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Southern Visit of the Irish Republic

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Cheers all!

First-time Ireland visitors who love nature, hiking, Stone Circles, Tombs & avoiding crowds.
We will be in flying into Shannon & spending 16 days broken out as such:

Anascaul (Dingle Peninsula) 2 nights: Primarily to see ancestral area & explore Dingle

Kenmare Area: 4 Nights in a rural area. We really want to do some Medium level day hiking while we're here & explore either the Ring of Kerry or the Ring of Beara - Any suggestions ono 5-8 mile loops? Gap of Dunloe?

Maybe the ring of Kerry & splurge on 1 night in Eyeries?

What should we not miss when driving from that area on the way to Cork? The Dromberg Stone Circle? Cobh?

Cork: 2 Nights - on the way out we'll see the Rock of Cashel

Wicklow Town: 3 Nights - We thought we'd hike around the mountains, but should even bother to drive to Wicklow, or is there any place more worthwhile to stay & hike in the area between the Rock of Cashel & Galway?

Galway: 3 Nights - 1 day exploring Galway, 1 day north to Connemara; we'll see the Cliffs of Moher & the Burren on the way to south Shannon

Shannon: 2 Nights - Suggestions for nature hikes/sights?

We're winging it here & I'd like to get it more dialed in before we leave.

Thank you! 🙏🌻💗

Posted by
1804 posts

It's at least a two-hour drive from Shannon Airport to Anascaul. Assuming you're on an overnight flight from the US and not an experienced "wrong-side" driver, I question the sensibility of this. Galway is a lot closer and all motorway driving. Still, it's at least an hour. A lot of people go to Bunratty to see the castle and folk park there. It's very near the airport and would allow you to catch up to the time change and get used to the driving. Or this could be the time to visit the Burren.
I would stay longer than two nights in your "ancestral area."
If you want to avoid crowds, don't go to Kenmare. It's not a rural area. It's overrun with tourists. I see Sneem mentioned a lot. How about someplace on the ROK?
Cobh isn't on the way to Cork. OTOH, it is easily reached by train as a day trip. The train ride is short and more scenic than the drive (reportedly).
It's a LONG way from Wicklow to Galway. Even from the Wicklow Mountains to Galway. Athlone might be a good choice for somewhere in between. Not for hiking but for historic sights.
Driving and parking in cities can be a challenge (and, sometimes, expensive), so consider smaller towns and villages nearer to your hikes and stone circles. For example, since you expressed interest in the Drombeg Circle, consider staying in Skibbereen or Baltimore.

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