That depends on how early your flight arrives in Dublin (or you are able to leave Dublin). It also depends how late tours run at Waterford. You'd have to leave pretty early to be able to get there in time. Is it necessary to drop off stuff in Kilkenny before heading on to Waterford? Check www.viamichelin.com for distances and driving times from Dublin to Kilkenny and Waterford (and add about 50% to their time estimates).

Hi. We would actually spend time in Dublin without a car then pick up car in the AM and drive down to Waterford Crystal Factory. Wondering if I should stay near Waterford that night or Kilkenny.

Then day 2 drive to Kenmare -

Then day 3 do Ring of Kerry and drive to Dingle.

Viamichelin shows Dublin-Waterford is about 2 hrs, 15 minutes. I would add maybe an extra hour to that to allow for getting lost, finding the factory, etc. If you go straight from Waterford to Kenmare, it will take between 3-4 hours. Whether you stay in Waterford or Kilkenny will depend on what you want to see in each place, but the distance from Kilkenny to Kenmare is about 45 minutes longer.

In my humble opinion, I'd skip Waterford. It's boring as heck and the traffic is terrible. From Kilkenny, I'd pop up to Cashel for that tour, and I'd never drive through Kinsale. It's the gourmet capital of Ireland, and has great music and pubs

Hi
Waterford Crystal Factory is for my parents. They had two requests: Waterford and Ring of Kerry. I'm not excited about driving so will probably get a GPS. I'm trying to figure out driving times without stressing out myself or my parents.

So the main goal is the factory - then heading out to Ring of Kerry and then Dingle. Figure I rent a car for a week from Dublin to west. They get rid of the car and spend a few days with Galway as a base and do day tours to Aran and connemara.

So is it better to skip Kilkenny and find a place closer to Waterford but closer to the next day drive to Kenmare??

Wow, you're really pushing it timewise. That's a lot of driving in 3 days. Dingle alone is a 2-3 day gig.

good luck

It is certainly doable however just be aware that you are going to have a pressure in the back of your head that you need to keep moving each day.

With the smaller roads all it takes is one farmer or lorry going a little bit of a ways to make things difficult. Especially if driving on the left side/smaller roads is weird.

The first time I was in Ireland we did the same sort of thing and found that we were so focused from getting From Point A to B that sometimes we lost out on what was between the two points.

Hope you enjoy your trip

Hi.
I'm there for 15 days. This is just the 1st four with a car.
Day 1-3 Dublin.
Day 4 Drive to WAterford Crystal Factory (better to stay in Tramore?
Day 5 Drive to Kenmare.
Day 6 Do a tour of Ring of Kerry (I'm not driving it - I've just decided).
Day 7 Drive to Dingle.
Day 789 Hang out in Dingle.
Day 10 - Drop off car at Shannon and spend rest of time in Galway taking day trips to Cliffs of Mohr, Aran, Connemara.
Is that feasible???

Does this sound more realistic.

Dublin to Waterford Crystal Factory - stay nearby Waterford.

Waterford to Kinsale.

Kinsale to Kenmare.

Kenmare - Ring of Kerry (maybe by tour to get a break from driving.

Kenmare to Dingle and spend a few days in Dingle.

The rest of our trip is going to Galway (getting rid of car) and using day trips to ARan Islands and Connemara. Can only afford car for a week or so.

Does this sound more realistic.

1 Dublin to Waterford Crystal Factory - stay nearby Waterford.

2 Waterford to Kinsale.

3 Kinsale to Kenmare.

4 Kenmare - Ring of Kerry (maybe by tour to get a break from driving.

5 Kenmare to Dingle and spend a few days in Dingle.

The rest of our trip is going to Galway (getting rid of car) and using day trips to ARan Islands and Connemara. Can only afford car for a week or so.

What part of Connemara are you interested in seeing? The ferries for the Aran Islands leave from Rossaveal, on past Galway City. Clifden, the Skyline Drive, and Kylemore Abbey are farther on around the peninsula.