First trip to Ireland and I need some insight.

First, smart choice to fly into Dublin and out of Shannon. Saves back tracking. Here's my suggestions. If you are intent on staying in Dublin for 4 days (I think 3 is sufficient) then use one day to day trip to Belfast. Busses and trains are available and if you get an early start then you could see Belfast ( Titanic Museum, Crumlin Road Gaol or a black cab tour of The Troubles)
Definitely doable if you had the interest. I'd get the rental at the airport. I'm older than you and younger than your husband and have driven the island twice on my own. So don't fret about being on the other side of the road. It's doable.
I'd drop the stud farm visit the Rock of Cashel and drive to Kinsale for 2 nights of lodging. 2 nights Dingle and most definitely have a pint at Foxy John's. Between Killarney and Dingle is the Gap of Dunloe. Depending on what time of year are traveling there will either be trap rides or not. I walked part of it then drove the rest of it but it was in late November and nary a soul to see but a few walkers and rock climbers and one or two lorries. Its stunningly beautiful. Don't short change walking in Killarney National Park either. Its a good 3 hour drive from Dingle to the Burren. From there maybe 40 minutes to the Cliffs of Moher but as the case anywhere you travel it will depend on traffic, the roads, the weather. I'd spend the night in Doolin. GREAT country. Take it slow. Watch for the sheep.

Thank you Claudia for the input. Just to clarify, we would be spending 4 nights and 3 days in Dublin. I have head that Dublin is basically a big city and honestly I was kind of at a loss for things to do. It seems that everyone says not to miss Kilmainham Gaol and my husband wants to make a stop at the Guiness Store house so we would probably do Day 3 as stated above (Hop on Hop off bus for transport, Gaol and the Guiness Store house.) Do you have any other suggestions for things to do in Dublin? Have you been to Bru na Boinne? The train to Belfast sounds interesting and I will definitely take a look at doing that.

So, if we leave Dublin airport by let's say 10 Am and skip the Stud farm it looks like it should take us 2.5 -3.0 hours to reach the Rock of Cashel if we drive straight through? If we spend 2 - 3 hours at the Rock we could then make it to Kinsale before 7 PM? I definitely want to be at our final destination and settled in before it gets dark.

I know we will be seeing lots of wonderful scenery and I don't want to get sensory over load so would you skip Cobh and Midleton? I don't think we would have time to see those two on the drive down from Dublin to Kinsale.

Again, I have not mapped specific routes but I thought if we drove from Dingle to the Cliffs via the Ferry (i.e. not going through Limerick) it shortened the drive by 80 miles. Then we could take the coastal route to the Cliffs. I think spending the night in Doolin is an excellent idea. We can either view the Burren in the same day or view it the next day before heading off to Galaway. I think staying in Doolin would also give us a chance to see some other sights?

Oh, and thank you for the tip on where to grab a pint. I am a wine drinker but I may just have to have a pint or two during this trip and my husband always enjoys a pint.

I have sent a private email regarding this subject.

Your plan sounds doable, but you may need to get going early when driving. I suspect your first 2 days driving will tell you a lot about drive times. We’re a couple in our mid-60s, did a trip to Ireland in 2014 with rental car. Never had driven on left side before. I did all the driving since the wife trusted me more than herself. Be aware ATs are not usual there. Altho I’m proficient with a clutch, I decided to spend extra for an AT just to reduce the number of differences to deal with. Many of the newest hwys are as easy to drive as fwys at home, but rural stops, e.g. Kinsale, required us to use roads that are quite narrow and winding by US standards (my best analogy is driving old narrow roads in WVa). I typically drove more slowly on small roads than than I wanted (avg approx 40 MPH) and was continually passed by locals. So yes, our travel time was longer than expected. IMO unless you are a F1 racer wannabe, give yourself a break and just expect to be slower.
We spent 6 days in Dublin and it was not too much. As the capital, there is lots to see there. We did most of the RS 3 and 2 star sights and enjoyed them all. To save time back & forth on bus to airport, we rented from Hertz in town. Worked fine. You are going to many of the same towns & sights we did, they were all fun. We stayed 3 nites in Dingle with no lack of things to do. Go listen to trad. We did the Shannon ferry, but be aware of potential wait time. Have fun!

When renting a car - make sure you get the insurance or read the fine print of your own car insurance or you credit card insurance. I've told many people we chose not to drive because reading the fine print of our credit cards, and personal car insurance they are not covered in Ireland. All the people I told who previously rented cars in Ireland, thought their own personal car insurance would cover, and didn't read the fine print, Ireland is one of the exceptions.

Thank you bobbingfordata (love that name) and travelfan for your input.

The only way I am going to rent a car is if it is an automatic (yes, I can drive a stick) and I purchase the extra insurance. I would not rely on my insurance to cover me in Ireland. I can't believe anyone would assume their insurance in the states would cover them in Ireland.

Bobbingfordata, since you took a similar route what exactly do you mean by doable?? LOL...doable for me does not mean hitting the road at 6:00 AM. Is the drive from Dublin to Kinsale (stopping at the Rock) to long of a day? And, is Kinsale worth the effort to get there?

Thank you one and all for your inputs. You have me rethinking a few things!

