Traveling to Ireland for business last minute - likely via Dublin but could do Shannon if it saves substantial time. Second time to Ireland. First time visited Cliffs, Galway, day trip through Connemara (highlight for me) and Kylemore Abbey, and one rushed night in Dublin (Temple Bar).
This time I will have three days of meetings during the week (Monday through Wednesday) in the middle of the country. If I fly up to arrive Thursday morning, and leave the following Sunday, that gives me a three day weekend before and after. The question is where to spend them. By the time we drive somewhere Thursday, the first weekend we will have a half day Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and most of the day Sunday. The second weekend we will drive to wherever Wednesday and have all day Thursday, Friday and most of the day Saturday.
As you may have guessed from the comment on Connemara, I am all about the scenery. I will be traveling with my wife. We also love trad music and talking to locals in neighborhood pubs, sampling local food options, history. Hikes are lovely but not interested in something too strenuous.
For at least one of the two weekends I would like to do the southwest, but the question is where and what? One idea is Ring of Kerry, Dunloe, Killarney, Skellig(?). The other idea is Dingle peninsula, Great Blasket, etc. Or is it too much to try to do both the same weekend (one or two nights Ring of Kerry and one or two nights Dingle)?
As I mentioned, I loved the Connemara the one day we were there, which also makes me think of spending one of the two weekends there with more time or in the northwest (Ballycroy, Sligo, Donegal, Dungloe, Glenveagh?) - which I know less of, whether staying in one spot for three nights or doing a three day drive to see the scenery with short stops.
Worst case, we could spend one of the two weekends in and around Dublin (Wicklow, Newgrange), but I am more into scenery than big cities.
So I guess my questions are:
Where to spend three nights in the southwest first and foremost and if anyone has a suggested itinerary? Also helpful would be favorite place to stay, eat, visit.
Second and more difficult, if I am settled on the SW for one weekend, what to do the second weekend? Is the northwest too far for that length of time? If not where and what?
Maybe I should spend both weekends in the southwest (Dingle one and Kerry the other)?
Thanks in advance!