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Just a few days in Ireland with my niece

Posted by on

Hi all -
I will be traveling to Ireland with my 25 y.o. niece very soon (beginning of April). We land in London first, for 1-2 days, then on to Ireland for 4 or 5 days. I would like opinions if I am trying to do too much traveling (moving about) while in Ireland. Both of us enjoy being outdoors and being active as opposed to indoor sites/museums. I have read much on this site about not trying to fit too much in, so here is my proposed plan of seeing the natural beauty of western Ireland.

From London (after only 1 or 2 days in Europe), we will fly to Kerry and rent a car. Then either that afternoon (supposing a morning flight), or the next day (supposing an afternoon flight) drive the Dingle peninsula route that is recommended in the RS guidebook.

Following morning, drive north to the Cliffs of Moher (hike a bit) then drive on to Galway (or Rossaveal) to spend the night.

Next day, hop on the ferry from Galway or Rossaveal to Inishmore and enjoy the day there before taking the return ferry to our Galway (or Rossaveal) hotel.

Following morning we will return the rental car and train to Dublin. We will depart Dublin the next morning for Paris (this date cannot be changed because we meet others in Paris).

Please give advise on whether this is literally too much ground to cover in this short period. Also, any hints or tips on which town to stay for 2 nights, either Galway or Rossaveal, and to ferry to and from. This is a first trip to Ireland for us both.

Thank you.

OK. I am adding on/ editing as I have another question relating to the same trip.

The last bit of our trip to Ireland will be less than 24 hours in Dublin. We will arrive in Dublin at the train station at 10:00am (Wed) and will fly out of Dublin airport by 8:15 am (Thur). Any suggestions on hotels (not luxury, just nice clean, RS-style) to make our departure to the airport the quickest and simplest and still allow us to be somewhat near the sites and accessibility to downtown. We will most likely want to take a walking tour (on our own) and visit the Guinness Storehouse that day. Thank you for your suggestions on hotels or any quick-day-in-Dublin "must do".

Posted by
6713 posts

I think that's a pretty sensible plan for what you want to do. I'd suggest Galway rather than Rossaveal for your northern base, a much more interesting city with a lot more choices of lodging and eating. Rossaveal isn't hard to reach by car for the ferry.

Posted by
7937 posts

Yes, stay in Galway. As for getting to/from Inishmore, I suggest you consider spending a bit more and flying with Aer Arann https://aerarannislands.ie/ . We’ve visited the island twice - first time by ferry, second by air. Both times, ferries were delayed/postponed due to rough seas. The planes can fly when ferries can’t sail, and the small airport is a shorter drive from Galway than if you had to go all the way to Rossaveal. The flights are much quicker, too - and scenic!

Posted by
2980 posts

Might save a few Euros if you drop off your car the afternoon/evening before your trip out to Inishmore. The ferry company runs a shuttle. Not sure about the airline but can probably find the info on their website. Worst case would be a taxi each way - still probably cheaper than having the car one extra day.
For an early departure from Dublin I'd suggest one of the airport hotels - the Premier Inn is a good choice. The money saved versus finding someplace in the city would more than cover a R/T taxi for some exploring.

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