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Driving route Kilkenny to Dublin airport

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Hello!

We will be in Ireland for 6 nights the last week in July 2018. Using a rental car to explore Dublin (two nights then rent car) Killarney (2 nights with a day trip Muckroos in the am and a drive out to Ballycarbery Castle in the afternoon), and Kilkenny via Blareny and Rock of Cashel (2 nights). We have a 2:55pm flight from Dublin airport to Zurich.

What time should we arrive at the airport area to drop the car, get to the airport, check one bag and pass security and passport inspections? I have seen that the 'direct' driving route on google maps clocks in at around 90 minutes, but I learned in Scotland to give that a 20% buffer.

Is there enough time/is it worth it to leave Kilkenny early (we will have had a whole day in/around to explore) and pass through Glendalough or some part of the Wicklow area vs going straight to the airport on the motorway?? We like natural beauty, ruined things covered with moss, cute touristy towns with touristy pubs and live music.

Posted by
459 posts

Tom here is a website I used to assist wth my driving plans in Ireland, it worked great. It is an easy drive up the aM9 to M7 then around the west side of Dublin to the airport. http://www.theaa.ie/routes/#/r/Kilkenny,Ireland/Dublin+Airport,Dublin,Ireland/ I would add an extra 45 minutes to an hour for the car drop off but we were there the first week of May so it was not the busy tourist season. The drop off area was a breeze and shuttle busses were at the drop off area almost immediately, we were using Hertz. I agree with the 20% buffer for roadways in Ireland.

Posted by
76 posts

There's plenty to see between Kilkenny and the Dublin airport. I would leave Kilkenny early (about 7:30) , and drive to Glendalough, then Glenmacnass Waterfall, Lough Tay, Sally Gap and then the airport. Driving time for this is about 3.5 hours. Since most of this route entails scenic driving - Glendalough would be the only place on this route where you might spend some significant time at (maybe an hour) - you should have plenty of time to get to the airport in time.

When we went to Ballycarbery Castle in 2016, the castle and the land around it were open....you could walk all over the place, climb on the ruins, etc. When we went again just this past September, they had a huge sign by the gate saying it was closed. We could still walk down a private road to the left, which goes around the back of the castle, but it's still a good distance away. That said, if it's still closed when you go in July, you can still get some good photos (if you have a good camera, that is). The best view of the castle is the back side, so make sure to walk down the private road on the left of the car park.

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