Everybody is different. I prefer automatic and can drive stick because I learnt to drive in Europe. If I have to shift with my left hand I would certainly not enjoy the trip. I think if absolute necessity I could do it but cannot be sure because I never tried it. But what I know is that I would not do it.

If you're already familiar with driving a RH stick shift vehicle, and with driving on the left, then the learning curve will not be that dramatic. Would recommend taking a few circuits around the parking lot to familiarize yourself with the general layout of the vehicle and with the mechanics of LH shifting before striking out on the roads.
Might also be better to start from the airport so you're first anxious minutes aren't spent trying to negotiate city traffic.
Like you I booked an automatic on my first trip but have since gone with manuals exclusively...and without much drama.

As someone who only drives a manual at home, I would prefer a manual. I have had an automatic in Cyprus, and manuals in France and Spain. I preferred the manuals despite being the wrong configuration for me, the gear lever by my right hand, over the auto where the driver sat in the correct seat.

It comes down to choice. As Robert and Ilya say above, if you do hire a manual, take time to get used to the car before you get used to the road.

I do drive a manual in Ireland, but being honest, this is usually my own car.

I think you'll pick it up quickly. I also drive a manual at home and did drive a manual on my first trip to Britain, when everything about driving on the left was new. Shifting with my left hand was easily learned. Just my right hand felt confused.

Laura, my first time driving on the wrong side of the car, in France, involved my parents as passengers. After being told I was doing it so well I had to sheepishly admit I had attempted to change gear with the window winder about a dozen times.

I would think parking with the stick if you are not familiar could be a challenge. Prking over there is much much tighter than here in the US so be sure to consider trying to squeeze a car into a tighter than normal on an unfamiliar side of the road while managing the clutch, I didnt try it, stayed with the automatic. My experience was also to go one car smaller than you think you can manage. Tight parking and unforgiving road shoulders are the norm! good luck

I didn't have any trouble shifting with my left hand the last time I drove on the left side of the road.

I did turn on my wipers to make turns and turn on my turn signal to wipe the windows countless times. Once or twice I hit the door with my right hand searching for the shifter.

Good luck!

The first time I had to drive a standard transmission in Australia I was proud of myself for picking it up quickly. The biggest difference is the stick is in your left hand rather than right. It didn't take any time at all to figure out. Remembering which way to look at stop signs and roundabouts was the biggest challenge for me.

Our only trip to Ireland (so far) involved pedaling rented bicycles down the west side of the country, and hugging the left edge of the fairly narrow roads, with cars and the occasional huge tour bus whizzing by, plus the occasional awkward signaling with the right arm, were novel -- but we got used to it pretty quickly.

The one trip driving (intentionally) on the left was to Scotland, 2 years ago. We rented three cars on that trip (one for the Shetland Islands, a separate one for the Orkneys, and the third for Mainland Scotland and Skye), all with manual-gearboxes, and we're both left handed, and we both drive standard transmission cars at home. My husband took the first rental car around the lot at the rental place a couple of times to make sure it wasn't going to be a problem, and it was pretty easy to get used to it, although there were a few missed shifts (or going to 5th gear rather than 3rd) over 2 weeks with 3 the separate cars. Having a passenger-side navigator to help remind the driver to not get too far to the left was helpful, as some roads had soft shoulders and/or substantial drop-offs on the left edge. Western Ireland seemed to have lots of hard stone walls, sometimes hidden by vegetation, and we didn't have any close encounters on bikes, but a car could lose a side-view mirror or worse. Successful downshifting is important on curves and hills, and western Ireland had plenty of those -- I remember cranking up some steep climbs! Having an automatic transmission might be one less thing to think about when having to keep one's wits about them, but it was not really any problem in Scotland, and I suspect Ireland wouldn't be, either. Hopefully the driver coming towards you isn't having issues driving on their left ;-)

Hi,
Here is the trick for these Irish standard transmissions and being a left-hand drive car.

1. The floor pedals are the same as in the US. left to right: Clutch, brake, gas.

2. The shift pattern is the same. First or lowest gear is up and left.

3. Expect your arms and chest muscles to get sore. You are not familiar with steering with your right arm and shifting with your left.

4. On back roads...they are paved...be prepared to yield and possibly have back up to a wide spot. As I drove I kept my eye out for both, so I knew how far I would have to go in reverse. I am the visitor, so I backed up.

5. It is a bit of 'playing chicken' with approaching cars. They will hog the entire road bed if you shift over too early in the approach. Stay in your path until they start to shift over, then you can and it will be a good match with neither of your ending up in the ditch or your car side sliding along the side of a stone wall.

wayne iNWI