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Help and Advice 10 day Itinerary Ireland in August

Posted by on

Here's the situation, I have been to Ireland 5 times and my normal mode of travel is to have a starting point and end point and a rough direction and see what happens. If we are enjoying a location and people we stay longer trying to hit some of the not so familiar sites. This time we will be traveling with 10 other people 5 couples in addition to my wife and I. The other 10 have never been to Ireland. We will be renting a minibus with a driver. ( I tried to convince them to rent a few cars so we could occasionally go in different directions but no-go) While my wife and I dislike a structured trip our companions will not go for it. I have come up with two rough itineraries, Please give me your thoughts.. Don't be afraid to hurt my feelings here, just want to make sure my friends see great sites and have a good time.

Possible Itinerary- 10 days Ireland- Option 1
Day 1 – August 14 Dublin....
Day 2- August 15 Drive to Kinsale stopping at Rock of Cashel and Cork City arrive Kinsale late afternoon. Stay Kinsale....
Day 3- August 16 Golf “Old Head” visit Charles Fort. Stay Kinsale....
Day 4 – August 17 Drive to Blarney Castle (stay 1 hr) then on to Killarney National Park. Overnight Kenmare...
Day 5- August 18 Drive to Dingle – Enjoy Dingle Town and attractions.....
Day 6- August 19 Drive Dingle Peninsula in morning enjoy Dingle Town afternoon and evening Stay Dingle....
Day 7- August 20 Drive to Doolin stop Bunratty Castle Overnight in Doolin ( or should we stay in Ennis or Lahinch) Have heard mixed reviews of Doolin.....
Day 8- August 21 Cliffs of Moher Morning on to Galway. Overnight Galway.....
Day 9- August 22 Enjoy Galway....
Day 10- August 23 Drive to Dublin Overnight Dublin- Fly out next day.....
Nights in Ireland
2 Nights Dublin 2 Nights Kinsale,2 Nights Dingle,2 Nights Galway,1 Night Kenmare,1 Night Doolin (or other)

10 Days in Ireland Option 2
Day 1 – August 14 Dublin....
Day 2- August 15 Drive to Portrush lunch in Belfast. Giants Causeway Afternoon Night Portrush.....
Day 3- Morning sites around Portrush. Drive to Donegal. Enjoy evening Donegal....
Day 4 Donegal and sites nearby....
Day 5 Drive through Connemara region arrive Galway. Overnight Galway....
Day 6 Galway enjoy city....
Day 7 Cliffs of Moher night Doolin ( or Lahinch or Ennis)....
Day 8 Drive to Dingle stop Bunratty. Overnight Dingle ...
Day 9 Drive Dingle peninsula enjoy Dingle Overnight Dingle....
Day 10 Drive back to Dublin – Fly out next day.....
Nights
2 Dublin,2 Donegal,2 Galway,2 Dingle,1 Portrush, 1 Doolin or nearby

Posted by
1172 posts

Have you thought about joining a tour? Like a RS tour?

To try and keep 12 people on a schedule sounds like a complete nightmare to me... sounds like that would be on your shoulders too which to me would make it a less than fun trip for you.

Schedule wise, I cannot comment on Northern Ireland but I think you are short changing Dublin

Posted by
3122 posts

Are your friends paying you to be their tour guide? (I'm sort of joking, but ...) It sounds like you're going out of your way to please them, which is really nice, but you might want to establish some ground rules. For example, what time will everyone be in the vehicle with all belongings ready to depart in the mornings? Nothing like having 10 people up & ready while 2 other people are futzing around putting on makeup and saying, "Wait, I forgot my scarf!" "Can we stop and pick up something to munch on before lunch?" etc.

Posted by
856 posts

Oh boy, I think you are trying to cover too much ground with such a large group of people. A tour might be best. Have you all booked flights yet? It would be best for you to fly into Shannon and out of Dublin (or the other way around). Of the two options you have posted I wouldn't recommend either as they are. I think you are shortchanging Dublin, 2 nights in Kinsale it too much, it's quite small, same with Dingle, and I think you are shortchanging Galway, there is so much to see and do in the area. With such a short amount of time I would probably cross the north off the list in favour of spending more time at stops in the south. I would skip Cork in favour of more time at Charles Fort and Kinsale, or at the park in Killarney. I'm generally not in favour of one night stands, but some of these small towns don't need two nights when you are short of nights, and days. As another poster suggested get all of your group on side with the morning leave time. I think this will be your biggest problem. You need to slow down a bit, and make some room for unexpected occurrences like if someone gets sick, or you have mechanical problems. You don't want the 'green blur tour'.

Posted by
2 posts

Thanks for the advice so far. Any additional would be certainly welcome. Unfortunately part of the group has already booked ....so no change on in and out of Dublin. We are looking into a tour as well however personally the idea kills me ... I really like the freedom to change plans however with this large a group I probably don't have that anyway. Keep the ideas coming sincerely appreciated.

Posted by
5 posts

Hello,
First off.. Stay at Susan Daly's in Doolin.. great place and walk to the pub-O'Connors.. great food and music. Wonderful stop.
We have traveled with 10 for the past 8 years. Our first trip was to Ireland and we had a small bus and a driver.. A must.
We are all good friends and travel well together.. timing is pretty spot on..after a couple of days loading and unloading the van comes natural. This will be work for the two of you.. but Ireland is a great place to "show Off". We are also returning this year for the 4th time with just one couple who have never been.... so just like you trying to make the 10 days count.
The Option 1 is probably more doable with your group... that is a long drive from Donegal to the Connemara area.. And Commemara is such a wonder area ... Kylemore Abbey is a great place to see.. And Cong is fun...
Killarney National Park... Torc Falls are beautiful and right next to Muckross House is very interesting.
I also want to spend two nights in Dingle...
The drive north to Doolin.. stop at Bunratty ( have not been- should we go there?) and stop at Cliffs on the way to Doolin.
3 hours max at cliffs then on to Doolin..
Next day drive on to Galway and maybe squeeze in some connamara
before heading back to Dublin. Starting early that day you can have an afternoon and evening in Dublin.

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