Thoughts on Itinerary & Mode of Travel

Hiring a vehicle immediately on landing after a long flight isn’t a good idea. Please don’t do it as it’s dangerous.

Camper vans are smaller than motor homes and don’t have any bathroom facilities so you would need to stay on sites. When are you travelling? Many campsites, particularly in coastal locations and near popular tourist sites will get fully booked for July and August.

Taller vehicles won’t be able to fit under the height barriers at supermarkets and popular tourist spot car parks (a deterrent against wild camping). Given the current price of fuel, I would be tempted to hire a car and stay in a cottage.

In addition to the problems Jennifer mentioned, the roads can be narrow once you get off the main roads. So having a large vehicle, even it is small for a camper van, is not ideal.

If Galway, Killarney and the area inbetween is your main focus you should consider taking the train to Galway, renting a car there, and then return it in Killarney (or maybe Cork), and return to Dublin by train.

If you're talking about summer 2023, then reserving camping spaces is probably feasible. For this coming summer, I could be wrong, but I anticipate they'll be fully booked.

It sounds like you are not interested in seeing cities, so if you are able to fly in and out of Shannon instead of Dublin that would save you time and stress -- worth it even if the air fare is a little more. You could stay your first night in Ennis or Limerick, then pick up your rental vehicle after a night's sleep. As others have pointed out, driving a large vehicle on Irish roads is not the easiest thing.

I'd suggest Dingle Town over Killarney, which will be full of tour buses and their crowds. Dingle has a lot more to offer in terms of quaintness, pubs, restaurants, shops, trad music and ferries from town and out on the peninsula. Lovely Connor Pass begins in the middle of town as well.

Thank you for your replies. We're not traveling until next April. There's still plenty of time to go over logistics. We've lived in Europe (and England) in the past and are used to the smaller roads and driving habits.

Even knowing that you're used to British Isles driving, I'd echo Jennifer's advice about driving after an overnight flight. A couple of bus companies run direct service between DUB and Galway, taking 2-3 hours. Good chance to enjoy the scenery and maybe nap before you get the vehicle. You could return it in Dublin, or somewhere in the west with a good rail or bus connection to Dublin.

I am just not sure of the value of renting a campervan for 4 nights. I think the idea of renting a campervan may exceed the reality in terms of experience. You have only a short period of time and I would focus on just two locations with that much time.

I would go to Galway directly from the airport via bus or train.
Night 1 Galway
Rent Car, explore north in Connemara. ( consider Ireland School of Falconry)
Night 2 Galway
Explore south toward Dingle, Cliffs of Moher
Night 3 Galway
Aran Island day tour ; Turn in rental car
Night 4 Galway
Take Train to Dublin
Night 5,6,7 Dublin

Carol has an excellent suggestion, allowing you to see a lot of great countryside without having to relocate. Galway has plenty of accommodations and good restaurants. A trip to the Arans will give you a day off from driving, which you might welcome. And still time for Dublin.

Carol's itinerary makes more sense than what you were initially proposing, and her plan wouldn't require a car - there are day trip and tour providers based in Galway that can take you north thru Connemara and/or south to the Burren and Moher, and the company that runs the ferry to Inishmore offers transportation (for a nominal fee) from central Galway out to the landing at Rossaveale and return. Given the high cost of rental cars at the moment it'll probably be cheaper, and much more relaxing for you, to do it that way rather than driving.