We are visiting Ireland for the first time in May 2010. After reading some of the posts, I am very worried that we've made a mistake with our itinerary. If anyone could give some constructive suggestions, it would be most appreciated. Day 1 overnight flight, Day 2- Newgrange A.M. and Powerscourt/Wicklow area p.m./Day 3- Dublin/ Day 4- Kildare/Kilkenny/Rock of Cashel/Stay in Waterford Day 5- Along coast to Killarney Day 6- ROK/Bunratty Castle/ Day 7-Cliffs of Moher/Burren late afternoon flight to Scotland. I think we've made a huge mistake by not including Dingle? Your thoughts on how to fix this if possible--we've already booked hotels,some with non-refundabe deposits so we really need to stay in the places I've outlined above. Thanks for any help!
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
The only real tough spot I see would be what you call Day 2. Is that the day you arrive in the morning or the first FULL day? If it's the first full day, what are you going to do with the day you arrive? Even if it's the first full day it's not very likely that you can do Newgrange and Wicklow in the same day - they are opposite directions from Dublin. Otherwise, everything looks very possible
Don't worry about missing Dingle. It will be there when you get back. And not everyone loves it - it's personal opinion. Though I know they are in the minority, my parents hated it, for example. They loved the ROK, though.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
Looking closer at your itinerary, Day 6 is going to be a long haul, too. The ROK is not a quick drive around, and then it's a good ways to Bunratty from there. Your quickest route will be to take the ferry at Tarbert/Killimer to get across the Shannon without going around through Limerick.
You might want to consider moving Bunratty to the same day as the Cliffs, particularly since it's right near the airport anyway. See the Cliffs and the Burren, and do Bunratty if you find you still have time before you need to be at the airport.
Without more information about what is and is not changeable in your lodging (you don't exactly say where you are staying), it's hard to advise further than that.
Posted by
San Francisco, CA
180 posts
Without knowing exactly which hotels you can change...my only suggestions might be to not backtrack in the first days...instead you could do the following:
1) Day 2- tour Dublin, sleep Dublin
2) Day 3- Newgrange, Wicklow down to Kilkenny (sleep Kilkenny)
3) Day 4- Rock of Cashel, Waterford
I don't think you need to do ROK and Dingle....one or other other will be fine.
Also agree about doing Bunratty before the airport, it's very close.
Have fun-- Ireland is wonderful!
Posted by
wichita, kansas
484 posts
I had a schedule outlined and then saw you already had reservations made. I would skip Waterford if possible and reverse days 2 & 3. You are,at least in my opinion,trying to do too much in to little time. Driving will consume more time than you can possibly imagine. There is so much to see in Ireland that is not in the guide books that just driving from point A to point B in order to meet a schedule is a loss.
I wish you had posted sooner.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
I don't think it's too much in too little time at all, you just need to rearrange a bit. But I still don't believe you can do Newgrange and Wicklow on the same day, even if you get the first tour out of the Newgrange Visitor Center in the morning and don't stop anywhere else until you get to Glendalough.
Posted by
OP
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
5 posts
Thanks for the very helpful responses. I realize that how much and what to do is open to interpretation but these are all good suggestions. I will get together with our party of 8 and go over this and make adjustments where we can. We are landing at 7:30 a.m. in the morning and heading straight up to Newgrange. Then we thought Wicklow and Powerscourt could be afternoon into evening. This doesn't sound doable to most of you so we should pick one or the other--which one!!!!???? thanks again!
Posted by
dragit
113 posts
The Wicklows (they call them mountains...more like rolling hills) are an area that you drive through, unless you're stopping at Glendalough.
Allow at least a couple hours at Powerscourt if you are going to tour the house and roam some of the gardens. If the weather is bad, my suggestion is to skip it.
Posted by
Poulsbo, WA, USA
147 posts
Looks like a blurry tour. Wicklow is a nice scenic drive through Sally Gap to Glendalough. Kilkenny - Ireland's "Most Medieval City" is worth a day and night, Cashel is a must. Waterford has nothing of interest, even when the crystal factory was open, and Dingle is a kick worth a day and night.
Posted by
New York, NY
319 posts
Heidi,
As you've already booked hotels with non-refundable deposits, I don't think it makes sense to do Dingle on this trip. You can't do everything in Ireland in a six day trip anyway.
With 8 people, how are you traveling? In a van? Or in separate cars? If it's the latter, then travel gets much more complicated.
Make sure you don't rush, rush, rush the whole time. No matter how much you see, you won't enjoy it if you're constantly worried about making it to the next stop.
As others have noted, you can't do Newgrange and Wicklow in the same day. See one on Day 2 and one of Day 3.
Waterford is unnecessary. Id consider staying in Cashel or Kinsale that night, even if it meant losing a deposit in Waterford.
Actually, if you let us know which hotels might be refundable, it would help us to give you better advice.