I have an upcoming trip to Ireland end of May and will have 6 days to get everything in after an initial week on my own in Dublin. I want to plan a couple of purchased tours like Giants causeway? Or Skellig Michael? while waiting in Dublin for family to join me on the 27th. Plans as follows:
Day 5- local family guide of Dublin,
Day 6-drive to Btu na Boine, Drogheda and Skerries return to Dublin,
Day 7-Guinness tour am then join friends at Kilkenny with dinner at Butcher (need a place to stay this night)
Day 8-sightseeing day in Kilkenny then on to Waterford with dinner and lodgings at the castle.
Day 9- Here's where I need help... possible drive to cliffs of Moher on the way to a stay at Glenlo Abbey Will need to be there in time for dinner.
Day 10- would like to see Galway but what about Cong first? then also need a place to stay as tomorrow we will meet with friends at Rock of Cashel
Day 11- Rock of Cashel and Tipperary
Day 12- next 2 nights at Kilkea castle then return home from Dublin on Day 14.
Any and all advice would be appreciated I would like to see some sites while on my own from Dublin -area of interest is Skellig Michael and maybe Giants causeway. Also any lodging area suggestions of the two nights I don't have booked and areas I that are must see (or should not bother )in my spotty plans. It should be obvious I'm not a vacation planner... I was great at what I did for a carreer which certainly wasn't this!! Thanks.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
708 posts
I have a lot of thoughts. The first is that Ireland is a small country, but it's not small enough to drive it like this. There is a reason people do a loop--so they are not backtracking. I suspect you identified places you wanted to stay and took the dates you could get at those places. Which is a choice, I guess.
1. Are you thinking you can do a day trip from Dublin to Skellig Michael? Because you can't. I mean, you probably can, but I wouldn't think of it. Giant's Causeway can be done in a long day with Paddywagon Tours.
2. I wouldn't get the car until you are ready to leave Dublin, mainly because driving and parking in the city are no fun. You can visit the Boyne Valley by public transportation or a package tour.
3. Driving from Waterford to Glenlo Abbey takes you directly past Cashel and Tipperary, but you have yourself backtracking from Galway.
I put all your destinations into Google Maps, and they make a pretty good loop: Dublin, Kilkea, Kilkenny, Waterford, Cashel, Moher, Galway, Cong, Dublin (or the reverse). This is barely achievable in the time allotted. You could save yourself some time by taking the train or bus between Dublin and Galway. Either drive from Dublin and drop car in Galway and take bus to airport or take train to Galway and pick up the car there, day tripping to Cong and Moher, then heading on to Cashel, etc.