One Week Ireland Itinerary

Looks good to me.

If you are looking for lodging recommendations, we really enjoyed the Milestone House in Dingle. They provide a hand drawn map of Dingle with recommendations for restaurants and pubs. They also have a hand drawn map of the peninsula, showing where to stop. And the breakfast...superb!!

Also looks fine. We loved drive over Connor Pass, have done it several times,did it two weeks ago in the rain and still was worth it. We have stayed at the Lighthouse and the last trip we stayed at Cill bhreach and enjoyed it better. They have a lovely second floor balcony where we could sit out and enjoy view of the water with a cup of tea and Angela and John were best hosts. Can't remember name of the pub we went to but was in Rick's Ireland book and was fantastic for the live music and just maybe three blocks from the car park. On the loop drive, be sure to stop at the Stonehouse restaurant, very unique with a stone roof, donkeys in front and great soup and wonderful Cadbury hot chocolate with a bit of Irish whiskey. Wonderful trip you will certainly enjoy.

Must you fly into and out of Dublin? Since you want to go to Dingle, it makes more sense to fly into Shannon instead, and it's easier adapting to the driving there, too. Then you could basically do your proposed itinerary in reverse, ending in Dublin. You would give yourself more sightseeing time without the backtracking.

Thank you all for your responses and suggestions. Nancy, I looked at working in Shannon as an arrival or departure point but there seem to be very few flights between Shannon and Birmingham (and none at times that works in terms of an itinerary that made sense).

I meant flying open jaw - into Shannon and out of Dublin. Are you coming from Birmingham and going back to Birmingham? I think I would fly into Shannon from the US, do Ireland, leave from Dublin to Birmingham, and then go back to the US after the visit in Birmingham, instead of all of the backtracking. But I don't know the rest of your plans, so maybe this works best for you for some reason.

Nancy: our week in Ireland is sandwiched between a visit to my parents (who live 30 minutes from Birmingham, England) and my daughter (who'll be studying at Oxford for the summer). So, we we have to fly to and from Ireland out of the Birmingham airport.

Hi John!

Looks good. I suggest you go to Glengarriff after Cashel, then go up to Dingle. From Dingle, drive to Limerick, drop your car off in Limerick, then there is a new great bus called the Dublin Coach - M7 Express that leaves every hour and whisks you from Limerick to Dublin in 2 hours 45 minutes. Costs 10eu per person. Can't beat that! This plan saves you the zigzagging.

Hope that helps!

Another vote for John and Angela's Cill Bhreac House in Dingle. Was there early November. Superb B and B experience! Their brown bread and breakfast menu is wonderful. Rooms clean, quiet, comfortable. John and Angela are so welcoming. I'm smiling remembering my chats with Angela. Extend a hearty hello from me if you do stay there. Don't miss a pint at Foxy John's. Absolutely one of the best evenings in Dingle. If you get there around 4pm see if Patrick is on the corner stool with his Heineken and crossword puzzle. Say hello from the woman who knew Sparrow killed Cock Robbin. If you like wonderful wools, handmade soaps, etc. be sure to stop in at Commodum on Main Street! I purchased numerous Christmas stocking gifts. The little woolen lambs were a favorite. If time permits the Killarney National Park is gorgeous. About an hour or so from Dingle. Enjoyed Killarney. On a side street found a bakery that served breakfast. Spogler's Continental Coffee Shop. Have a great visit to Eire.