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Help! Ireland August 2nd 2017

Hello,
My husband and I are traveling to see Ireland this August 2017. I have contacted two local travel agencies with no reply.
We are flying into Dublin arriving on the 3rd. around 8am. I have booked a hotel for the 3rd and 4th. planning on traveling to Kilkenny to a timeshare property from the 5th thru the 11th. My husband's health won't allow him to drive. Such as it is I'm too nervous to start learning on the opposite side of the road and the opposite side of the car!

I have contacted the timeshare and have been informed that they are quite rural 20 mins outside Kilkenny and they suggested a car. Also the car rental agency is closed on Saturday and Sunday and Monday the 7th is a bank holiday also closed. I have been trying to plan a train or bus to Kilkenny thinking a tour out of Dublin would be a pleasant way to spend the day upon arrival of the timeshare. But now re-thinking this we will be stuck there without transportation of any kind.

So I think reverse the trip. Leave Dublin on a tour for 3 days see some attractions stay in other hotels or B&Bs end in Kilkenny and stay at the time share. Leave the timeshare early head to Dublin Stay a night or two catch our flight on the 11th without the stress , as we are a taxi ride away from the airport. Phew!!!! Can anyone suggest a Tour company that we can hook up with at the dublin airport or close by to start a tour and hopefully drop us in Kilkenny or near a bus or train station to travel to Kilkenny at the end of a tour.
We are open to any suggestions you may have.
Thank You

Posted by
1172 posts

What kind of tour are you looking for? Where to go?

At such a late date, I would be worried that all signifiant tours have been booked for some time

Posted by
2 posts

Not fussy, at this point, I'm thinking a coach or train out if Dublin for 3 days or so . Preferably leaving us in Kilkenny or close to a bus or train were we can travel the rest of the way to Kilkenny.

Posted by
62 posts

OP, check with your hotel or the owners of your BnB - they are great sources of information re: tours, pubs, etc.

Posted by
76 posts

As far as multi-day tours out of Dublin, I suggest checking with Viator. Problem is, you'll probably not find a multi-day tour that ends in Kilkenny, so you might have to go back to Dublin. It's really no big deal, as it only takes about an hour and a half on the train from Heuston Station to Kilkenny. From there you could either UBER it, or take a taxi to your timeshare.

Posted by
2158 posts

You might consider hiring a driver. We did that for a trip to Ireland a few years ago, and it worked out beautifully. For the days we did not need transportation, he was free to take other fares. It was also nice to have a local drive, as he acted as a guide in way, telling us a bit about what we were seeing, and he surprised us with some extra sights we didn't know to request. And, the nice thing is you would have complete flexibility vs. being part of specific group tours.

Posted by
6 posts

You could try this one and just let them know that you are getting off in Kilkenny:
http://www.irishdaytours.ie/tour/glendalough-kilkenny-tour/

Check with your timeshare and ask for a phone number of a taxi company or local rideshare that will pick you up/drop you off? There may also be a local bus service that will go close by the timeshare so that you are not stranded!

OR
You can get a bus from Dublin airport to Galway very easily (they run every 30 minutes or so) and spend a couple of days in the Galway area then go from there to Kilkenny https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Galway/Kilkenny.

Enjoy your trip!