We just returned from a fantastic trip to Ireland. I'll share location details in separate posts, but report some general stuff here.
Itinerary: 18 nights in Ireland: 4 nights in Dublin; train to Galway; 2 nights in Galway; train to Ennis; 2 nights in Ennis; private transfer to Killarney; 4 nights in Killarney; train/transfer to Kinsale; 2 nights in Kinsale; transfer/train to Belfast; 3 nights in Belfast; train to Dublin; final night at airport hotel. It was a great itinerary. I wish we'd had longer in Galway and in Belfast.
We chose not to do any driving this trip. For us it's less stressful. The driver misses out on some of the scenery and doesn't have as much time to relax and enjoy; the passenger (that would be me) stresses out about everything to do with roads, traffic, cliff edges, etc. :) This choice didn't give us as much flexibility as driving would have, but I was more happy than not with it. All of the trains were on time and easy to navigate. Plus, we ended up having some great conversations with locals on the trains! It was a really relaxing trip.
Of course the biggest downside of this is it limits your flexibility. You have to schedule bus or private guided trips in advance; everything books up. So if you're scheduled to visit the Ring of Kerry on a day trip and it's a terrible horrible no good very bad weather day, you can't just change your plans and go the next day. The other disadvantage is that you are limited in the number of out of the way places you can visit, and can't spend nights far away from cities where there are train stations.
Packing: We did carry ons with the RS hideaway tote for purchases. So no checked luggage there and one checked bag on the way home. Worked out well. We did sink laundry frequently and made one laundromat stop mid trip. Best things I packed: waterproof rain coat; rain pants; waterproof Oboz shoes; baseball cap to wear under raincoat hood (thanks Pam!); light weight down vest. We had all kinds of weather, but I was often chilly so in hindsight I wouldn't worry so much about which shirts I packed as in almost every photo I'm wearing my fleece or raincoat. I also would have packed more warm shirts and fewer light weight tees. I often found myself wearing 3 layers while the locals were in short sleeves and sundresses!
Weather: we kind of had it all. We caught the final 8 days of the long dry sunny spell. Two days of pouring rain, wind, fog, etc. All the other days were a mixture of sunshine; then wind; then clouds; then rain; the sunshine etc every 15 minutes of so. Layers worked great. Our rain gear served us well on the two very wet days and we were able to hike long distances and stay dry and comfortable.
Prices: We frequently experienced sticker shock, especially when trying to find less expensive meals. Buying sandwiches and chips at a grocery store for lunch worked well.
People: amazing! We had so many great conversations! On our train ride from Belfast back to Dublin at the very first stop outside of Belfast the train car completely filled up with orange clad fans heading to Dublin for a game. We were seated on aisle seats across from one another; a large man took the window seat next to me. I asked him who was playing (Armagh v Dublin; they were Armagh fans). In the US we would have engaged in a few minutes of polite conversation. Instead, Adrian and I talked the entire 2 hour trip! I learned about his job as a social worker, about their trip to NYC for St Patricks Day and how they missed the parade because it was held on Saturday March 16 instead of Sunday March 17; he introduced me to his family and friends elsewhere in the train car. This is one of those experiences Rick talks about and it was a highlight of the trip!