RS 7 day Ireland Tour May 2027

I did this tour maybe 10 years ago. I went a couple of days early and stayed in Galway, a very fun town very close to Ennis. There is so much more to do and see in Galway. Lots of music and street performers. On the day the tour started, took a bus in the morning from Galway to Ennis. Walked from the hotel in Galway to the bus station. After the tour stayed an additional night in Dublin and took the HOHO bus and went to Guiness stonehouse and some other things the tour doesn't cover.

How much time do you have?

will you have a car?

Do you visit Galway and Connemara during the tour? If not then add a few days at the start to see something of this area. Connemara is stunning and I actually prefer it to Kerry and Dingle. There are some really attractive small villages along the coast - Rondstone with its tiny harbour. The Sky Road drive from Clifden is one of the best short drives in the world on a sunny day. There is Kylemore Abbey and Gardens. Alternatively there is Cong with its ruined abbey and the place where the iconic Jiohn Wayne film 'The Quiet Man' was filmed. The museum is a reconstruction of the cottage used in the film. There is Ashford Castle and their Hawk walk. Alternatively catch a ferry to one of the Aran Islands and even consider a night there.

The other alternative would be to see a bit more of the Burren area - either stopping in Doolin or Ballyvaughan area. This is limestone scenery and completley different to the rest of Ireland.

I did the 7 day tour a few years ago and really liked it. I wish I had arrived a day early. I didn't sleep much on the plane and the first day was a blur. In Dublin I liked going to the Guinness Storehouse (not on the RS tour). They have a self guided tour and then a Guinness when you get to the top. There is Epic which was an interesting Irish immigration museum. The Mary Gibbons tour to Newgrange was great ( also not on the RS tour). Would recommend staying in Dublin another 1-2 days if possible.
Boxty House was a good restaurant in Dublin.

Thanks for the many ideas. I have all the time I need to stay longer. But since traveling solo I want bus/trains transport not self driving. Or an organized day trip person.

"Or an organized day trip person."
I assume this is a typo and that you are NOT an organized day trip person.
The 7-day tour leaves out a lot of Ireland. To start, you could look at the itinerary for the 14-day tour (https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/ireland/best-ireland-tour-2026) and the RS recommended Ireland itinerary (https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/ireland/itinerary) to get some ideas.
Here is a map of where the trains go. As you'll see, they mostly radiate out from Dublin. https://www.seat61.com/reference/Ireland-map.pdf?dl=0
Assuming you plan to fly into and out of Dublin, I suggest you start out by heading west to Sligo (for bus connections to Donegal and/or for Yeats fans) or Westport before hitting up Galway, as suggested in another comment. This puts you near the start of the tour.
After the tour, you can stay on in Dublin to see what you missed. Which might include Newgrange and the other Boyne Valley sights. This is very doable by public transportation from Dublin, even easier from nearby Drogheda, which will have more affordable accommodation.
Belfast is an easy train ride from Dublin and has lots to see and do. From there, Derry is reachable by train. I found that these two cities offered differing perspectives on The Troubles. You can also get to the Giant's Causeway by public transportation if that appeals to you.
Finally, I will put in a plug for Cork. It's a very charming city with easy day trips to Cobh, Kinsale and Blarney.

Thank you so much for a lot of great ideas.