My husband and I are planning our first trip to Ireland in mid-May, but we are struggling to finalize our itinerary. We will be flying into Dublin and staying for 5 full days (not including travel days coming or going), and we will likely rent a car, unless we find alternative options. Our initial list was long and we want to see it all, but I know we need to concentrate on just a few areas with our short time frame.
Can anyone recommend or help me narrow down a good area to focus on where we can see a variety of sites but not be overwhelmed cramming it all in?
We would love to see amazing coastal views and scenic landscapes, a few castles, and some historical sites.
Some of the options we are considering include a day in Dublin (either day 1 or 5), heading south toward the Rock of Cashel, possibly the Blarney Castle (or is this an overrated tourist attraction we should skip?) and Kinsale, then possibly west toward Kerry or the Dingle Peninsula. We may also look for another castle or two somewhere in there.
We are struggling with finalizing this route because we would also love to see the Cliffs of Moher or the Slieve League Cliffs, but both of these locations are obviously quite a distance from the Eastern areas we are looking at and simply would not be very doable.
Are there any lesser known cliffs on the Eastern or South sides of Ireland that might be another option to visit and fit with our possible itinerary?
Or is there an alternative route altogether on the West side of Ireland that we might consider that could include one of the cliffs?
I feel like we may just need to step back and start over with new options to consider. I know this may sound a little scattered, but any suggestions for routes or sites or ways to streamline 5 days so that it is actually doable would be appreciated!
Thank you!