Driving in Ireland - or chicken out and take the bus??

Rent a car at Shannon. I doubt that you'll be able to pick one up in Thurles.

Viamichelin.com recommends driving from Shannon to Thurles by way of Tipperary and Cashel. Since you'll be alone, that's probably a good idea for your first day behind the wheel because you'll be on major roads all the way. And even though it's longer, it will be faster than the direct route on the secondary roads through the mountains.

Personally, I thought it was easy the first time I drove in Ireland, and I have no hesitation in doing it again several trips later. I'm surprised that your friend had that experience at Shannon - that sounds more like Dublin to me, where the airport drive enters a very busy street with lots of traffic. Shannon is out in the country and it's a lot easier to get your bearings there before encountering any traffic. Bunratty Castle is six miles away and makes a good first stop before continuing on.

Thanks, all! You're making me feel more confident about this. I was just looking at car rental sites. Any recommendations for a good rental company in Ireland? Is the super CDW insurance worth it for the peace of mind? Also, I was just thinking - maybe some of these cars have GPS systems, which would make navigating alone on my first trip a bit easier...

Mary - I too am a single woman who has driven in Ireland twice, once on my own and once with my brother who was a great navigator!

Here are my tips from the first time when I was on my own: first I took a small flip open notebook and wrote out the instructions from point A to point B (was much easier to just look down at a list of instructions than trying to look at a map and drive at the same time).

Second - most rental companies in Ireland give you a standard car (vs. an automatic, you might be able to find an automatic but it will cost a lot more), so if you don't normally drive a stick shift, you might want to practice before you go (my sister taught me before I left).

Third - to remember to stay on the correct side of the road, I told myself that my body always needed to be in the middle of the road. That was helpful coming out of some of the roundabouts when I might have gotten a little confused.

Forth - never hesitate to pull over and ask for directions or help. The people are very friendly there! When I couldn't figure out how to get my car in reverse (with a Fiat you have to push down the stick shift and then put it in R) a very nice man at my B&B helped me out.

I have rented through Auto Europe with good results. Basically it's like Travelocity for cars, they will show you a bunch of different companies, the rates and car sizes.

Good luck and enjoy Ireland, it's one of my favorite places!!

In my opinion, the super CDW is well worth it. If you buy third party super CDW and have a claim, you have to pay it upfront and wait for the insurance to reimburse you. With rental counter super CDW you just turn in the keys and walk away.

With the exception of one trip when I didn't get a choice of car companies, I have always rented from Irish Car Rentals. They have a US tollfree number you can call if you have questions.

And yes, a GPS system is a good idea, though I have never used one in Ireland. If you are renting the car for nine days, though, you might find that the additional charge for the GPS isn't much less than the price of a GPS with Europe maps included. If you take your own GPS you'll have time to figure out how it works before you really need it.

Mary - You can do it! It is not that hard. Two recommendations though...

1. Rent an automatic. It will be well worth a few extra bucks just for peace of mind.

2. Bring or rent a GPS. Especially as a solo driver it will be handy to have a voice telling you where to go, so to speak.

I rented a car in Dublin and drove out of town. I would think Shannon would be easier. Just remember - keep left, keep left, keep left. You want your side of the car next to the middle line. The thing I had the hardest time adjusting to was to remember to look up and to the left for the rearview mirror.

Be brave and have a great time!

GPS works great in Ireland, as the road survey maps were so detailed to start with. Every little nook and cranny side road was on our GPS.

For less than the price of renting a GPS, we purchased a Garmin Nuvi 270 which has Europe maps on it. CompUSA usually has a good price on them. It worked flawlessly.

The only issue we had were the places without formal addresses (as the Irish love to do), but once we found them, they were easy to put in the GPS, and we never got lost! :)

I also found driving over there to be a lot less stressful than I thought it would be - except on our longer drives. It did get to be a bit much after 4hr or so.

Hi Mary,
You have received some good advice. However, I would DEFINITELY spend the money for an automatic transmission. Even if you drive a stick shift here, you will be doing that with the left hand over there. That is just too much to think about. Since you have reservations about driving anyway, spend the money for automatic. That was the best advice I was given.

