Ireland by Train

This link may help you:

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/ireland-rail-passes

There is a rail pass available, but there are several problems. Trains in Ireland are limited in coverage and somewhat infrequent, and the cost of a railpass expensive compared to just buying a ticket last minute.

You might have better luck with a bus, there used to be some bus companies that offered a hop-on, hop-off type option to the top sights, but it has been ages since I researched that. Many wind up renting a car, but that is not cheap, and can be trying for the timid.

Driving on the other side of the road, for the first time, can be trying even for the untimid.

Five days is not a lot, I would probably limit it to Dublin and Galway or Kilkenny, assuming you are flying into and out of Dublin. This is not to say that Dublin is the best of Ireland, just a bow to logistics. If I had to choose between Galway and Kilkenny, I would probably choose Kilkenny by just a bit. Don't count out taking the bus. You can often catch the bus directly from the airport to other cities. We did this out of Shannon direct to Galway in 2016. The only thing is the legroom on busses is often not great. Think like an airline seat minus four inches. You could also look at flying into Shannon and out of Dublin, and catch the same bus that we did from Shannon to Galway to start, then train or bus to Dublin. I am very partial to the town of Ennis in County Clare, but to do anything from there you would need to catch a day tour. Galway or Kilkenny, there is plenty to keep you occupied right in those cities.

Thank you for your feedback this helps! I never really think to ride the bus but it looks like it is a great option. I know driving is out. We have been to England/Scotland before and we have a hard enough time crossing the street without getting hit so we don't want to chance driving:) . Does Google maps work well when you are in Ireland to figure out the quickest route Bus/Train?

Consider spending some time in North Ireland. It is easy to get to by train from Dublin. Consider Belfast and then go onto Antrim Coast (Giant’s Causeway area). You take the train to Coleraine, walk through the station, and board the local bus which goes to all of the sites along the coast.

My favorite parts of our trip were Northern Ireland and the Aran Islands. We only traveled by public transport. It takes a little planning, but it can be done.