Itinerary check

Are the Cliffs Of Moher a MUST?

Cliffs at Portmagee ( referred to as the Kerry Cliffs ) IMHO are just as impressive and that gives you more time in Dingle and the outstanding KillarneyNationalPark and the Gap of Dunloe.

Maybe take a trap ride.

If not in a huge hurry the drive over the Sally Gap in the Wicklow mountains is wonderful. just another way to get to Kilkenny.

Slainte

Thanks. Portmagee is already on the must see list. Killarney Natl Park intrigues me. Exactly the type of adventure I prefer in the US, like Big Bend, Yellowstone, Palo Duro Canyon. A walking/hiking day there is well spent?

I agree with Claudia re skipping Galway this trip and adding the extra time in or around Dingle and the northern part of the ROK - so much to see and do (including Killarney NP) that it would be a shame to blitz thru the area, especially for something as underwhelming (IMHO) as Moher.
For info, there are rental car return offices at Kerry Airport - not far from Killarney town - and there are a couple of cheap direct flights from there to Dublin airport if you want to dump the car and skip the long drive or train ride back into the city. Would give you a little more time on the ground in Kerry too.

There's good hiking throughout Kerry. If you are interested, check out the Kerry Way, https://www.kerryway.com/. From the head of the Gap of Dunloe (in Killarney NP), you can walk down into the Black Valley, the last place in Ireland to get electricity (mid-1970s, I think).

The only reason to go to Galway is to rent a car, visit Inishmore and it makes a great jumping off point to tour Connemara. The city itself is a disappointment.

Thanks all for the advice & insight. One comment about Day 9 in Galway - that is so we can visit Inishmore, not tour Galway. That is a reasonable idea, yes?

One comment about Day 9 in Galway - that is so we can visit Inishmore, not tour Galway. That is a reasonable idea?

That is one of the reasons you should go to Galway.