Thumbs up for Newgrange. Fascinating. When getting the rental car Be certain to reserve a compact. With the width of some back roads, you'll be thankful. Even though you can drive clutch get an automatic. I've driven both and the automatic was more appreciated. From Dublin drive to Glendalough. After spending time in the hustle and bustle of Dublin, you'll find Glendalough a lovely respite. Its stunning. When I reference early starts I'm not saying crack of dawn ( although that's my mode of travel) but am suggesting on the road by 9 am at the latest. Make certain you've eaten or at least brought snacks, sandwiches and water for the drive. From Glendalough take the route through Kildare to the Rock of Cashel. Should be the quickest route ( via the M7 which is a freeway) but that's dependent on traffic, weather, sheep and your comfort on the left side of the road. Think 2 hours. The drive to the M7 will be on smaller roads with curves, you are in the Wicklow Mountains. To play it safe also Figure 2 hours from Cashel to Kinsale. I think seeing how your stamina is after experiencing driving on the left and exploring both Glendalough and Cashel would dictate if you choose to stop in Cork or Cobh. So yes I think Kinsale is worth the effort and I think you'll love Glendalough.

To help you see what roads are like take time and familiarize yourself with Big Brothers contribution of the greatest travel resource since laminated maps, the satellite and street view options on Google Maps. Seriously, its extremely helpful especially if you know the exact address of where you are staying. I find it comforting to be able to see the place and surrounding neighborhood before I go. Not to mention being able to look at the roads I'll be traveling on. You'll need to be prepared for roundabouts. Can be a bit unnerving at first but signage is great in Eire and if you know where your are going and points in between you'll do just fine. Thus, besides using Google Maps and the rental's GPS, take a road map as well. Doesn't take up luggage space and good to have to plan out your daily routes the night before.
Lastly, there's plenty of wine to sip and enjoy in Ireland but nothing quite like a perfectly poured pint of Guinness! Nectar of the Gods. Slainte!

kse - I've sent you a private message to answer your specific questions to me. Have fun!

Claudia, again thank you for the tips. We had considered going to Glendalough, spending a couple of hours there and then spending the night in Cashel. The next morning we would tour the Rock and then head to Waterford, take a look around and if time permitted drive out to Wexford (though I am not sure it would be worth the time to do this) and then head to Kinsale via Midleton (stopping to tour the distillery), if time permitted driving to Cobh and then on to Kinsale. Have you taken this route before ?

Karen

Nope that wasn't my route from Glendalough to the SE part of the island. Can't comment on Wexford or Waterford either. My focus was photography so I was seeking hills and dales, beaches, ruins, etc. Having a plan is great but leave room for " let's stop here instead," moments. For instance Mr. Steves doesn't recommend stopping at Jerpoint Abbey. I chose to stop as I was driving by. Loved it. Could have been because on a brisk November day I was the only soul there but I was fully engaged and pleased I'd stopped. Also somewhere between Cork and Kinsale I think ( this was in 97 and many grey cells have died between now and then) was what I'd describe as a rest stop. I pulled over to stretch my legs. Got out and noticed a path into the adjoining woods. No signage. I followed the path about a 100 yards and came upon the loveliest surprise, a small castle. I say small as it was 1/5 the size of normal castle. It was as if I was in a child's amusement park. There were no signs, nothing to explaininwhat it was and why it was there. The path circled it and guided me back to my car. One of the nicest travel moments of my life. My point is that Ireland can be magical. Take the time to relish its unmistakeable beauty.

Yes Claudia I agree about those "magical moments." In the course of my planning I want to get from Point A to Point B everyday (yes, I am one of those people who make reservations for over night in advance) but allow enough time to see the planned and unplanned sights. I want to have full days but not be overwhelmed or to busy that I can't take that unexpected stroll. And just an FYI, I looked the Jerpoint Abbey up and RS gives it a 2 star. And I quote "If you visit only one abbey in Ireland, make sure it is this one." Thank you for pointing that abbey out as I don't recall reading about it the first time through the book. Of course the first time through is to get the "bones" of the trip together and then I will concentrate more on what to see and do when I have my route finalized.

Thank you again for the tips and insight! love this site!

Totally understand about wanting to get from A to B as well as booking in advance. That's why I start out very early. It my favorite time of day and because I often travel in November the sun starts disappearing around 3pm so i make the most of my day the before then. I don't like driving at night anymore anywhere. That said buy the map of Ireland, lay it out on the kitchen table and pin point your must sees. View the roads via Google Maps satellite view so you'll know there size and the surrounding topography. That's helpful. Don't want you to feel rushed. 2sites a day is a good plan if driving distances aren't too far or difficult. I can tell you in 2104 I drove from Belfast to Dingle in a day and from Dingle back to Dublin Airport on my return. The island isn't as large as one thinks but with narrow roads off the main motorways, sheep, bicyclists, farm equipment, tour buses, etc driving can be a little more time consuming. Lastly, start learning how to calculate kilometers NOW. Safe travels.

Claudia, thank you again for your replies. I think I am going to take a closer look at drive times, etc. and perhaps toss in an extra night or two here and there. I also read on the forum that someone referred to the Ring of Kerry to driving the road to Hana in Hawaii. If that is so then it should be fine unless of course they are referring to the road 20 plus years ago before the improvements. I would call the road to Hana a paved road that is probably 1.5 lanes wide. Sure there are curves and narrow bridges but it is nothing to detour one from driving the road.