Several days in one spot

More of the quiet stuff. Walk, sit and read, ride bikes, local shops and restaurants, art, small museums, out of the way places. Pubs, yes, of course.

Shops, restaurants, pubs, you are going to do that anyway even if only one night somewhere. With a car you can go on short excursions during the day. Or not, as you feel. We typically spend two nights/one day rarely. Mostly 3-4 nights which is 2-3 days.
I don't think you need to get caught up in the flash itineraries you often see posted here. I think your plan is just fine.
I have not been to Ireland yet, but it seems to be a place you could easily stay in one strategic place and drive shorter distances to visit the sights.

Where are you flying into and where will you be renting the car from? Do you plan on also seeing Northern Ireland, or just staying in the Republic? That would determine for me which towns to base my stay out of.

I agree that several locations are better than one. Driving takes time and mental energy - and you don’t want to be driving after dark.

That being said, if staying in Ireland (not North Ireland), there are a number of places you could consider: Dublin, Clifden, Sligo, Ennis, Galway, Limerick, Doolin, Killarney, Cork, Kilkenny just to name a few. Or small towns nearby.

Flying in and out of Dublin. The thought of hanging out with a bunch of drunk tourists in Dublin, or anywhere, does not appeal to us but we will spend a little time in that city . We do plan on touring both Ireland and Northern Ireland. A couple of our favorite vacations have been spending a week on a farm in Wales and another at a small hotel on the coast in Lyme Regis, Dorset, UK. We did day trips from both.

Perhaps Dingle would be a good place to stop for a few days. Some suggestions are to drive Slea Head, take a boat ride to Great Blasket Island for a day (weather permitting), take in a traditional concert at the local church (not sure how often these occur), visit some pubs, go to the Gallarus Oratory, the Blasket Island Museum.

My longer stays were Dublin, started with four days, Killarney for four nights, Galway for four nights, Belfast for four nights(flew home from Belfast). I did not have a car, though, so stayed right downtown with easy access to public transit. With a car you will be able to pick a place near these towns that will keep you away from the tourist crowds. Many people don’t like Killarney because it can get overwhelmed with tour buses, but it is a great jumping off point for the national park there where you could go for walks, rent bikes, cruise the lake etc. Galway is even bigger, but also has a lot to see in the vicinity. I quite enjoyed the town, hearing the best music of my trip there at the Crane Bar (check the web site for upcoming music), and found it an artsy town with interesting shops. Belfast surprised me, i didnt really know what to expect given what most of us have seen on the news in the past, but is a pretty city with a castle, and city hall is worth a visit. But, i think I would have cut down my time in Belfast for a place further north if I could have.

I second Dingle as a great place to spend several days or more. If you want to explore County Clare, you could stay in one of the seaside towns such as Doolin, Ballyvaugh or Kinvara. From there you can day trip to the Cliffs, Aran Islands, or Galway. I have not been to Westport, but it is recommended as a lovely town that also has day trip options.

If you’re looking for a quieter town, I’m not sure Dingle is what you would want especially if a lot of drunken tourists in the pubs is an immediate downvote. Maybe places like Kinsale, Kilkenny, Sligo.

I did not experience the drunken tourists in Dingle that margie referred to. However I stayed on the edge of town away from the pubs and was back by 9. I think it would be pretty easy to avoid rowdy crowds if you want to. It’s also a good idea to not stay on weekends or during any type of special events going on in town.

We actually saw mostly locals in the pubs in the early evening getting dinner. Many were on the older side and seemed to be regulars. The tourists that were there were quiet like us. I’m sure the situation does change later in the evening, but that’s true everywhere.

These are all tremendous and helpful tips. Thanks so much to all of you! I'm looking forward to reading more.

“The thought of hanging out with a bunch of drunk tourists in Dublin, or anywhere, does not appeal to us.”

@ciao Jane, I was responding to the OP’s previous comment. The music in the pubs in Dingle starts at 9:00 and the two times we’ve been there, by 10:00, the pubs are quite crowded and didn’t appear to be all locals. When we were in Kinsale, the inside of the pub where there was music was crowded but a different feel all around and it didn’t seem to spill out onto the street.

Galway would be an obvious choice as a base for the Aran Islands, Cliffs of Moher, Burren, and Connemara. You could head out in the different direction each day and see something new. As for Dublin, you'll find drunk tourists around Temple Bar, but that's easy to avoid. Three or four days in Dublin would be time well spent, but without a car.

Consider spending some time in Donegal, beautiful county.

Thanks Alex, the more I look at the NW of Ireland the more I want to spend a good bit of time there.