How to enjoy Ireland as a local

The West of Ireland is, indeed, awesome. You can look for "self-catering" accommodations on websites like www.discoverireland.com. They are all over, but there really isn't a single place that is centrally located to everywhere. You might consider a couple of different locations, staying several days/weeks in each. Galway is handy to the Aran Islands, Connemara, and the Cliffs of Moher. I can't speak to the availability of ferries, since I haven't done that, but there are certainly cheap flights. August is still pretty firmly in peak season, but September is a bit quieter.

Thank you, that helps.

I love Dingle and the area around it. Numerous self catering cottages as well as stellar B n B's. September will not be as crowded as August. http://www.dingle-peninsula.ie/accommodation-on-the-dingle-peninsula/self-catering.html

Can't comment about Scotland, have yet to experience it but will say you could fly from Shannon to Edinburgh directly. Use the sky scanner website. Aer Lingus and Ryanair have flights. However be prepared for the luggage restrictions especially on Ryan Air. Me, I'd fly Are Lingus instead of a cattle call.

In Dingle around 4pm stop in for a pint at Foxy John's. For coffee and some wonderful brownies stop in at the Wren's Nest Cafe and Garden. Lovely eclectic spot.

Lastly I encourage you to visit the Gap of Dunloe. You'll need to research when Kate's Cottage closes for the season though. I walked and drove the Gap in November when I had the place nearly to myself. The ominous clouded sky periodically gave way to rays of sunshine which made the hills and fields surrounding the Gap glow in red and golden hues. It's not for the faint of heart driving wise. You only have a few years on me and I negotiated my rental around the sheep on the teeny tiny road without a scratch.

That was my favorite day on the West Coast and a photographer's dream. Never rained but threatened and that's the weather you'll find in September. Dress in layers.

Finally, I wouldn't miss walking through and enjoying the gorgeous Killarney National Park. Enter across from the Cathedral. If the fall colors have arrived in September they are an added bonus.

I would suggest dividing you time in half and do half in the west and half in the east near Dublin. We loved Dingle and I think it would suit your needs for blending in, but it may be too far for the day trips you want to take. Unless you're on the motorway, Irish roads make distance seem father than it is. Belfast is the only ferry point for Scotland, but Aer Lingus has an easy flight from Dublin to Glasgow and ,I'm sure , Edinburgh as well. These two cities are only an hour apart by train.

Dingle is the kind of town where everyone knows everyone else and it's easy to be embraced by the locals. James G.Ash Pub &Restaurant, Out of the Blue, and Anchor Down were great restaurants in Dingle, as was Murphy's Ice Cream. Check for concerts in St. James Church - they are magical. They also have fun concerts at Siopa Ceoil music shop, which is right next to Anchor Down. We loved our stay at Milltown House.

We made a similar trip last September--from the 5th to the 30th--and did not find the crush of tourists that one hears about in the high season. We flew into Edinburgh and spent three nights at a lovely B&B. We had time to enjoy the sights along the Royal Mile, climbed Calton Hill and strolled through the Royal Botanic Gardens. It was a lovely stay and we didn't feel rushed or stressed. Edinburgh is a very walkable city and there is a lot to see, though be prepared--it is quite hilly. From Edinburgh we flew to Cork on Stobart Air (we booked through Aer Lingus--it was quite an easy trip) and spent three weeks in the south and west of Ireland. We chose to book several cottages though AirB&B and were really happy with our accommodations. We enjoyed shopping at the local markets and fixing our own meals (usually after a stop at the local pub, where we met some lovely, friendly people). We enjoyed a lot of day trips from our bases in Baltimore, Cahersiveen, Furbo and Westport. That being said, we had a car, so taking day trips from more remote locations was not a problem. Unfortunately, my understanding is that once you reach the age of 70, renting a car is no longer an option--though I hope I am wrong about that. In the south and west part of Ireland, if you are without a car you would probably be better off basing yourselves in more populated areas from which you can take guided excursions, perhaps Galway or Killarney. And Dingle is also a wonderful spot! We stayed at a regular B&B there (a return visit to a favorite B&B from a previous trip) but there are also self catering options available and tour guides for day trips. I envy you your upcoming experience--I'd do it again in a heartbeat! You're going to have a wonderful time!!

We rented from Shamrock Cottages and stayed for three weeks on the Dingle Peninsula close to Annascaul for the last week in August and the first two weeks of September. We have been lucky to travel a great deal and this is the most beautiful place we have ever been. We lived like locals and got to know the pub owners and other folks in town. We flew in and out of Shannon. We took several day trips but some days just read and walked. The cottage overlooked the Dingle Bay.

Wow! Great suggestions and helpful information. We are leaning towards staying on the west near dingle peninsula. Thanks PJ for the lodging link. By the way, the age limit for car rental is 75 (whew). Still working on flights, lodging, and cars rental and dates are now leaning towards September/October.

Love to hear other first hand views of cottages, restaurants and must see attractions. Thanks again.

Glad to hear that the age limit is 75, not 70--gives us a chance for one or two more trips!
Dingle is a lovely little town--one of our favorites. The Slea Head Drive is beautiful and, since you are settling in for a while rather than moving on after two days, you can afford to wait for the weather to be just right. We had a bright sunny day in September and the views were quite spectacular! There was a little cafe/gift shop somewhere along the drive where we stopped for coffee and scones (with clotted cream--yum!) and sat on the patio soaking in the scenery. It is one of my very favorite memories among many other great ones. Also along the way you can stop in at the Blasket Center, a very interesting museum devoted to the history of the Great Blasket Island. Since you have the time, I recommend doing the complete drive on one day and visiting the Blasket Center on another so you don't have to feel rushed. If you or your wife like to golf, there is a lovely links course on the drive as well. As for dining I second the previous poster who recommended Anchor Down. We also ate at John Benny Moriarty's and found it to be quite satisfactory, and we had a great meal at the Dingle Skellig Hotel--one of the few places where you can dine out on a Sunday. If you are in town around the 19th or so you should definitely join the folks at Foxy John's to watch the Irish football championship--great fun!

Don't get freaked out by the car rental age limit thing. For most of the rental agencies, it is not an absolute bar to getting a rental car, but is a policy that requires seniors to provide documentation that is not required of younger drivers. Hertz, for example, has a rule that sounds like it precludes a person 75 years of age or older from renting a car or driving a rental. But, in actuality, it simply requires a person 75 or older to provide a letter from his/her physician, saying that he/she is medically fit to drive, and a letter from his/her insurance company, certifying that he/she has had no accidents in the last 5 years.

My sister & I (68yr.old +) have booked a trip to Ireland in Sept. also. We are chilling in Rathkeale for 2 days after flight into Shannon and then on to Kenmare for 7 days. We decided we would rather sit back and be driven, look out the window & do "wow's" rather than attempt the driving on wrong side of the skinny roads. We were able to find taxi tours from Kenmare to see all of peninsulas from there and not have to re-pack suitcases all the time. Yes, putting our euros into that convenience, but it is a vacation. Maybe you could choose a taxi-tour for a few days also.

^^^ Nice to know that 68+ year old's are "chilling" too ;-)

I do agree with the idea of being driven, if only for a short part. We took a day tour of Slea Head, Gallarus Oratory, and a few other sights, and it was well worth it to be able to ride along, just the two of us with a guide, hear the history and be able to see the scenery without concern of the narrow road-drive on the left-sit on the right thing. There is a good Tourist Information center in Dingle where you can arrange this, and several local guides that are good for this. We set it up before we left, via email.

This is who we used, and as I say, there are others:

http://www.dingletours.com/#_=_