East Ireland - thoughts and suggestions, please

I can’t personally say what May would be like, but we went in September 2019, and the weather was mostly great, and things weren’t super crowded, so September was an excellent time to go. Have a jacket for any windy or rainy day or two.

Although we didn’t venture south of Dublin that trip, Trim was a fantastic base for several days, about an hour north of Dublin. The town itself is comfortable, and has a huge castle. Trim is ideally located for access to ancient sights and sites nearby. There was no traffic to speak of (except farther north, around Belfast), and certainly no traffic jams.

Give Kilkenny a look as a possible base. I'd probably pick 2-3 places in which to base for 3-4 nights each. May was a good month to visit for us although a jacket was needed.

We found the weather in May to be very pleasant with less rain than we expected. Another advantage is the amount of daylight. In Donegal at the end of May it didn’t get dark until after 10:00.

Are you flying into Dublin? If so, spend your first night there before renting a car. You do not want to drive the day of arrival after being up all night.
If you go in May drive south first. If you go in Sep head north before going south. It’s all about the number of daylight hours. What I suggest follows:
In May rent a car in Dublin and drive to Glendalough and visit the ruins. Afterwards drive to Kilkenny and sleep there. Day trips from Kilkenny include: Rock of Cashel, Kinsale, Cobh and Waterford.
In Sep rent a car in Dublin and drive to Trim and visit the castle and then to Brú na Bóinne and sleep near there. The next day visit the Brú na Bóinne sight then drive to Bangor and sleep there. You can take a day trip to Belfast and visit the sectarian neighborhoods which is probably best by taking a tour.
It'll take a half day to travel between Bangor and Kilkenny but as you already know, Ireland is a very scenic country.

Either month would be fine as far as the weather goes, but we much prefer May because the gardens and the countryside are in the full riot of Spring - it really is a delightful time to visit.
Since you've expressed an interest in the "ancient east", I'd suggest heading north out of Dublin, basing yourselves for a few nights (or 2 full days) either in Trim or maybe Drogheda ... from either of which you'd be close to several historic sites that figure prominently in Irish history - the Boyne Valley, Newgrange and the Hill of Tara. The countryside there is beautiful, and a meandering drive exploring the local back roads would be a pleasant way to spend several days.
From there I'd suggest heading further north and spending time in Northern Ireland, with maybe another few nights based in or near the village of Glenarm along the Antrim Coast. The route thru the Glens of Antrim is a beautiful drive and is peppered with the ruins of old castles and at least one old abandoned famine village tucked up in one of the glens. There's even a castle you can stay at in Glenarm itself - can send along the link if you're interested. From there you'd be able to explore north all the way up to Giant's Causeway, and to the south into Belfast - a beautiful city in its own right with a fascinating history, as well as the Titanic Museum located over at the old Harland and Wolff shipyard. It alone is worth several hours of your time. Carrickfergus castle just north of Belfast is also worth a visit.
I'd then suggest continuing on to Derry - another beautiful city with a fascinating history. Basing yourselves in or near there would allow you to explore more of the north and maybe head over into Donegal for a day trip. Lots to see and do there as well.
Driving into NI from the Republic (ie Dublin) is no problem. The only difficulty would be if you wanted to rent in one country and drop off in the other. If you pick up the car at Dublin airport and return it there at the end of your stay you'll be fine.
You'll have to assess your own fitness to drive after the long overnight flight, but we've done it a number of times without incident or drama.

Hello from Wisconsin,

10 days to me says stay at two places. Unless you develop a list of places to see that says other wise, 5 days south of Dublin and 5 north of the city.

What to see: North...New Grange and Boyne River Valley, Drogheda and Sir Oliver Plunket's head (or not). By the way...the name Drogheda is a good place to learn how to pronounce Irish words. A g before a consonant makes them both ""silent" to the English ear. Think of the name Robert Vaughan. That gh has a faint airy sound.

North: Slane, Trim, Kells, Navan with its Donaghmore Round Tower (see why I brought up that h thingy) Loughcrew Tombs.

South: The Wiclow Mountains, Glendalough (ah, that gh again), Wexford and Waterford I found to be industrial.

Get yourself a set of Eastern Ireland OS maps. Ireland (East) Holiday Map: East No. 3 by Ordnance Survey Sheet map.
It will have ancient sites on the map. A close study will help you find places to go.

You did say Ancient. Then this used book for $7.00 is the one to buy. Guide to the National and Historic Monuments of Ireland by Peter Harbison. It is a classic. Gives good location information.

wayne iNWI.

Thanks for all the feedback thus far! We've decided to go in late May and are looking at spending 5 days south of Dublin (currently looking at Kilkenny as a base) and then 5 days on the north side (Trim looks appealing!). Keep the suggestions coming as they have been very helpful! Thank you!

Hello again,
The author I mentioned in my previous post, Peter Harbison, has a host of books. Look on Ebay. If you are interested in Ancient Ireland...he is your man. The specific book I wanted to reference in the previous post was his Guide to National Monuments of Ireland. It is an old book. The cover is Blue, beige, and brown. I have two copies: one to lend, and one so I never am without one.

The Ordnance Survey Map of Ireland (east) is also available on Ebay. You have the correct map if it is Blue, or says one of a set of 4, or says East as the island is totally covered with four maps. Very detailed. When looking at the map, the more colorful the region the more beautiful. Colorful means it has green, gold and brown. Don't be afraid to pull out a large magnifying glass. The fine print

wayne iNWI