Good base town to see Southern Ireland

Cathy,

Wicklow and Glendalough are just south of Dublin, so they're best seen as a daytrip from Dublin or when either leaving from or coming to Dublin. I'd suggest picking up the car on the day you're leaving Dublin and seeing Wicklow and Glendalough on your way to your next destination. It's not a problem to pick the car up in Dublin as long as you won't be driving in the city.

You could base in Cashel however Dingle isn't a good choice for a daytrip. You need to spend a couple of nights there to fully enjoy it. I'd save it for another time. Some places you could see from Cashel are Killarney Nat. Park, Cork, Cobh, the whiskey distillery at Midleton, Kinsale (great restaurants), and Kenmare. The ROK is also possible, although it's best done from a base in Kenmare (see Rick's guide).

I assume you are flying out of Shannon? This would make your trip much easier.

Thanks for the suggestions. We are flying into Dublin, seeing what we can of Ireland and then returning to Dublin to take the ferry to Holyhead to catch the train to London. What is the Dublin airport like? Would the drive be too crazy if we pick up the car there? Edinburgh's airport was small, is it more like Edinburgh? Nothing can be like Hartsfield Jackson except Charles De Gaulle Airport - which is worse. We want to see as much as we can but we don't want to have to pack up and move each day - that is why we are trying to find a good base town.

It's not the airport that's the problem, it's the busy street you drive out onto from the car rentals. But if you are experienced in UK driving it won't be that bad. I rented from Irish Car Rentals, and they showed me a backroads way to leave their office to get to the motorway so I could avoid the busy street. Maybe the company you rent with will be similarly situated.

Cathy,

You could pick up the car at the airport in Dublin when you arrive and then head out to the countryside before returning the car as you head back to Dublin for a few days before your ferry. If you plan to stay in Dublin first, then it doesn't make sense to get your car at the airport. I'd pick it up on the day that you're leaving Dublin. There are many rental locations south of the city center that are still in the Dublin area but sufficiently outside of the city center that you shouldn't have any problem, particularly if you immediately leave Dublin for the countryside.

We picked up our car in Dublin with no problems and drove straight to the Wicklow Montains then on to Cashel and Cork then into the west. My favourite base in the south is Kinsale.

We picked our car up at the airport in Dublin and had no problems getting out of town. Either have GPS or good directions to get to where you are going and you should be fine.

We also have picked up rental cars at Dublin and driven down to Glendalough. There's a by-pass road, so it isn't that difficult. Be sure you have some euro coins, though. I think some of the roads around Dublin have tolls and your US credit cards won't work with automatic machines, only with humaned toll-booths. (I would have said "manned toll-booths" but I suspect that is sexist?) I think Kenmare is a good base for touring the SW of Ireland; I would also suggest cutting Dublin to two nights so you can enjoy more of the countryside. IMHO, Dublin is just another big city with a few interesting bits, but it certainly isn't exciting like London, Paris, or NYC.

I think I'd do your original plan - getting a car in the south or west. I suspect Cashel is a bit far for west coast day trips - maybe Killarney or Kenmare would work better.

Comment re: car rental at Dublin airport - no personal experience, but it appears the tollroad (motorway) by the Dublin airport is automated now (no option for cash payment) - you have to pay online or at certain places within a short period of time. Be sure to ask you your rental company for specifics if you are going to be on the motorway.

If you haven't seen it, check out irelandexpert.com - specific to Ireland - also Irish Fireside.