Northern Ireland will have to wait for the next trip. It just added too much driving with too little time to linger. I’ve also decided to skip some of the more touristy places in the Republic, such as, Cliffs of Moher, Kinsale, Rock of Cashel, Glendalough, and Ring of Kerry. (Although we will see some of the ROK while based in Kenmare. I would love to see Glendalough, but it’s a bit out of the way on this trip.) We are renting a car, although not for the entire trip. Will spend the first 4 days in Dublin, then take the train
Day 1: Fly into Dublin. Once through immigration, catch a bus to our hotel in Dublin, somewhere close to city center. If not too jet lagged, we’ll see a few close by Dublin sites after checking in at hotel. Rest up for two more full days in Dublin.
Days 2&3: Using public transport, we’ll take in the National Museums, Grafton Street, historic sites relating to the struggle for independence north of the Liffey. The EPIC Museum, Kilmainham Goal, Dublin Castle, Temple Bar and aimless wandering. Probably a musical pub tour too. Sorry, but the Book Of Kells doesn’t interest me.
Day4: Day trip on group tour to Newgrange and Hill of Tara. Sleep in Dublin.
Day 5: Take the train to Cork. Just think it would be great to see a little of Ireland from a train. Will spend 1 night in Cork, and do a little site seeing on foot after getting off the train, securing our hotel rooms.
Day 6: Pick up rental car. Figure it will take some time to get that done and hopefully by this time, I’ve absorbed enough from watching other drivers in Ireland to avoid being a menace on the roads. Will take a test drive to couple of sites around Cork, then hit the road for our clockwise meander up the SW coast. The plan for this day is to drive to Clonakilty to visit the Michael Collins Centre. Then on to Skibbereen to visit the Heritage Centre and Famine Museum, followed by a trip to the Drombeg Stone Circle. From Skib, it’s up the coast to Kenmare for a 3 day stay. Sounds like a long day? Maybe.
Day 7,8,9: No scheduled events or tours, we’ll base in Kenmare and explore as we see fit. Definitely will take in Killarney NP. Also a few excursions to sites on the Iveragh Pennisula, hitting some choice archeological sites, but not doing the whole ROK tour. Explore Kenmare and vicinity, with some trad music and pints for good measure. Also will try to do a good walk about either in the NP or maybe even rent a bike.
Day10, 11,12: Short drive to Dingle for another 3 day stay. Doing an ECO Tour to Great Blasket Isalnd one day or afternoon. Rest of the time will be wandering the Dingle Pennisula, more archeo. sites, exploring Dingle town. More trad music and pints.
Day12: Long drive to Galway. Was going to base in Westport, to be close to the spirit of me dear departed great-grand da, who emigrated in the 1860’s, but it looked like too long of a drive from Dingle. Yes, I could stop somewhere in between and even catch the Cliffs of Moher, but I’m reluctant to add another overnight stay. I’m sure we’ll stop briefly along the way to eat or perhaps a quick side trip to the Burren. Not sure yet.
Day13,14: Based in Galway, we’ll explore the city, also Connemara, and the NP, Roundstone, Lough Corrib area, or perhaps an Inishmore day trip. Maybe the loop to Westport. Hello great grand dad! Up for a pint?
Day15: Drive to Dublin to spend the night before flying home. Considering a side trip to Strokestown Famine Museum on the way. Probably will stay near the airport for convenience.
Maybe Day 16: Looking at a day trip to Liverpool to do a quick Beatles tour. Likely flying over and back to spend the night in Dublin before going home.
So whaddya think?
Posted by
OP
Colorado USA
75 posts
Sorry, there wasn't enough room to add that our trip is planned for next year in May.
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
731 posts
I like the basic outline of the trip, but I would suggest:
1) If you're a fan of puffins, Skellig Michael in May should be stupendous. The beehives are interesting, but the puffins are the best. You might want to research when they arrive - later in May would improve your odds.
2) I agree about Moher. The Cliffs of Kerry aren't full of tour buses, and I've met people there claiming they had just been to Moher and thought Kerry was nicer.
