Self-drive or using public transportation

Former employee of Lower Columbia College….was there when St Helen’s blew…but back to your question..

Eire and NI are best seen by driving. Isn’t that difficult to drive on the opposite side of what you are used to. I’m always bemused my Brit friends who come to visit never complain about having to drive on the opposite side. They, like countless others, do complain about LA traffic.

I’m over 70 and have driven the entire island solo. Stick shift. That includes the Gap of Dunloe, Slea Head and on last visit drove from Belfast to Dingle.

You would spend the majority of your time looking out windows by using public transportation.

Rent the car, buy and use a regular ole paper map to help the GPS.

Many Roads are small so pay attention. Might be traps ( horse drawn carts), tractors, bicyclists, runners, people riding horse back dog walkers, sheep and joggers.

For that ambitious itinerary I think you'd need a car. You'll be moving yourselves and luggage at least three or four of your days. Trains in Ireland mostly run to and from Dublin, rather than in the circle you describe. (BTW, you might save time by flying into Dublin and home from Shannon, or vice versa, rather than completing the circle.) I don't drive well on the left, especially on small country roads like you'll encounter, which is one reason I took the excellent RS "Best of Ireland" tour last year. You don't have time for that, but there's a 7-day "Heart of Ireland" tour that might work for you, allowing some extra time for Dublin at the end,

You could try to put together a plan with Irish Rail and/or Aircoach and/or the bus (coach) companies described here. I haven't looked further, but I expect such a plan would deprive you of valuable flexibility. Maybe it's best to try the driving route. It's easier with an automatic shift if you can get one.

EDIT -- Claudia is a more intrepid traveler than me, especially on the left side of whatever road she's on. But note that our conclusions are the same.

Good comment about people from England who come here to US and manage well driving on the "wrong" side of the road here. It appears that most of what you want to see is in the west of Ireland so suggest you fly into Dublin spending a couple of days there to recover then train to Galway and rent car there and home from Shannon. This also gives you a chance to drive in a little less congested area. If you can, definitely stay at least the ten days as that will only give you about eight days to tour. A!so pay extra if you have to for automatic. That was.a.blessing as.my first time.had stick shift and I found it very difficult. Many many tourists drive there so.it can be easily done. Yes some.roads are.narrow and you will encounter sheep, tractors and perhaps a tour bus. Just pull.over and relax.and have your front seat.passenger guide you around traffic.circles and remind you how to keep to your side.of.the road. Best luck.and enjoy that wonderful.country.

Strongly agree with the above, especially Claudia. To add some more...

Sure, you can "do" almost anyplace entirely via public transit. But in some places (and Ireland is a perfect example), you can get around without a car, but it will take you so much longer to do so (hours, days, they add up). If you have a long, long trip, unlimited time, then sure, score some virtue, earn merit, or whatever system you prefer, and take the bus everywhere. Just bring lots of patience. But, your trip is short. You have, what, "between 8 and 10 days" (which often translates into about just barely a week of actual, usable, full days on the ground). Go entirely via public transit, and you burn so much time waiting for the bus. Unfortunately, having your own car just provides SO MUCH efficiency and freedom to come and go as you please, for a place like western Ireland, it's almost a requirement.

Ireland is bigger than many first time visitors think it is (Dingle is almost half-way to Boston...), and it takes longer (a LOT longer) to get around than many expect. Yes, there are trains, but they are not the sleek, fast, super-efficient trains we often think of for European train travel. OK for getting to/from Dublin, but no good for connecting dots around the west coast.

With your "between 8 and 10 days" you may be hard-pressed to get to, and have time to enjoy, all the places on your list even WITH a car. Via public transit - it would take a whole lot longer.

I'd start steeling your nerve and begin mentally preparing for wrong-side driving. You can do it (but be very careful and take it seriously).

My opinion is worth nothing because you have never seen me drive and I have never seen you. That being said, it is most likely doable for you. It is far easier than it sounds. Have a good calm navigator and NO backseat drivers; feel free to pull over and let people pass if you are going so slowly you are holding up traffic; don’t drive after dark; get an automatic; and consider having a second driver. Remember that the driver will have all concentration on the road and will therefore see less of the countryside, so sharing is nice.