Also, get the super CDW insurance from the car rental agency -- not a third party insurance. It adds a lot to the cost, but again the peace of mind is worth it. My insurance agent here is a good friend. He tells me to get the insurance from the rental company.

As far as driving on the left goes, you'll catch on rather quickly I think. You should know that all the pedals and levers are just where they are here. The whole set is just moved over to the right side. So the gas pedal is right next to the outside wall of the car. All is the same except the gearshift is on the left. The first time I drove in the UK, we left from Gatwick airport. I lost a night's sleep worrying about that. It was a cinch.

Oh, and get the GPS. Better yet, if you have a need for one over here, buy one that has European maps and familiarize yourself with it before you go.They don't all work the same. Then you'll have it once your're home too.

Wait, I just noticed -- you are from Southern California! That means you're accustomed to a LOT of traffic. You should be fine. I'm from a small town in rural Texas, and I did it. A Californian should have no trouble. :) (Actually, I've driven in LA and found the drivers to be quite civil -- and I might add you live in a beautiful corner of the world)

That is true - I have to deal with Southern California traffic every day (and yes, I have to drive the 55 freeway five days a week!). So I guess I shouldn't be worried about little Ireland, if I have survived Orange County and L.A. so far. It's just the driving on the other side that sort of freaks me out, plus the stone walls hemming in the rural roads. I rode with a British friend in Devon, England and she sped through little towns like a speed demon and rocketed through intersections where you couldn't see because of the overgrown hedgerows - aiiee! Probably not so much of a hedgerow problem in Ireland. I am reassured by what many people are posting here!

It is true that the motorways are actually easier than the little roads -- not as many distractions. It's a great place to get accustomed to the feel. I think you will find as I did though, that once you are sitting in the driver's seat on the right, it just seems correct. On the motorway, just remember that slow traffic and exits are to the LEFT -- and they really pay attention to lanes having different speeds assigned. If you get in the right lanes going too slow, they will flash their lights at you.
On small roads, the tendency to pull to the right in case something quick and unexpected happens can be an issue. Try to stay off the B roads until you have a navigator. They are sometimes one lane with two way traffic!! Just little pullouts to move over. Yikes. I did it by accident. The A roads are fine --sort of like our four lane roads that are not interstates. You're going to have fun. I'm not going this year, so this is all making me envious!:)

Mary,

It's great that you're asking the questions now on whether to drive or use public transit in Ireland. Ireland is reportedly one of the more dangerous places to drive in the E.U., and that's been confirmed to some extent by my observations.

If you prepare adequately, you'll hopefully have no problems. I'd advise trying to rent an automatic if at all possible, especially for your first experience at driving "on the correct side of the road".

The U.S. Embassy in Dublin states "As driving is on the left side of the road in Ireland, motorists without experience in left-drive countries should be particularly cautious. Tourists driving on the wrong side of the road are the cause of several serious accidents each year."

You might find it helpful to read www.travelfurther.net/dictionaries/driving.htm and also www.slowtrav.com/uk/instructions/driving.htm. While these refer more to driving in England, many of the points are also valid for driving in Ireland.

As others have suggested, a GPS would also be a good idea. However, don't trust them implicitly as they do make mistakes. Be sure that the GPS you purchase is equipped with European Maps! Carry a good map for backup! You won't always have road signs to refer to, as from what I've seen the English part is sometimes covered with black spray paint, leaving only the Gaelic part visible.

Given that the location you're going to is probably somewhat "off the beaten path", a rental car may be the best option for getting about.

Happy travels!

