June Trip

bratiblond, There are buses from DUB to downtown; a taxi may be good here. It's an easy train ride from Dublin Connolly Station to Belfast, a bit over two hours. Looks like ten miles or so out to Newtownards, see below for bus info, but you could also take a taxi again from the station in Belfast, and after traveling many hours and with luggage, not a bad idea.
On the return it looks like trains are available from 7 a.m., 9 on weekends.
Depending on arrival time in Dublin you may wish to spend a night there first.

Hope this helps. Post back with more questions.

For train info:
http://www.irishrail.ie/

Bus planner Belfast to Newtownards:
http://journeyplanner.translink.co.uk/ext_widget/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&name_origin=Belfast%20City%20Centre%2C%20Belfast%20Central%20Train%20Station&nameInfo_origin=10000011&nameDefaultText_origin=enter%20an%20origin...%20or%20right-click%20on%20the%20map&name_destination=Newtownards&nameInfo_destination=suburbID%3A31400132%3A709%3ANewtownards%3A748850%3A125835%3AITMR&nameDefaultText_destination=...and%20a%20destination%20or%20right-click%20on%20the%20map&itdTripDateTimeDepArr=dep&itdTimeHour=20&itdTimeMinute=10&itdDate=20150217&includedMeans=checkbox&inclMOT_0=1&motBusMacroNIR=true&qqueryMacroNIR=true

Thank you, Dave, for your reply.I am going to go to the websites you posted.I think they will be a lot of help.
Kim

Kim,
I wouldn't take the train. Trains in Ireland are very expensive. Seeing your flying into Dublin Airport there is no reason to add on additional time and money by traveling into city center Dublin. Look up Aircoach, it's a bus company that does all the major city routes to the airport. You'll be looking for Route 705x this is Belfast-Dublin Airport-Dublin City Center. It's a direct buses and it stops at both terminals at the Dublin Aiport. Returns run around €23 and single €16 from the airport to Belfast. If your wanting to stay the last night in Dublin City Center, I'd look up the city center routes on Aircoach and do a different ticket from Dublin Airport to the City Center. It comes out cheaper then using taxis. Aircoach will drop you off at the Europa Bus Center in Bellfast it's a 2 minute walk from the Laganside Bus Center in Belfast. From there you can take the Ulsterbus System out to Newtownards and from there to see your friend in Portaferry. I hope this helps.
Sarah

The bus Sarah mentions would be seamless, but just to note I see train fares of about €18 each way. For me, if there were a simple way to get from DUB to Connolly Station, and Belfast Central to Newtownards, my preference would be the train for that stretch. Just off a flight, I can see that it surely could be better to jump on the bus for the duration.

Depending on how you feel when you arrive, and when you arrive, the train may give an opportunity to spend a couple hours in Belfast on your own. It looks like you can leave luggage at the Belfast Welcome Centre near City Hall, check hours though. Belfast City Hall is a very nice building!

Thank you so much both Sarah and Dave.I am saving both of your responses as I am going to start setting up my itinerary this week. With both of your responses I have gotten more personal help than reading books or looking up myself on google.Thank you both, so very much.
Kim

http://www.irishrail.ie/fares-and-tickets/dublin-belfast

Here are the price chat for the trains, if it's something you want to do. The price chats can be a bit hard to read, I have found myself confused at time. It looks like you'd me letter M cause it the farthest length of the route. It's look around €38 adult single and €20 student single. Oh and I forgot to tell you, with the train and buses you tell driver (bus) or the ticket person (train or bus station) where your headed to and depending on the distance traveled that's what the fare is priced on. Also you have to keep the ticket on you at all times, they have people check and the fee can be huge if you lose your ticket. Hope it helps.

Thank you Sarah, I am getting less confused with the help of this forum