Ireland Itinerary Feedback, Please

So, I did not drive in Ireland, I used the train and buses, so this looks like quite a rushed trip to me because it is all one or two night stays. I spent four nights in each of Dublin, Galway, and Belfast, and felt that was right for the amount of time for the things there are to see. You say you like fast paced trips, but also like to maximize your time in each place. In my mind, those two are contradictory as it is sometimes necessary to slow down to maximize your time. I think, given what you want to see, that you will need at least one more day in each of Galway, Dingle, and Killarney. You don’t really have a cushion to allow for any unexpected events such as bad traffic, a flat tire, or bad weather that may prevent you from doing one of your planned activities (such as the ferry to Inishmore being cancelled). Others may disagree with me, though, as this might be doable since you will have a car.

Day 2 Dublin to Galway takes you past the delightful early Christian site of Clonmacnoise with its round towers, ruined churches and crosses. There is also the Medieval town of Athenry with is town walls, ruined castle and priory

Galway definitely needs another day for Connemara National Park - scenically very good. Drive around the coast to the tiny settlement of Roundstone with its harbour and views of the Twelve Bens (mountains) then Clifden. Make sure you do the Sky Drive - on a sunny day this is possibly one of the best short drives in the world. Then head to Leenaun past Kylemore Abbey and Gardens. If time allows, think about a short cruise on Killary Harbour, (described as the only fjord in Ireland. Then head back to Maam Cross and Galway.

Burren Day - have a check of ideas for the Burren on this thread

Ideas for Dingle Peninsula on this thread

Day 10 We'd like to accomplish the following: Ring of Kerry drive, Killarney National Park, Kissane Sheep Farm, Rock of Cashel. Not sure where to stay the night of Day 10 (looking for feedback), but we hope to sleep in Dublin Day. Completely unrealistic. Driving from Portmagee to Dublin is going to take nearly six hours without any stops. You need to build in another day here. Ring of Kerry with Killarney National Park is a full day to do it justice.

Think about an overnight in Killarey or somewhere a bit further east so you don’t have as long to drive the following day. On the way to Dublin, Cahir with its castle is also highly rated and probably less busy than as well as Rock of Cashel . There is also the ruined Hore Abbey sitting below Rock Of Cashel which is worth adding to the list of stops if time allows. It is open 24 hours. .

@Anita I appreciate your comments on timing. For us, it’s always a balance between the action packed days we like and the possibility of cramming too much into our days. I understand what you’re saying.

@Wasleys-thanks so much for the tips and the links to other threads! Lots of great ideas to consider. It seems like there’s no shortage of wonderful things to see in Ireland!

Galway definitely needs another day for Connemara National Park - scenically very good.

Yes, for some reason we didn’t have Connemara on our original itinerary. Seeing it now, we will add a day if we decide to include it.

As for Day 10, I realize that’s too much for one day. We were planning spread them out over 2 days (10-11), and will check out lodging options in Killarney or further east as you’ve advised. LOL, I just noticed that when I typed out my post that I skipped Day 9, so that would actually be Days 9-10 at this point, oops!

As for Day 10, I realize that’s too much for one day. We were planning spread them out over 2 days (10-11),

That makes a lot more sense!!

You won't be short of things to do in Ireland - there were loads more ideas I could ahve added that would have needed another two weeks!! It is worth getting a road atlas, or having access to maps on your phone and use that to explore the side roads and not just rely on sat nav to take you between destinations.

The Hertitage Irealnd sitge is a good source of ideas of places to visit. Click on the map on this website to find out where they have properties. If you like gardens, there is a list of gardens here.

Don't underestimate driving times in Ireland. Driving can be quite slow at times and funerals are very big business and can bring a place to a standstill...

I'd skip Temple Bar. We avoided it for three trips, but decided to give it a try last May (mainly because a fiddler we liked was playing at "The" Temple Bar). The whole area was overrun with drunks, the bars were too crowded to navigate (let alone get a seat) and the music was drowned out by the crowds, and that was at 6pm. We quickly fled to a bar on the outskirts of the area for dinner and beers. The Temple Bar has a 7/24 webcam on their website if you want a sample.

That part of town has gotten some terrible press of late.

Thanks for the reply on Temple Bar. It’s definitely not our first priority in Dublin, but we’ll probably do brief walk-through and get a sense of the atmosphere. We are definitely not late night bar hoppers:)

I second everything wasleys says, especially don't just rely on the sat nave to take you between destinations, and don't underestimate the driving times. Overestimate, and provide time to experience seridipitous Ireland, not just tourist sites.

Often what we enjoyed and remember the most were the hidden gems we discovered off the beaten track. We loved the unexpected concert in Dingle we learned about last minute. The time in conversation with guests or hosts at bed and breakfasts when we allowed ourselves time to linger a little longer, rather than rushing out the door to a site on our checklist, rank high on our favorite memories.

And, you need to be able to breath (and laugh) when you're stuck in the road when sheep decide to share the space.

Slow down or you're going to be exhausted before you even arrive. You can't see it all and transportation always takes longer than you expect - plus you may see places along your route that you may want to stop and experience. Maybe throw in a couple of 3-night stays in lieu of a visiting a place or two. FYI - we visited Ireland in 2018 and landed early am at DUB. We rented a car and drove to Doolin (stayed 3 nights) via the coast road along The Burren. While there we did The Cliffs of Moher and Inis Oirr as well as a few neighboring towns (Ennis, Lahinch). Then we drove to Waterford for the factory tour via Tipperary and the Rock of Cashel before heading back to Dublin (stayed 3 nights) via Kells Priory and Kilkenny. In Dublin we saw the Book of Kells at Trinity College, Guinness, Temple Bar, and wandered around the city (it's gritty). We enjoyed all the above and you'll have a great trip as well!