Traveling to Ireland 1st time in Oct 2019

Have you driven on the “opposite” side of the road before?

You certain you want to experience that right after a long flight from the Left Coast? Just asking.

If yes then consider this for your arrival day:
Dublin to Glendalough via the Sally Gap
Glendalough to Kilkenny and overnight.

Spend 2 or 3 nights in Dingle and add Killarney National Park, Gap Of Dunloe and the Cliffs Of Kerry as things to see. Hopefully by October there will be Fall colors.

Doolin for an overnight for Cliffs Of Moher.

Slainte

I suggest staying one mile away from Bushmills at Port Ballintrae at the Bayview Hotel. This was our favorite hotel of our trip. It is located right on town harbor with the most amazing views. Restaurant is excellent and you will need to make reservations.

If you enjoy walking, it is a nice walk to the Giant’s Causeway across a wide beach and over a few headlands.

Thank you all for your input, and we are refining our schedule based on the input. Appreciate everyone's time. KSS

If we can get a reservation in Doolin for Saturday night, would you recommend spending the next night in Galway? My goal is to do the Causeway on Monday and want to be 2 hours or less the night before so we can spend a good chunk of the day there and spend the night. Then head to Belfast on Tuesday, sight see, and spend the night (suggestions welcome for the night), then head to Dublin for the remaining 2 nights. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Stay at Mena House in Kilkenny. Very handy for drivers and Katherine, the owner, was one of the greatest people I met in all of Ireland. Rock if Cashel is worth it. You can walk down to the Abbey from there (watch out for the cows).
Kinsale has great food, especially if you like fish. Cloisters is a great place to stay with two lovely ladies who treated me like a king.

Rather than Galway, I'd spend a night on the island of Inismore. It was one of the highlights of my trip.
I went to Bushmills...excellent tour. It's the real deal. Careful on that cliffside road if you're driving! I stayed in Portrush...really fun town.
I spent hours in the Titanic museum in Belfast and I'm not really into the Titanic.

Hope all that helps.

Yes, it does, and thanks so much for your time. KKS

Our trip around Ireland will end in Dublin, arriving Weds around noon and will have 2 nights- What are the highlights to see in Dublin and in what area do you recommend staying? Thanks again for your time and input. K

For us the highlights of our Dublin stay were Kilmainham Gaol, the Archaeology Museum, a stroll through St. Stephen's Green and the Trinity College walking tour. We also saw The Book of Kells, did the Guinness Storehouse "tour" and the musical pub crawl but we had three nights and two full days--with only one and a half days I'd be inclined to skip those three and enjoy the first four at a more leisurely pace. Be sure to reserve your admission to the Gaol well in advance.

When we visit the Cliffs of Moher, we're staying in Lahinch... also in October.