Car Rental in Ireland

I usually rent from Irish Car Rental (www.eirecar.com). They have an 800 number and an office in NY, but they are an Irish company. They have had the best rates when I have been looking, and there has never been a problem getting an automatic when I wanted one. Sorry I can't help with rental through Orbitz, etc. -- I always book directly.

I would definitely suggest you fly into Shannon instead of Dublin. It is infinitely easier to get out of the airport there, and you exit onto a rural road instead of a busy highway. If you have never driven on the other side of the road, arriving at Shannon gives you a good chance to practice before you encounter other traffic. On our first trip, we took the short drive to Bunratty Castle and then stopped, both to see the castle and to have lunch at the little shopping center across the road. Then we were ready to set out for real, with a bit more confidence. By the time you drop your car off in Dublin, you'll be a pro!

I booked directly with, I think, Hertz. Since we're comfortable driving a stick that issue didn't come up. We were quite surprised to find out that a second driver really jacked up the price, alot. Check it out in advance. Unlike the U.S. your spouse isn't a free second driver. Believe me, you need two drivers as driving on the other side of the road is quite tiring and hay, I want to look at the secenery too! I also would recommend picking up your car at Shannon. Once out of the cities driving in Ireland is great. Light traffic, friendly drivers etc. Remember the distances are short but the driving time may be longer than anticipated. Ask ahead. If you need directions the Irish are some of the most friendly people I've ever come in contact with. Twice people offered to get in their own car and show us the way.

This is a second vote for Irish Car Rentals and flying in and out of Shannon. Shannon is a very easy airport to manage and the car rental set up there is pretty easy. With Irish Car Rentals you can call the 800 # and talk to an actual person who will answer all your questions and send you an email confirmation. "Anne" is very easy to work with and will email back quickly any further questions you might have. Be sure to get the SuperCDW -- yes it adds to the price -- but it is well worth it for the peace of mind. Also be sure to get the cancellation insurance -- for only 10-15 Euros more -- Otherwise you would not get a refund if for some reason you would have to cancel. Unlike US car rentals where you pay when you get the rental car -- here you will need to pay it up front when you book.

I'd book direcly with a company. Compare prices of the big names and the smaller outfits. If you have a change of plans or a billing or other issue it's much easier to deal directly with the rental company than a third party like Orbitz or Expedia.

Janet mentioned the CDW. I normally refuse to buy this due to the expense (which is truly a ripoff in most cases) and the fact that my credit card already provides it, but in Ireland most (all?) credit cards do NOT provide it. So be sure to factor that in when comparing prices.

Definitely check with your credit card company to see what coverage they provide. I thought mine covered me, but after renting cars in Ireland and Germany, I found out that they only cover liability.

I also vote for in and out of Shannon if you can swing it.

First of all, if you're flying out of DFW your options for getting a flight to Shannon are not all that good; the best prices being with multiple airlines and changing planes a couple times. American has a good schedule and price going to Dublin with just 1 stopover at O'Hare. Dublin sounds like one of your destinations, so, because you don't need a car there, don't bother getting a car until you're ready to leave town. You can either rent a car in the Dublin area, or, take the train to a less congested city and get one there. For car rentals, I've always had good results using AutoEurope. The above posts are correct in that your credit cards will most likely not cover any insurance in Ireland. As an example, mine covers all Western Europe countries except Italy and Ireland (high accident rates). Ireland has very good train and bus transportation, so I'd suggest not using a car anymore days than is necessary. Bus companies offer a wide variety of tours like the Ring of Kerry, Wicklow Mtns, Burren, etc. Have a great trip!

I agree start in Shannon and end by dropping the car at Dublin Airport and traning into Dublin.A good last night stop is in the Newgrange area.Newgrange was one of our favorite places in Ireland.Ive never asked for a automatic but I understand that even if it promised its not ceertain.I dont think you need two drivers.By the time a driver gets used to driving on the other side the other takes over and the leaning experience starts again.Ive found that after a few days I felt very comfortable driving.

A correction to Jack's post. There is no train service to or from the Dublin airport. There is frequent and inexpensive bus service.

renting a car and actually getting what you want can be two different things.

We shopped them all and used enterprise. Weekly rates are far less than daily rates, make sure your CC co. covers the CDW. We have Amex and they did, and I got a copy of our agreement to confirm, but call them and document it.

Rates change all the time so shop. ALso, book directly with rental co.

my $.02

I used AutoEurope and got a guaranteed automatic. You do not want to navigate Ireland's roads and learn to drive stick at the same time!!

You definitely don't need a car for Dublin, but outside of Dublin I think you lose a lot if you don't have one. So, either pick your car up after or drop it off before you go to Dublin.

I would pick up the CDW. It's expensive, but the piece of mind is priceless. My wife and I got in an accident trying to get out of Dublin, and the rental co. simply brought us a new car and took the old one away.

One more county heard from. I have rented with Dan Dooley and with AutoEurope, no problem getting an automatic. Both times they were Ford Focus. Nice size for driving in Ireland. I think starting in Shannon is easier (I've done both).

I think I have a little more insight than others, living in Ireland for twenty+ years and almost the same in the U.S. But I agree with other comments.
Irish Car Rentals are cheaper and just as reliable, also local. Get an automatic-you'll want to drive up or down some twisty roads to get to your own beach or hill for a break/photos. And sheep will block your movement so auto is easier.
Unless you want to have a cosmopolitan/museum type visit, Dublin is a big city with congestion and hazards. There's so much out west so why not land there to begin with? Shannon it is.
Get to know the controls, adjust seats and seat belts then drive a few miles to Bunratty Castle. An Ordinance Survey map (in this case 'the West') is a great help and have a calculator to convert your speed to MPH.That's easy but gas is sold in litres so you might want to track your spending.
I don't think a second driver is really necessary- Ireland is a great place to relax, so take it easy and don't set strict deadlines. Also you can stop at almost any pub or hotel for something to eat or bathroom breaks.
JD

As for having a second driver,the driver will definitely not be able to enjoy the scenery to the extent that the passenger(s) will. On the vast majority of the roads your attention will need to be focused on your driving and not the scenery.