Hello and thank you in advance for your replies. My husband and I are planning a 15 day trip this coming August. Accommodations and route are pretty well detailed, but am looking for any specific suggestions re: sites, tours, restaurants, drives. We are in our mid-60s, relatively fit, love the outdoors and natural beauty, archeological sites, history presented in a casual, interactive, living way (rather than hours in a museum). We like good food and accommodations but don’t like super fancy. We love music - trad and current singer/songwriter. My husband has difficulty a visual issue with vertigo if he is on sheer drop-offs so we will be avoiding some drives (Connor pass) and we have a driver once we leave
Dublin (2 nights) staying Zanzibar Locke 2 nights - Arrive from the states at 5AM. Room booked for the previous night so we will sleep for a few hours.
Day 1: Afternoon/evening: Bog Bodies exhibit, St. Stephen Square, Grafton Street, evening in Temple Bar.
Day 2 - Looking at some combination of the following: the Literary Pub Crawl, On/Off bus, and/or Original Walking Tour, Guinness Storehouse, Evening Pub/music
Day 3 - Cashel (1 night) Copperfield House, Dinner Chez Hans
Wicklow mountains, Glendalough. It is very possible the Kilkenny Arts Festival will be on - would it be worthwhile to swap out the visit to Glendalough with the festival?
Day 4 Kinsale (1 night): Perryville House -
Morning: Rock of Cashel, Abbey Hore.
Afternoon Scilly Walk, Evening - Dinner recommendation
Day 5, 6, 7: Kenmare (3 nights) - The Happy Pig. Restaurant recommendations - need several as we will be here 3 nights
Day 5
Morning: 9:15 Don and Barry’s historic stroll
Afternoon: Take West Cork Coastal route south of Kinsale, Clonakilty, Red Strand Beach, Drombeg Stone Circle
Evening: Evening explore Kenmare,
Day 6: Killarney: Kate Kearney’s Cottage Jaunting Cars and boat – Gap of Dunloe Adventure Tour, Muckross grounds and Abbey if not too late
Day 7: Visit Gougane Barra Monastic Village and Drive Ring of Beara Peninsula clockwise Recommendations for specific itinerary on Beara Peninsula, lunch stop
Day 8 and 9: Dingle (2 nights): Greenmount House Restaurant recommendations - 2 nights
Day 8:
Morning Kissane Sheep Farm Tour
Afternoon/Evening: Explore Dingle town and consider the Dingle Distillery, Pubs
Day 9: Explore Dingle Peninsula
Day 10: Doolin (1 night):
Morning - drive to Doolin
Afternoon/ evening: Cliffs of Moher and Doolin Caves, Pubs and Music. Restaurant?
Day 11: Inishmore (1 night): Pier House Guesthouse
Take morning Ferry, if the weather is good, rent bikes (Electric Assist is a good idea?) Evening pubs/music.
Day 12:
Return on the first ferry and explore the Burren: From Doolin drive via Lisdoonvarna to Kilfenora to the Burren Centre, Kilfenora Cathedral and High Crosses. Visit Poulnabrone Dolmen. If time check out and Aillwee Cave.
BIG QUESTION: We have reservations in Galway at the Park House for that night. We would be arriving late in the afternoon. I have mixed feelings about if we should spend the evening and the morning exploring Galway or just continue on to a town in the Connemara region. If so what towns to you recommend? If you are recommending Galway, any recommendations for spending the evening and a little of the morning?
Day 13 and 14 Carracastle County Mayo working farm stay (2 nights)
Day 13
Morning Either explore Galway City if staying there or head out to see a little of Connemara region from a village further north
Afternoon Ashford Castle, Ireland's School of Falconry, Hawk Walk
Day 14:
Morning: Farm and Bog tour
Afternoon: Explore husband’s ancestry several areas of County Mayo
**Day 15: Clayton Hotel near airport (1 night)
Morning: Ancestry, Glasson, Boyne Valley
Afternoon: Tour Brú na Bóinne and Newgrange
Day 16: Fly home 2PM**