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Itinerary Help

Posted by on

Any help with our itinerary would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for any help. I have been to Ireland way back in the 1990's with so few photos the trip is a hazy memory.
We are renting a car except to Londonderry and Aran Island.

24 Apr Kilkenny (late arrival from USA at 7pm);
25 Apr Kilkenny;
26 Apr Kilkenny;
27 Apr Cobh;
28 Apr Cobh;
29 Apr Kenmare;
30 Apr Kenmare Ring of Kerry;
1 May Kenmare;
2 May Dingle;
3 May Dingle;
4 May Galway;
5 May Galway;
6 May Aran Island (fix date we have ferry tickets);
7 May Westport;
8 May Portrush; (Giants Causeway on drive up);
9 May Portrush (Day trip to Londonderry or Belfast);
10 May Dublin (Drive back to Dublin);
11 May Dublin;
12 May Dublin;
13 May Fly Dublin to London;

We are trying to avoid single nights and have one on the way to Northern Ireland in Westport and our Aran Island (early ferry out and late return ferry and hopefully leave bags with B and B).

Posted by
359 posts

Great and truly important that you are spending multiple days in one place.....otherwise this trip would be a hazy memory too. Remember that estimated driving times on apps for Ireland are WILDLY optimistic. I usually double them and cut back a bit.......So an estimated 2 hour drive is usually more like 3- 3 1/2 hours.

On your Aran Islands day if you can't get to, or can't leave your bags at the B&B ask at the Ferry office if you can leave them there or on the boat if the same one is coming back for you. We've done both and they are perfectly safe.

I guess my one overall comment would be ..... consider cutting back the stops even more and spend more time in a given area. For example in the Kenmare area you have given one day to the ROK. Yes it can be driven in one day. It will be hectic though giving you little time to pause. You could easily fill a week with things to do just in that area alone. Within an easy drive of Kenmare you have Killarney National Forest, Muckross House, Sneem, Staigue Ring Fort, Derrynane and a standing stone, wonderful Waterville, the view above Caherdaniel (believe me you want time to stop and savor that), real wild Ireland in the Skellig Ring, Portmagee and Skellig Michael and Valencia Island. There's lots more I haven't mentioned but on your itinerary you will be going past all those within half a day.

Anyway it's something to consider......what are the key things you want out of the trip. I (we) made the mistake of trying to cram too much into our trip to "see Ireland" and that trip is a hazy blur. When we cut that back....the stops...... and gave time for quiet, calm and little things the magic happened. We found moments that are more important than any of our sightseeing and time to interact with the people.

The sights are fun but even they need time. The utter joy of having an excited baker at a small cafe show you into her kitchen to show you her brown bread secrets just because you genuinely complimented her and didn't have to rush off to the next thing is priceless. To stop in Ballinskellig to look at beautiful horses and gave the farmer come by and he ask if you want to help feed them and ending up having tea with him at his home. Those are the golden memories....not racking up stops........allow time for them because even if you are as reserved as we are the genuine, warm, funny, self deprecating Irish people are just waiting to make your trip pure magic.

Consider it anyway.......have an awesome trip !!!!! Ireland is fantastic !

Posted by
271 posts

7 May Westport;
8 May Portrush; (Giants Causeway on drive up);
9 May Portrush (Day trip to Londonderry or Belfast);

From Westport to Giants Causeway is a long drive (4 ½ hours according to Google Maps; even longer in real time) and you drive by Londonderry on the way. Then you would backtrack west to Portrush and perhaps backtrack again if you take a day trip to Londonderry on the second day.

I realize you’re trying to cut down on single night stays, but you might consider spending the night of May 8 in Londonderry which is a shorter drive from Westport. The medieval walls, Guildhall Square and Peace Bridge are beautifully lighted at night and early evening walks are very pleasant. I enjoyed my evening stay there and then toured the murals the next morning before driving to Portrush.

Portrush is a nice beach resort, so in early May, it may still be a bit slow. It wasn’t very active in June when I was there. Depending on your reasons for staying there, you could stay two nights in Londonderry and make a day trip to Giant’s Causeway on May 9; that’s only a few minutes longer driving time than a a day trip from Portrush to Londonderry.

Raymond

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