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Galway Connemara Day Trip then Galway to Dingle

Posted by (Houston) on

I’ve learned so much about traveling Ireland and I’ve made some mistakes along the way. I’ve torn up my itinerary so many times then taped it back together that another set of eyes would really help.

Day 1: Dublin to Galway spend the night in Galway

Guinness Storehouse → Possible Quick Stop in Athlone → Galway

Day 2 Connemara day trip spend the night in Galway

Galway → Lough Inagh → Kylemore Abbey → Clifden → Sky Road → Roundstone Harbour → Dog's Bay → Galway.

Anything to add or subtract to this trip?

Day 3: Where I think I messed up. Cliffs of Moher +? to Dingle.

Galway → Cliffs of Moher → Tarbert Ferry → N86 → Dingle.

This is a long day. Is there anything to add or should I just use it to reposition myself for the rest of the trip Dingle → Killarney → Cork?

I can’t cancel Galway or Dingle as well as leaving via Cork. Any great food or other suggestions are very much welcome.

Posted by
2150 posts

I assume this is a driving trip and that your car is already booked. I can't recommend visiting Guinness before driving, as part of the tour is having a pint up at the top. Can you do that the night before? If not, I would skip it in favor of stopping in Athlone for lunch. Several things to see and do in that area and still get to Galway in time for dinner. If you can pick the car up the next day in Galway, you could take the train after your Guinness visit. Depending on the train schedule, you might also be able to stop over in Athlone.
You definitely don't want to add anything to the drive on Day 3.

Posted by
3162 posts

The other suggestion for Day 1 is Clonmacnoise which is a few miles from Athlone and on your route. It is a lovely early Christian site on the banks of the Shannon. The Visitor Centre with the carved crosses is currently closed at the moment but the rest of the site is open. If time allows there is also Athenry which is about 16 miles east of Galway and is a medieval walled town with a ruined castle and abbey.

Day 2 works well. There are lots of small villages to stop off and explore as you drive round the coast. Also if you are into traditional music think about visting Malachy Kearns (Malachy Bodhrán) workshop where he makes traditional drums. It also has a museum, craft shop and cafe on site.

Day 3 is as you know a long day. I wouldn't try and add anything else.

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