Potential trip to Southern Ireland

Not using a rental car did you think about having a driver?

I can recommend Kerry Experience Tours from Sneem on the Ring of Kerry
We did daytours with them and enjoyed it very much

Gerrit and Esther are also doing multi day tours and they will pick you up at Shannon Airport

See the link above

When that option seems to be too expensive I definatelty recommed to go to Killarney from Shannon
with for ex Expressway Bus

To get around in Killarney take Horse Carriage and for longer Tours of for ex the Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula
Dero Tours in town
There was also a hop on hop off Bus in Killarney

So the town has a good infrastructure and you can get around without a car Many Hotels B+Bs Pubs and restaurants

You can get by train to Waterford and Kilkenny from Killarney (1 change) (long tour) See irishrail website

uwe04, thank you for your reply. I didn't know I could get a driver straight from Shannon Airport. That would be a time-saver, for sure - I'll have to find out the cost, however.
After a little more research, I think I'd like to stay in Dingle 1 or 2 nights. Would like to do a ferry ride - I was hoping I might be able to see some Puffins, but apparently they leave in early August 😔.
I do like your idea about staying in Kilarney and doing a day-trip to Kilkenny and also possibly Waterford. I have to look up other towns nearby that I might like to visit.

Every time I dive into planning an Ireland trip, I face the bus/train awkwardness and the expense of a driver or tour, and just give up in frustration and rent a car. Ireland's trains tend to radiate from Dublin, and bus schedules are slanted toward commuters.

You could also fly into Dublin (and out of Shannon) so you don't have to loop back, although a rental car would have a one-way drop-off fee.

The car decision makes a huge difference in your options, both in places you can access easily and the number of places you'll have time for.

"I previously inquired on this forum about maybe visiting Norway- please don't bring that up here."
With all respect, Greg. You have also posted about possible trips to Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Czechia and Portugal. And people have offered loads of advice, including several suggestions about how to plan an itinerary. I suggest you take that advice and 1) decide where you're going to go, 2) start building your itinerary with the advice already given, and 3) return to the Forum with specific questions.

We did a trip like this in September 2023. We landed in Dublin, got a taxi to Heuston Station and took a train to Waterford. We very much enjoyed the Waterford Crystal Factory tour. After 2 nights in Waterford we took the train to Killarney as middle point on our way to Dingle. To get to Dingle we took the train to Tralee and a bus to Dingle. The bus station was right across the street from the train station, very easy and convenient. We spent 3 nights in Dingle. In Dingle we stayed in a pub and enjoyed trad music in the evenings there (included singalong) and at another pub. After Dingle we had transportation worked out to Kenmare but got derailed by health issues and spent 2 nights in Tralee instead. Then we got back on course and took a train/bus combination to Kinsale. We spent 2 nights in Kinsale and then took the bus into Cork for the day (great day!), spent the night near Cork airport and flew out in the morning. We flew back to Dublin a week later, spent 2 nights and flew home from there.

We was a very successful and fun trip. No problems at all with public transportation.

G3rryCee, you're right I have inquired about other places I've considered visiting. And I've also eliminated them one by one, due to someplace having lots of cobblestone streets or certain other reasons. Norway is beautiful in its own right but, it's probably not for me at this time.

Not that it's anyone else's business except my own, but I missed out on an Ireland trip numerous years ago, and I have a true desire for visiting there. I have already begun forming an itinerary for this trip, but you apparently missed it, while reminding me of my previous posts on this forum. If my posting here annoys someone, they can simply choose to not respond.

Just to avoid misunderstanding

Its not a daytrip by train from Killarney to Waterford or Kilkenny and back

Meant a loop from Shannon to Killarney to Waterford/Kilkenny to Limerick/Bunratty and back to Shannon
as you said these are places you like to go to.

uwe04, thanks for clarifying. I think that looks like a good possible itinerary, except that I'm going to see if I can go to Dingle directly from Shannon airport - would like to do a ferry ride. I will try to eliminate one of the other places. I am hoping to keep Kilkenny and Waterford in my plans, if I can manage it.