Just finishing 11 says in Ireland. Not our first trip, but it has been several years since our first one. I have some tips and suggestions:
1. Driving. Most if not all rental cars sre manual shifts. Make sure you have a good feel shifting through gears (with your left hand) before taking it out on the road.
Only a few credit cards will cover CDW on the rental. If yours does, bring a letter from the credit card company with you if you intend to refuse CDW.
Signs are posted in km/hr in the Republic and mph in the North.
Follow roundabout turn signal rules.
Use a GPS device either through the car rental company or otherwise. Many roads in towns and cities do not have street signs.
Expect to drive on many very narrow, sometimes one lane roads, especially in Co. Clare and Co. Galway.
Do not drive in Dublin.
2. Tipping in restaurants. Tipping is not always expected, but 10% is reasonable in restaurants. However, the server will always have a machine in hand to process your credit card at the table (unless you are paying in cash), but almost never will give you the machine for you to add a tip. You should tell the server the total amount you will pay, which would include the tip, and that total will be charged. No tipping if menu indicates service or gratuity is included. In cities the owner, not the server, sometimes gets the tip, so when tipping, you might ask if the tip actually goes to the server.
Very good restaurant food is reasonably priced, but always expect potatoes in some form will be included.
3. Exploring. Rick Steves downplays Kylemore Abbey in the Connemara. He is wrong! Kylemore is in a beautiful setting (as RS acknowledges) but the house, history of the family and the estate, the walk along the trail to the Gothic Church and iron stone is lovely, and the Victorian Garden is vast and beautful, even in early October. I don't understand why RS rates Kylemore so low and yet rates crowded Cliffs of Moher so high. If you visit Kylemore, take at least another day driving around the amazingly beautiful Connemara, perhaps using Clifden as your home base.
If you have time, add some small overnight or 2 night stays in small towns. We stayed in Birr (Co. Offaly) and Glaslough (Co. Monaghan) and they were highlights of our trip. Glaslough may be the tiniest and tidiest Tidy Town you will ever see.
FINALLY. The Irish people are very friendly, hospitable and truly lovely people. Don't hesitate to strike up a conversation although they will probably beat you it. They like Americans and many have relatives in the States. Happy travels.
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I have also just returned from Ireland and concur with your thoughts. I agree that Kylemore Abbey is worth a visit if you are in the area. Don’t miss the gardeners cottage in the gardens. Another site that Rick isn’t big on is Bunratty Castle and folk village. We enjoyed Bunratty and I found the Irish cottages in the folk park to be very interesting. It was a good way to break up the drive from Cliffs to Dingle. Another site well worth a visit is the Muckross House and Farm in the Killarney National Park. Research other guide books and tour itineraries than just Rick’s, and plan to see what interests you. Rick’s logistics are excellent but his interests are sometimes different than mine.