3) If trad music is an attraction, Doolin might be a good way to shorten the drive to Galway. You coould cut out one of the nights in Dingle to make room.
4) We don't tend to stay in one place as long as you are. Three nights in Dingle may be overkill.
5) Rather than learning to drive in Cork, maybe you should rent the car as you leave Dublin, and get your practice on the highway. Getting out of Dublin may be worse than Cork, though. You could skip Cork altogether.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2235 posts
May is a lovely time to visit and you will have long days. The flowers will be at their best too. When we visited, the rhododendrons were in flower. They grew everywhere and hedges often appeared purple with their flowers.
Day 6 - It’s a pity the Michael Collins Centre doesn’t open until 11am. Allow 90minutes to get there, parked up etc. Say 1-2 hours there. It’s another hour to the Heritage Centre and Famine Museum and Skibbereen, so here by 2pm at the latest. Allow 2-3 hours.
Drombeg Stone Circle - unfortunately you have to back track but there is no way you will have time to do it before Skibbereen . Allow 45 minutes to get there and find the place... Not sure how long you will need there (depends on your interest) but you need to allow two hours to get to Kenmare - so as you say a long day, but doable,.
Days 7,8,9 Good decision to say in Kenmare rather than tourist central Killarney!
If planning to do the Gap of Dunloe, plan it for evening when the jaunting cars have finished and everyone is having dinner.
We found the The Ring of Beara a much more interesting drive that Ring of Kerry - BUT some of the stone forts on ROK are well worth finding - Cahergal and Leacanabuaile are close together and are very different. We preferred Cahergal. Stague is closer to Kenmare and is a detour up a narrow road in the middle of nowhere. It is less interesting than the other two.
Day 12 - Dingle to Galway is going to be 4+ hours drive. Do try and do a detour from Ennis through the Burren. The limestone landscape is completely different to what you have seen elsewhere. and is fantastic. Definitely give Cliffs of Moher a miss - they are a real tourist trap and to be honest, the views from the top aren’t that impressive. They really need to be seen from a boat.
Days 13 and 14 don’t give you much time to do and see all you have listed from Galway, unless you are planning on long days in the car. (We’ve had two separate weeks in the area and still haven’t seen or done everything.) Any chance of taking a day out of either Kenamare or Dingle to add to Galway? Roundstone is delightful. Extend your drive to Clifden and do the short Sky Drive from there. On a clear day, it must rank as one of the best short drives in the world. Don’t bother too much with Loch Corrib area if time is short - the coast is much more impressive.
Posted by
OP
Colorado USA
75 posts
Thank you for your thoughtful response! I chose the Blasket Island tour over Skellig Islands because I don't think my sister can handle the steps. The Eco tour sounded like a happy medium where we can see other sea life including puffins.
I'll consider your suggestion about Dingle. If we stick with the Blasket tour, we'll spend at least one night there. I was thinking 3 days might be good in case either my sister or I needed a day to get away from each other.:)
Spending the night in Cork is optional. I thought it might be easier learning to drive there instead of the Dublin area and trying to get to Kenmare via the south coast might be pushing it after the morning train trip. The other option might be to pick-up the car at the end of our Dublin stay and drive to Galway, making our coastal drive counterclockwise. Could drop the rental car in Cork and still take a train back to Dublin. Thanks again for the suggestions!
Posted by
OP
Colorado USA
75 posts
wasleys, Thanks for your thoughtful response as well! I was reading just yesterday about the two stone forts you mentioned. Perhaps carving a day off the Dingle portion to spend more time in Connemara makes sense, although on paper, it still looks like a lot of driving. Was wondering if Connemara NP has good walking trails worth a half day Perhaps? Thanks!
Posted by
OP
Colorado USA
75 posts
I should add that I am a big Rory Gallagher fan and his grave is just outside Cork, so it's sort of a pilgrimage for me.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2235 posts
There are four walking trails from the Connemara NP Visitor Centre near Letterfrack Village. Straff in the centre will have lots of information and ideas for other walks too.
Posted by
OP
Colorado USA
75 posts
Great! Thanks!