We are an active family & enjoy outdoors more than guided tours or museums. We enjoy nature and unique activities such as cooking classes, art workshops, cultural events. Our Flights are in & out of Dublin. We have spent 3 days in Dublin in 2019 and hit the highlights with the notable exception of the Goal & inside of the castle or churches.
We have 9 days on the ground during the week over St. Patrick’s Day.
The kids want to do a St. Patrick’s Day parade & events (it is also my 9 year old’s birthday)
- Pick up car in DUB arrive 9 AM.
- Planning to stay 4 nights (March 14-17) in the Kildare, Kilkenny, Carlow area. I have an apartment booked at Ash House B&B (but not totally sold on this place). From here it’s central to visit the National Stud Farm and possibly Go to a horserace on March 15 and visit Kildare area. Visit Glendalogh and Russborough house National Birds of Prey center with a quick visit to the lakes and Avon resort possibly just to eat & see the lake area.
Visit Kilkenny. I’m thinking of spending St. Patrick’s Day in Kilkenny rather than Dublin and do the bike tour of Kilkenny in the morning before the parade at 1:30 pm.
It is an hour to go to Dublin but we are really unsure how crazy Dublin will be to visit on that day or if it would be so much better than Kilkenny.
The 18th we would leave & visit Rock of Cashel and Muckross House and anything else we have time for in Killarney area en route to an Airbnb in Castlemaine. (We want to limit our nights moving around and this is on the tip between ROK & Dingle. It’s 45 min to Kenmare & 45 min to Dingle.
19- do ROK drive
20- Dingle:
Kingdom Falconry public tour at 12pm in Dingle.
Shepherding, beehives & Lambs at 14:30 further down the road past Ventry. Drive the loop and hit a pub in Dingle.
21-Bunratty Castle & medieval dinner Knoppogue Castle
Stay near Ennis in an Airbnb
22- COM & Burren (possible Aillwee Caves or Fort with shepherding experience but this may be redundant-stay Airbnb Ennis
23- drive to DUB for 3 PM flight home
I’m struggling with the timing of the first 4 days. Should I book an experience at the National Stud the day we arrive?
Is it too much to try to go to Glendalough upon arrival? Can we do Glendslough and Russbourogh castle in a day? Has anyone been here to the Adventure center at the castle or Avon resort? Are the zip lines & ropes courses worth doing?
Does anyone know of cooking classes, art classes, dance activities or shows that we should look in to?
Any suggestions are welcome!
Thanks!