Mary,

You have gotten a lot of good advice here. I highly recommend getting a car vrs. bus, as we did two times since 2006. The first time is a bit frightening for anyone that tries this, but if you drive in LA...you will be ok!
The only advice I might add, is in regard to signs for Motorway (highway) numbers. They are not too plentiful in Ireland. Instead, you often times have to rely on having the name of the next town in mind, in order to know which exit to take at a round-about....unless your GPS tells you that (I have not used a GPS in Ireland). At any rate, even if you are using a GPS, and then a paper map for backup, write a list of all the towns you will be going thru, so that you always know in your mind what the next town is, to help you stay on the correct road. Often times it is a small sign, located close to, or in the roundabout, and if I remember correctly, there was an arrow on it. There are available, some photos on the net, that show the highway signs in Ireland, and it might be advisable to review them before going. Anyone out there know how to find these pictures? Good luck, have fun, and I'm envious! Dan

it is amazing how quickly you pick it up...yes i agree on an automatic...and a smaller car the better...most rentals are small anyway but i once got a family sedan which was too big for dingle and some other tight drives...

I am not getting the whole "you drive in LA, so you will be fine" theory a few folks are tossing out. There is very little in driving in city traffic to compare to driving in rural Ireland.

I am sure you will be fine, but the challenges are different than LA. You will need to remember to keep left. Right hand turns are funky and take a few extra seconds to think it through. The biggest thing as someone else mentioned is to hug the middle line and not to focus on the left side of the vehicle.

It is more of a mental challenge than anything else. Starting in Shannon will give you a huge advantage versus starting in Dub. Good luck, just don't be too overconfident.

Okay, I had to chime in on this one. First time I ever drove "on the wrong side of the road" was Ireland. My recommendations are: 1. Spend the money and get an automatic vice stick shift. I agree with a previous poster that if you are not really accustomed to driving with a stick shift, now is not the time to learn. 2. Buy all the insurance you can. Car rental companies are really starting to crack down on little dings and dents as a way of replenishing their coffers. You will probably pay more for all the insurance than the actual cost of the rental but worth it for peace of mind. 3. When driving through a roundabout, make at least one complete cycle before attempting to exit. This way you can make sure that you are exiting at the correct point and it gives you more time to figure the whole process out. 4. Slower cars "make way" for faster ones. This means to move out of the way as quickly and safely as you can for cars that are overtaking you. 5. Be careful when making turns that you turn into the correct lane. The one time I screwed up was at night in a pouring rain. When you can't see, it is natural to do what you are always accustomed to doing. 6. Relax, take your time, and have a great trip. You will fall in love with Ireland.

For the sake of discussion, I'll be the first person to say that driving a car with standard transmission and shifting with one's left hand is not difficult at all. However, I have to qualify that brash statement by admitting that I been driving standard transmission cars for over 40 years and still do so nearly every day. For a person for whom using a stick shift isn't "automatic" (sorry, I couldn't resist that one), paying extra for automatic transmission would be a prudent choice.

It's probably infinitely easier to shift lefthanded if you ARE lefthanded, too (which I am). But it's not the "wrong" side of the road, it's just the "other" side.

And I will be the second to chime in for a stick shift - as long as you are already comfortable driving one. I have driven a stick shift in Ireland and despite my apprehension, found it very easy. I never had to think twice about it. Driving on the left side of the road was not so easy - I had to think about that all the time, especially every time I made a turn. In our experience, you can get a much smaller car if you rent a stick shift. We always rent the smallest car we can. It greatly cuts down on stress when parking or driving down very narrow streets.

Have a wonderful trip!

Thanks Mary for posting your questions. The advice you have been given has been helpful to me. I too will be a single woman driving in the UK (Scotland) very soon, and I am looking forward to the adventure.
I was wondering if you have found anything on the internet about what the road signs will look like in Ireland and the UK (ie.- what does the speed limit sign look like, etc.).

Best of luck!

Susan, you can find the signs here:

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/understanding-traffic-signs/index.html

If you are comfortable with a stick, go ahead and get a stick and save some cash. It isn't difficult to adjust, and the smaller cars are more forgiving about gears, a few times we were in 3rd instead of 1st and it ok to get going.

I could see where traffic out of Shannon could be a bit busy immediately after the plane lands as everyone heads out, but wait 10minutes and no traffic at all. That is what we did.

As said, keep left, remember you as the driver should be towards the middle of the road.