Flying into Dublin and Driving to Doolin for a wedding.

Your route will mainly be toll roads, which are large and easy driving. Along the way there are gas station rest stops where you can pull off, get a bite to eat, stretch your legs, etc. The only bit that won't be on the highway will be your start from the airport to the ring road highway, then the last bit from Gort (most likely ) to Doolin.

Hi Brenrufo,
I’m 50 years old. I’m in Ireland with my mom (79 yo) right now. We just finished 3 nights in Western Ireland (mostly The Burren, where Doolin is).
Here is a suggestion if you’re open to another option. Take the train or bus from Dublin to Galway. Then rent your car in Galway and drive to Doolin. It seemed easier to me than navigating out of Dublin. The train is lovely. I bought the tickets online at https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie. I bought fully flexible fares both way (return ticket) for €16.59 a piece. Train takes about 2 hours 45 minutes. There’s also a bus directly from Dublin Airpirt to Galway. We stayed the first night at Frenchville B&B in Galway. AMAZING! Easy €10 taxi (TapACab is a great app, like Uber) or the host Pam offered to pick us up/drop us off. Rented from Budget in Eyre Square (really short walk from train station). Pick up your car, easy to navigate out of Galway, about 1 hour and 30 minutes going cautiously from Budget location to Doolin. We stayed two nights in Kinvarra at Dunguaire House B&B, also a fantastic stay. Kinvarra was a great location for us. I realize you may be staying the whole time in Doolin. Please let me know if you’d like any more info. Have a great trip!

We need lots more information. Where are you coming from? Are you talking about driving on arrival after a flight? That’s three hours, and I would never embark on a drive of that length after a long flight, especially one that differs from my usual driving. Is this the first “driving on the left” experience for you, and is that why you are nervous? Will you have someone to share the drive with, or to keep you alert, provide directions?
You can map the drive online and choose your preferred route, then save that in your phone for offline use. We just stopped at random and had the loveliest lunch, so nothing to have much concern about, but if my concerns above are valid, I would take transit to Galway and proceed on from there as suggested above.

You needn't drive at all. There is a bus from Galway to Doolin. My usual advice is that if you don't have an enthusiastic "wrong side" driver in your group, don't rent a car.

Shannon airport is a lot closer.

A taxi from Shannon to Doolin runs about $100-$150.

I do have a companion who can drive and/or navigate with me. I like the idea of a train from Dublin to Galway. I had a free airline ticket if I flew into Dublin. I'm here for a wedding. We drive all over the US so that is what I'm comfortable with. I then thought of driving on the opposite side of the road and got nervous.

Any specific route or highway would be the best option?

Hi brenfru,
Are you staying in Dublin at all or going straight from Dublin airport to Galway? I like trains so that’s what we did. There is a direct bus from Dublin Airpirt to Galway that was highly recommend by others. Less moving pieces if you don’t feel like the hassle after a long international flight. You could always take the train back to Dublin if you have more time on the return leg.

If you take the train, you’ll need to get a ticket on the Dublin Express Route 782. I got our tickets right outside the terminal (big tent lots of employees) 11€ a piece. Give yourself 3 hours from landing time to train time. It took us 1.5 hours from wheels down to out of the terminal. We walk slowly and took a bathroom break. The bus had just left, so 15 minutes waiting on the next bus. 45 minutes on the bus. There is no direct subway connection from DUB to Dublin Heuston train station. Dublin Express bus is the most direct, and cool sights to see on the way.
For driving route Galway to Doolin, Google Maps and Waze both worked well for me. The Budget office in Eyre Square keeps their cars in the Hynes Yard Car Park on R336 (about 4 blocks from their office). When you exit the car park it’s an easy trip down R336 (one way road in the city center) then R338 (4 lane road out of town) to N67. This is a two lane highway, very similar to parts of old Route 66 in the southwest if you’re familiar. As you get further south and west it is narrow and there are big buses. Just go slow and pull to the far left. The shoulders of the road are stable despite the vegetation. Once you get in The Burren (the area on the south side of Gallway Bay where Doolin is) cell signal may be patchy. I did screen shots of my route from Google Maps as a backup. My TMobile signal was strong until Kinvarra then spotty as I traveled west until we got touristy places like the Cliffs and Liscannar & Lahinch.
Not sure your time frame. If it’s this week or next, there is a section of N67 near Ballyvaughan under construction and down to one lane. It delayed us about 20 minutes yesterday. If you take the Google Maps suggested route, There will be signs for Doolin in Lisdoovarna, take R476 to R478. Should take about 1.5 hours Galway to Doolin.
If it’s not super misty or rainy on your way back, I’d suggest this slightly different route. From Doolin take R479 north to Fanmore Beach and then to Flaggy Shore. Near BallyNacklan R479 becomes R477. Spectacular views and you’re right on the ocean.
I found the signage really pretty good. I was driving and navigating with few issues. I pulled over a couple of times to check my bearings.
Have a great time!

Also, read all the posts about car rentals in Ireland. I got a car rental insurance policy from Allianz (have used in various other European travels) and Budget Galway wouldn’t take it. They also don’t take American Express, so the coverage through my primary credit card wouldn’t work. I have a Visa through my credit union so I used that. I ended up paying for the full coverage because we only had the car for two days. In total our rental was only €250 with the full coverage. If you have a Visa/MC that covers CPW, TPW in the Republic of Ireland get an insurance verification letter. Budget will put a $2000 hold on your card. If something happens to the car, they get $2000 immediately, you have to work it out with your card company. There are lots of good articles on this forum about car rentals in Ireland. There was probably a better option than what I did but it worked for our timeline. The staff at the Galway Budget location were fantastic. We were late by 1.5 hours getting the car back (the delay on N67, bathroom stops) and they didn’t charge me an extra day. Also there is an easy to get in/out Texaco gas station in the left side of the road right before the car return place. Lough Atalia Rd, Galway, H91 KN7F, Ireland. Prices were comparable or cheaper than further out on N67. Great flat white coffee and sausage roll too.

Bonus points for Allianz, I was able to cancel the policy I’d gotten from them for full refund with a quick call from the Budget Office day of.

You have not answered the most important question, are you staying in Dublin or not? Driving on the left after flying all night would be a bad idea, no way around that.

I'm staying in Doolin area. I think I'm going to get a train or bus from Dublin to Gallway and rent a car from there. I have a companion who can share that drive with me. This cuts down the drive considerably.

Okay that sounds like a great plan!
I’d also check about onward travel by bus straight from the airport, you never know.
I was worried about the left hand driving, but with a good night’s sleep, my partner did great, only got on the wrong side once, lol!

To offer a contrary opinion, my family and I flew into Dublin about 6 weeks and rented a car. I paid for the full insurance, per lots of advise here, picked up the car after an overnight flight and headed southwest to Kinsale. To be sure, the adrenaline of arriving powered me through some jetlag/fatigue. Driving on the other side of the road on highway was no problem and getting from the airport to highway was very straightforward. If you need a car anyway, I would just get it first thing and save the time using other modes of transport.