I am completely overwhelmed trying to plan 7 nights after spending 4 in Dublin. The Dublin portion of the trip is a work trip ending on May 17th. We plan to pick up a rental car at airport in Dublin that morning and head out for 7 nights on our own. Areas I am interested in seeing are Westport, Galway, Doolin, Dingle, Kinsale, Cohb/Cork, Killarney. How would you organize this trip to include these destination. Our desire is to stay in farmhouse or b&b’s vs hotels. We depart Dublin in the morning on May 24th. Ideally I would like to return rental the evening before we depart to cut down on stress the morning we leave. Also I should note during our Dublin stay we are taking day trips to Howth and Wicklow area.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
2980 posts
Since your primary areas of interest are in the west of Ireland you might want to consider one of the two flights per day from Dublin airport to the Kerry airport near Killarney on Ryan Air. Would save you a long drive across the island just trying to get where you want to go in the first place. There are a number of car rental outlets at the Kerry airport. Doing a one-way rental from there and returning the vehicle at Dublin airport might be your easiest option logistically and would maximize your available touring time.
My suggestion would be to search for accommodations somewhere along the corridor between Killorglin and Glenbeigh - would keep you clear of the congestion in and around Killarney while still being central for easy day trips around the northern part of the ROK, over to Dingle, and down to the very pretty Gap of Dunloe and Killarney NP.
Might add too regarding your proposed visit to Glendalough: while there are any number of tours from Dublin, our preference has always been to drive there - timing our arrival for as early in the AM as we can manage in order to escape the hordes of day trippers arriving by bus starting around 9:30. By getting there early you'll have the monastic site all to yourself.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2279 posts
Split it up with 2 nights for Cork/Cobh/Kinsale
2 nights Killarney to include day trip to Dingle
I night Doolin
2 nights Galway with day trip to Westport.
This only gives a day and a bit in each place, which isn't long. You could take take out the night in Doolin and do doolin on the way to Galway. Use this night to add to one of the other places...