However - I HAVE looked at bus schedules and most of these places are reachable by bus - and then, depending on what you want to see specifically, with a tour. It is not the most economical nor time-efficient way, but if the choice is drive or don’t go - then go and use public transportation and tours.

It is easier than you think. Even driving a manual. My only advice is to learn the meaning of traffic signs before you go.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I am a bit intimidated by the small narrow roads but I can go slow and tell my passengers no screaming and only yell when I might hit something. I will pay extra for an automatic as it will be one less thing for me to worry about.

All of us had a “first time!” Watch some videos and then do a practice circle or two in the parking lot before you head off. :)

As someone who did a three week trip using public transit I can say that, given what you want to see, and the time you have, you should rent a car. Taking public transit is a lot more time consuming, and makes it difficult to get to certain locations such as Dingle. Although I did not drive in Ireland, I did drive all over Scotland on my own. You will be surprised how quickly you get used to it. At the start of each drive just say to yourself “stay to the left” three times out loud. You will be fine.

We spent our time in Dublin using only public transportation. To go from Dublin to Kinsale we took the train to Cork and then a bus to the Cork airport, where we picked up a rental car for the rest of our trip. The train ride from Dublin to Cork was lovely and stress-free. Driving in Ireland is quite the experience, and I'll leave it at that.

While in Kinsale, we didn't use our rental car but walked everywhere. We drove from Kinsale to Dingle where we walked a lot but a car was needed for us to explore the peninsula. We then drove to Galway but didn't use our car once there just walked or took public transit. We then drove from Galway to Shannon to fly home. Having a rental car to get from these different points is much faster.

Don’t discount driving a manual. It’s easier than you think and the manual transmission cars are generally smaller, easier to navigate the narrow roads. I wonder how many who are telling you to get automatic transmission ever drove a manual in Ireland. I am here now, my first time driving on the left. Everyone told me to get an automatic. I’m so glad I didn’t. My rental car tells me when to shift up or down, as long as you know how to use a clutch it’s not hard. I had no trouble with having the shifter on the other side. BTW I am 65 and a woman traveling alone, first time in Ireland on a 10 day trip in and out of Dublin.

After our first trip to the Isles, my only problem was driving on the wrong side when I got home. Luckily, I was driving a firetruck with lights and siren, so everyone got out of the way :-)

you do realise that you will be driving in two completely different countries? Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom so you will be driving in the UK, and also you will be driving in Ireland, the UK drives in miles per hour, and Ireland drives in Kilometres per hour, both have different road signage and road markings and driving laws, both drive on the Left, the correct side of the road by the way !!!

Per the OP: "We are going to do Dublin, Kinsale, Dingle, Connemara and Galway." No idea why the prior poster decided to add irrelevant nonsense.

No idea why the prior poster decided to add irrelevant nonsense.

It is irrelevant to this thread, but it is not nonsense but factual- it may have been added in error to the wrong thread. Paul is from Northern Ireland by the way and answered another thread (which did include Northern Ireland) at the same time.

Have one of the friends be the navigator who keeps reminding you to KEEP LEFT

The only things I will add is I spent 9 days in Ireland & rented a car from Hertz at the Dublin Airport. The counter person said the rental rate included the mandatory insurance but suggested that I get additional insurance that covered tires, glass & mirrors that was not included in the insurance. It was like a small additional charge of 4 euros per day. I thought is was just another attempt by the company to upcharge but the counter person said that most tourist damage occurs with cracked windshields & ripped-off side mirrors. I accepted the additional insurance and don't you know the first day I was there, I blew a tire hitting a curb in Cashel. When I returned the car, Hertz reimbursed me for the cost of the tire (150 euro) but not for the cost of the service call (still a good deal), Another thing is Hertz allows you to return the car to any local Hertz agency in Dublin (we were coming back from Galway); I did not have to return it to the airport (saving you the trip from the airport back to Dublin to get to your hotel).