Visiting Ireland for the first time.

I don't think you need a package, Dean. You can plan this yourself. I think the B&Bs in Ireland are wonderful and generally inexpensive. Some small hotels are similar to B&Bs. If you need an automatic car, you should reserve it as soon as possible. Most of the cars are standard, so you can't count on finding an automatic at the last minute.

As for an itinerary, it would help to know what your interests are. I think the south and west parts of Ireland are the best.

Our interests: Eating, drinking and the typical sightseeing that everyone would normally go to. My son is in college and is an artist, so some limited places to visit. Like visiting small towns but sinced the boys would be along, they would like the big cities with plenty of bars and night life so a few big cities with a few small towns in route, how does that sound?
Dean

Dean, we are leaving for Dublin on Wednesday and I used the Rick Steves 2010 quide book. That book is probably all you need for now. They map the whole thing out and even have a typical two week trip all spelled out. I have heard that even if you reserve an automatic you probably only have a 50/50 chance of getting it. Also on the website Rick wrote a whole article on driving on the left.

We've been to Ireland twice and rented an automatic with no problem.

Here's one itinerary you might consider:

Dublin 3 nights -- including day trip to Newgrange.

Kilkenny 1 night

Kinsale 1 or 2 nights

Kenmare 1 night

Ring of Kerry then Dingle 3 nights

West coast - Doolin 2 nights (see Cliffs of Moher in route, then Burren).

Fly out of Shannon

Another option would be:

Dublin 3 nights

Galway 3 nights (including day trip to Inishmore)

Doolin 2 nights (see Burren)

Dingle 3-4 nights (see Cliffs of Moher in route)

end near Shannon and fly out of Shannon

That should give you some ideas anyway.

Dean,

I also rented an automatic with no problem. In fact, we got in a small fender bender on our first day, and they brought me another automatic at no extra charge! I had the full insurance option, which is absolutely essential for rentals in Ireland. It costs more, but the peace of mind it gives you is priceless.

AutoEurope is the company I rented from. They are a consolidator that will give you options from different companies in whatever area you'll be renting from. In my experience, they offered a good car and at low cost.

Definitely get Rick's guide and start reading. Some places will grab you or your family more than others. A mix of cities and small towns makes sense for you. You could start in Dublin and end on the west coast or vice versa. If you do that, you'll want to fly open jaw (into one city and out of another) to limit unnecessary travel time.

I leave for Ireland on Wed May 5 as well, and did all my planning from Rick's book and some Irish tourism websites. I got a good deal on an automatic compact from Hertz, with a GPS....as I will be driving alone with no navigator I thought that the best, even though I can drive a standard.
I made fairly last minute reservations but was lucky I think because of the time of year.

I've also rented an automatic with no problem, but I'd book as soon as you can just to be sure. Whether or not you get a requested automatic sometimes depends on the time of year. In the heavy part of tourist season they can be harder to come by.