Upcoming Ireland Trip & Fuel Shortages

Could you change your rental to an electric car?
Or cancel the car and use public transportation?
Not sure where else you're planning to stop, but in Dingle, there appear to be two bike rental places. Both have e-bikes.

Identify some backup transportation options. For a rough idea of the options, go to Googlemaps and plug in your route. For example, you can get from Dublin to Dingle via a combination of train and bus.

Fuels price have increased the equivalent of about $1.11 a gallon. Round trip from Dublin to Dingle would be about 450 miles. Assuming the vehicle got 25 miles per gallon, you’d use 18 gallons, meaning you’d spend approximately $20 more to fill up.

Stay with the vehicle you rented and don’t wait until the fuel gauge is on E to fill up. Switching to an EV brings up a whole different set of things you’d need to be concerned with (charging stations in rural areas, how to pay at them, waiting for a vehicle to charge if the charging point even works, etc.).

While one would hope this would be resolved by May 5th, this is concerning. I just read this in the Irish times: https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026/04/11/live-fuel-protests-ireland-m50-dublin-luas/

And given how a relatively small group can blockade a refinery and the complexity of clearing large over-sized equipment and how weird viral protests on Facebook, Tictok and X can be, I think your caution here is warranted.

This reminds me of the so called trucker’s strike in Canada where a small group can have a big disruptive impact.

Ireland is such a wonderful country. Hope this passes as quickly as it came. And on the positive side, even if you run into some logistical issues, know that Ireland is dense with good music, cheer and lively pubs.

Good luck and happy travels

It’s impossible to say what the situation will be a month from now. The road blockades have been really disruptive but who knows if that will still be an issue by the time you travel. Same with the fuel situation. Don’t panic yet.

I’ve just spent a few days with friends from Ireland and they had to change their travel plans due to the blockades. There are definitely issues with sourcing fuel as well leading to long queues in some places.

In Dingle right now. Had a 1 1/2 hour delay going from Dublin to Kinsale on 4/7. Ok getting to Dingle on 4/9, just 1 or 2 detours. This morning 4/11, one paper said it may be settled, other paper said not settled yet. Be sure to have a good road map. You may have to get off a motorway and take small roads. I think Dublin is still all messed up.

We are family of 3 went to Ireland two years ago and relied on public transport and local group tours. Obviously we didn't go to remote places, but we were able to see the big attractions outside Dublin such as Newgrange, gap of dunloe, Dingle Peninsula, Muckross house, Aran island, walk from Doolin to Cliff of Moher, Burren, kinvara, Galway and Connemara.
It can be done, require a bit more planning.
I got tons of input from TA when planning our trip.

Replying because I want to follow. We are in the exact same situation. Flying into Dublin on May 5, driving to Trim, Connemara, and Dingle (May 9-11). Wondering if we'll end up spending the whole trip in Dublin, instead.

I've been reaching out to our accommodations for recommendations for alternate travel options but haven't gotten many specifics. One hotel manager just said everything will be fine and the ordeal will be resolved. I want to believe they're right but I have major doubts.

We are considering bus tours in Dingle and wondering if the ferries will be running to the Aran Is.

The Gardai (including the public order unit, mounted officers and the water unit), with tactical support from the Irish Defence Forces, have been removing many of the protests although some blockades are still up, notably on the N1 to Belfast at Dundalk.

There is also a proposed 10 cents per litre temporary reduction in excise duty, and a scheduled increase in carbon tax is to be postponed until October- both measures to be voted on by Parliament on Tuesday night.

Fuel tankers are now able to dock at ports, and deliveries to petrol stations should be recommencing soon. The Defence Forces have also secured access to Ireland's only refinery.

Bus Eireann restarted all scheduled services at 0400 local time this morning.

Bus Eireann run a better than hourly service from Dublin to Trim, also almost hourly service from Tralee railway station to Dingle. You don't say where in County Connemara you are heading.

From the English side of the water it feels like a significant moment in the history of the Irish Republic when the Defence Forces have had to be deployed in such a manner.

My son took the Expressway bus from Dublin Airport to Letterkenny (Co.Donegal) yesterday mid day with no issues. The bus travels north through Monaghan and NI to get to Co. Donegal. Keep an eye on it but I think you will be fine.

You could hedge your bets and get a hybrid. It’s not that much more. We rented one in Amalfi and I barely needed to add gas before returning the vehicle.