West Ireland

That is covering a lot of ground in a short period of time. Maybe someone will disagree, but doubt that tour exists....

Also, this is less West Ireland and more Northern Ireland (geographically).

Thanks. I think you are right.

Barbara,

He's right on all counts. If you definitely don't want to drive, then I'd suggest narrowing down your choice to one region.

Galway would make the most sense. You could take the train there from Dublin and make day trips to sites in the area such as the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands.

Perhaps you could refocus your trip to 3 days in Dublin and the four others at some spot in the southwest if this is a first trip.

Do you have a long list of things you want to see in Dublin? If not, you might want to consider splitting your short time between Donegal and Galway---that way you will have more time to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

This is a first trip and my interests center around spectacular scenery, Gaelic speaking region, castles, and shopping. A colleague suggested hiring a private driver for the northern part of the trip. Any idea how much this might cost.

Barbara,

In terms of great scenery and a Gaelic speaking area, you might also consider Dingle. It's a fantastic town to stay in and while there you could visit the Blasket Islands Interpretive Centre. The history of the islands is very interesting, including how everyone was removed in (I believe 1953). If you're adventurous you could also visit Great Blasket.

Dingle is a very walkable town, and it's great to "Pub Hop" in the evenings and listen to the music in each Pub. It's a "Gaeltacht area", so you're sure to hear some Gaelic. You could also arrange a tour with Rick's Guide (the retired Police Chief) for visits to the Gallarus Oratory or other historic sites.

Cheers!

For what it's worth, Dingle was my favorite place we went to in Ireland.