cliffs of Moher on your way.
Inishmore is always a terrific day trip from Rossaveel, not only for the gorgeous scenery but for the chance to purchase Aran sweaters as functional souvenirs directly from one of the nice ladies who knit them there.

Glendalough is only an hour from Dublin, so driving there directly from the airport upon landing shouldn't be too tiring.

Evening activities in Killarney.....we very much enjoyed the production of "Celtic Steps".....Irish song and dance. Highly recommended ! You might also consider the "Traditional Irish Night" at Kate Kearney's Cottage....dinner; music and dance....it's located in the Gap of Dunloe just outside of Killarney. We also enjoyed just having dinner and taking in the evening street scene in old town Killarney .....street musicians and some fun pubs. The Torc waterfall is just a mile or two outside of town and is well worth a visit.....there is also a walking trail there and possibly an opportunity for your teens to do some climbing.
If you make it over to Cong, the absolute hands-down best Irish stew I had in our 12 days was at Danagher's Daughter just across the street from Cohans Pub. They grow their own herbs. Bowl was so big I had to take a picture of it. You're probably already aware but there is a White 'O Morn replica in Cong that serves as a Quiet Man museum and they give tours of the outdoor scenes filmed at Cong....we enjoyed it.....the guide had stories about events during the filming. The actual White 'O Morn cottage as well as the "Quiet Man Bridge" are in separate locations ten or 12 miles outside of Cong. The cottage is in ruins now but the bridge is still in great shape. We didn't make it over to the train station used in the filming but were told it is eight miles or so outside of town and still in pretty good shape.
I agree with the poster who suggested you take the premium car insurance. To that I would add....you may find that "upgrades" at the rental counter may be costlier than specifying the same features at the time you make your reservation. So decide what you want before you make your reservation and then stick with your plan.

I don't think you need to see both Kerry and Dingle, one or the other is fine. Show the kids the two options and let them pick. They might be swayed by the semi-tame seal in Dingle (is it still there?). The gallarus oratory would be another good stop. If you choose Kerry, there is a very old fortress ruin the buses don't stop at because it's a little off the regular road (Fort Staigue).

Your number 8 would be a highlight. To get a sense of Ireland's history both a Monastery ruin and the Newgrange passage tombs would be really good to see. I always liked the comparison between Ireland and America: In Ireland, 100 miles is a long way; In America, 100 years is a long time. You can tour both Newgrange and Glendalough (the other big monastery ruin) from Dublin using bus Eireann. The day trips they run are a good value and well paced full day tours.

People seem to scoff at Blarney Castle but I really enjoyed it (maybe because I was expecting so little going in?). The castle, cave, dolmen, gardens, country estate, etc. offer a lot to see in one location. And you can do the ultimate touristy thing - kiss the Blarney Stone.

The best nighttime entertainment IMO is a traditional music performance in a local pub ("trad session"). Ask around, someone is usually hosting a session. They end pretty early (maybe 9 PM) and kids are welcome in the pubs till then.

I enjoyed Killarney. In the day, we took a long walk through the National Park. We started across the street from St. Mary's in town and ended at Muckross House/Castle. At night I found a trad session at the Pub on the ground floor of the Grand Hotel.

Brad may be referring to Fungi, a local dolphin (not a seal) that started coming up to boats in the bay and following them back in the 1980's. He was still there, entertaining visitors back in 2011 when we were there, but dolphins don't live forever, and whether he's still alive is a good question. I did an Internet search just now, and can't tell whether the dolphin is still around, or if the Dingle Chamber of Commerce is just keeping his memory alive. I can't find a current report to confirm whether he's still actually swimming and greeting people on boats today.

Consider Bantry Bay and Bantry House gardens on S coast.
Between Bantry and Glengarriff, maybe a 30-45 minutes drive inland is Gougane Barra Natl Park. A fantastic place for a several hour visit if the weather is dry.
In Killarney, consider the Muckross estate garden and Torc waterfall, 1/2 mile hike from Muckross. The Franciscan Friary has an amazing carved wooden altar.
Near Shannon airport is Bunratty with the fully restored and furnished Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. Inexpensive day time tours. Evening medieval banquet is pricey, but very fine entertainment. World famous Durty Nelly's pub right across the street. Good chance to hear traditional music. Plenty of B&Bs nearby.
If you drive the Ring of Kerry, go counter-clockwise to avoid stacking up behind the 10,000 tour buses.
Unless you have a reason, I wouldn't spend 2-1/2 days in Dublin. Just a big city. Although it is some distance, consider using some of that time to see County Donegal, maybe Glenveigh Park. The Slieve League cliffs are taller than Moher, but less sheer. A word of advice: stop in the first car park unless you have a death wish.

Cyn's right. For some reason I was picturing a seal (I haven't been there since 2000).

It sounds like you may be planning to just drive through the Burren; I'd suggest scheduling time for a few stops. Some really beautiful unique hikes, lovely ferns and maybe flowers in fissures (may be too early for wildflowers, but check---they are wonderful). Your son may enjoy the dolmen tombs and the other ruins. The Burren Perfumery is also an enjoyable stop (w a nice cafe and garden). Their scents and skin care products are good quality and reasonably priced, and they bring back happy memories.

And definitely include Clonmacnoise if at all possible. It's a very different experience than Glendalough, and much less crowded.

Finally, if your kids hate driving and you hate the complaints, I'd skip Dingle. You are going to Killarney Natl Park (and could do ring of Kerry, if interested), and you'll have opportunities similar to Dingle in the areas you are already planning to visit.