Galway? And help with a 9 day S. Ireland trip

While I appreciate the idea of staying somewhere for 3 nights, and not doing one-night stands, your plan to stay three nights in Kilkenny appears to be mostly using Kilkenny just for a launching pad for doing day trips, and not spending time in Kilkenny itself. If you haven’t already booked your lodging there, and don’t have other reasons for sleeping in Kilkenny for 3 straight nights, I’d change the 3-night plan.

Until this past spring, I’d never been to Cork, but thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Having lunch at, and touring the English Market was a fantastic experience. The Crawford Art Gallery is a manageable size (not huge), and even the Butter Museum is a worthwhile visit. If you’re going to Doolin for the traditional Irish music, Cork has many places to hear it, too. The great Blarney Castle, and its wonderful garden grounds, were easy to reach just outside Cork. Dinner at Goldie was very special. Saying in Cork would be rewarding, if even for just one night.

An hour northwest of Cork is the charming town Macroom, if you wanted to stay closer to Kilkenny at the end of Day 3 than if you stayed in Cork, and it’s close enough to the Ring of Kerry that you could use it to start off Day 4. Just west of Killarney is Ross Castle, well worth the guided tour they offer. After your Ring of Kerry drive, stay in Killarney at the end of Day 4 (just one night, since you have other places to see on your current agenda), and see Ross Castle late that day, or early on Day 5.

OK, so thoughts on Day 5. If you want to see some of the Dingle Peninsula, don’t do it as a day trip, then return to Killarney. Stay in Dingle. Or, failing that, pop into the Dingle Peninsula, stay as long as possible, then spend the night in Tralee before you head farther north on Day 6.

On Day 7, definitely do a walk to see the Cliffs of Moher from way up. I’ve seen them from a ferry coming from Inisheer, and they’re big, but they were more magnificent for me from the visitor center and a walk from there. I love Galway. At the risk of doing another one-night stay like much of what you’re already planning, go to Galway, and stay there at the end of Day 7. We stayed at the Petra House B&B. Have dinner at Oscars Seafood Bistro. The Galway City museum is worth a visit, and it’s free! Strolling downtown, and pubs around John F. Kennedy park are other highlights.

My opinion, just skip Galway.

Much as I love Connemara, I think I wouild skip Galway this time as you haven't time to do it justice. Build in an extra night somewhere. It ois also a good reason to come back and explore the north - County Galway, Mayo and Donnegal!

You will get mixed opinions on both Cork and Galway. I skipped Cork, and Blarney in favour of a night in nearby Kinsale and a visit to Charles Fort. Kinsale is known as the gourmet capital of Ireland, and is a pretty little harbour town. I loved Galway, and the area, and spent four nights there, and heard some of the best music of my trip at the Crane Pub, but you don’t have time to do it justice so I would skip it. One possibility for a one night stay on the way to Dublin could be Athlone. It would give you the chance to stop at nearby Clonmacnoise, and the town has a castle with an interesting history. I might also suggest that while in Killarney I would not do both the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula as that doesn’t give you the opportunity to visit the National Park and other sights near Killarney. But, that’s just me, I did a Day trip to Dingle, and one through the Gap of Dunloe on a jaunting cart.

Sounds like a wonderful trip!
When is this? I am assuming you are renting a car?

Maybe flip the route? Land in Dublin and power through on the bus to Galway. Then you will have an evening and as much of the next day as you want there. Pick up the car in Galway and follow your route in reverse. I wouldn't add in Cork. And I feel like you will choose to eliminate one of your drives, it really gets to be a lot. Maybe only 2 nights in Killarney and then you have a night to add where you choose. Turn the car in before your Dublin time. Enjoy!

I agree with Sunny22. Land in Dublin and take the bus to Galway. Explore in the afternoon and get a good night’s sleep. Then pick up your rental car and head south counter clockwise. We drove through the Burren, did a sheepdog demonstration, walked the Cliffs and ended in Dingle. I wouldn’t do both Dingle and Kerry - pick one. But we loved Dingle - cute town, great fresh seafood. We stopped at the Muckross House and farm (great shepherd’s pie) in our way to Kinsale. Went through Cobh on our way to Kilkenny. Put Dublin at the end of our trip to maximum our time. So much to see. You just have to realize you’re not going to see it all. I wish we could have spent time in Glendalough, but we opted for a day at the Curragh Racecourse and the Irish National Stud breeding farm as my sister is into thoroughbred horses. A wonderful unforgettable day though. Maximize your time by planning things you want to see in your travel days between towns (you’re probably already doing that!) Enjoy planning and taking your trip!

I'm with the last two posters -- take Aircoach from DUB to Galway on arrival day, leaves every couple of hours and takes about three hours. Sleep there and then do your trip counterclockwise instead of clockwise. I don't think Galway itself offers enough to be worth a whole day in your short timeframe. It's a good base for areas north and south of it, plus the Aran Islands, but you can get the car and just head south from there.

Unless you dislike big cities, you could very well spend that extra time in Dublin, where your plan starts and ends. Start in Galway and you may have more time in Dublin + Malahide and an easier time getting to the airport at the end.

Hello,
There will be the same itinerary at the beginning of May. we take the bus to Galway, pick up our car rental in Galway and drop it in Dublin (the itinerary suggested by Sunny22 & faye.harlin). I find it will be an additional and significant fee for one way rentals.

This was more than 5 years ago, and perhaps a lot has changed, but in September 2018, we landed in Dublin and took the Aircoach directly to Galway. Two days later, we picked up our rental car there from Enterprise, drove clockwise through Northern Ireland and down to Dublin, and turned in the car there. As I recall, any extra fee for a one-way rental, if there was any, was minimal.

For our rental last spring, when we toured southern Ireland, we rented from Dollar. We picked up at the Cork airport and returned it at the Shannon airport, and again, I don’t recall there being any massive fee for a one-way rental.

This is a piece of quotation(Cork Airport -Shannon Airport ) by Dollar. One Way Fee makes up half of the total price (excluding tax).

Opel Insignia or Similar
7 day rental
Apr 28, 2024 - 10:00 AM
Cork Airport (ORK)
May 03, 2024 - 1:00 PM
Shannon Airport (SNN)
Base Rate
€142.84
One Way Fee
€132.15
Taxes and Fees
€63.13
Price for 7 days
€338.11

Our rental was a Seat Ibiza, if you want to compare apples to apples. Prices for 2024 don’t necessarily correlate with 2023 prices. Comparison shopping will reveal the best deals.