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Need Help For Last 2 Days in Ireland

Posted by (Atlanta, GA, USA) on

This is my second trip to Ireland and previously saw Dublin, Cork, The Ring of Kerry and have always wanted to spend time in Dingle.

This trip in late August, I have 10 quality days and I am flying into Dublin and out of Shannon. I have to change my plans because Dingle is sold out due to a marathon the last 2 nights.

My new plans are:
Day 1 and 2 Dublin
Day 3 and 4 Belfast
Day Galway was next but now Dingle Days 5, 6 and 7
Day now Galway Days 8,9 and 10
Day 11 stay at Shannon Airport

Need help because I am taking the train and bus and now from Belfast, I need to get to Dingle vs Galway. Galway was on the train from Belfast thru Galway. Now it looks like another 5 hours from Galway to Dingle. Then I return to Galway after Dungle.

Does not seem like an efficient use of my valuable time.

Please help as I can switch anything around. Thank you so very much.

Posted by
3580 posts

Have you looked at the Irish Rail website? It looks like you can get from Belfast through Dublin to Tralee by rail. From there you would probably need to take a bus to Dingle. Looking at the rail map, you could take a bus to Tralee from Dingle, then train to Galway. You would need to check schedules to determine how long this train trip would take. Bus travel is sometimes quicker. Sunday travel schedules can be sparse. If you have time in Galway I recommend a ferry trip to an Aran island.

Posted by
215 posts

Thank you. Tralee looks like a much better option and more direct to get to Dingle and end in Galway. I found a tour that takes you all day by boat to the Aran islands and they pick me up from the hotel.

Any locations that are not on my list that is a hidden secret?

Posted by
96 posts

The trip from Belfast to Dingle will take up a full day.
The quickest route by public transit takes over 9 hours by bus ( 10:00 to 19:10 ) with 2 changes ( Limerick and Tralee ) and excludes getting to and from the bus stations. By train it will be the same ( or longer depending on your connections in Dublin and Tralee ) with 2 hours to Dublin, 1 hour to get from Connolly to Houston station, 5 hours to Tralee and then 70 minutes by bus to Dingle.
I would be tempted to:
1. Spend the 2 days scheduled for Belfast in your other centres, lots to see in day trips from Dublin and Galway.
2. On arriving at Dublin Airport, take the bus directly to Belfast and reverse Dublin and Belfast on your itinerary. Then day 5 is a much simpler trip from Dublin to Dingle.

Posted by
215 posts

Based on this great feedback, I think I need to exclude Belfast on this trip. I still need help on what to see and where to stay for my last 2 days if you can HELP!

New Plan:

Dublin 2 days and then train to Galway.

Galway 4 days and use as home base as suggested for Galway Tours

Galway to Dingle via bus with multiple changes I think unless you can ferry there.

Dingle 3 nights(I wanted 5 but Dingle Marathon has everything so far sold out)

HELP? Where do I go for last 2 nights before getting to the Shannon Hotel at the airport? So I am not in a bus most of the time.

Thank you both and hope you can look at this and provide me your thoughts. So very appreciated.

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