Whirlwind drive through Ireland, itinerary help please!

I think the idea of staying the first night in Kilkenny is a good one. Trying to go to Dingle after an over night flight and stopping along the way is too much. The same with going to the Blasket's and then driving back across the country to the Dublin area. I have never been to the Blasket's but I am assuming it will consume most of one day,weather permitting. In my opinion you need to skip the Blasket's unless you really have your heart set on it and go from Dingle to Bru na Boinne.

Day 1 would be a LOT of driving, but if you do arrive really early you could make it to Dingle that night. The Rock of Cashel would take at most a couple hours, and you're looking at around 5 hours of total driving time (from Dublin to Cashel to Dingle). Have you thought about trying to do Brun na Boinne when you arrive on Day 1? Go there, then drive to Kilkenny and stay the night there. See Cashel on Day 2 and drive to Dingle. Spend Night 2 & 3 in Dingle, then drive to Dublin on Day 4.

If you are going to be in Ireland during any of the "tourist" season be prepared for a wait for the shuttle bus to Newgrange (Bru na Boinne). We were there 3 weeks ago, on a rainy day, midweek & were able to just walk in & get onto the list for the next bus but they say you could wait several hours in the summer. Not sure it's worth it if you're in a hurry. I think you are doing too much and will spend too much time driving the "fast roads" and won't really see Ireland. We did 4 days in Dec. 09 and stayed in the Cork area; saw Kinsale, drove around the countryside, saw Cashel. My husband drives fast in Ireland but still you can't drive very fast on many of the N roads. And you need time to get out of the car and look at "stuff". I'd give up Bru na Boinne for sure. Cashel is worth several hours and that doesn't add in stopping & looking at Hore Abbey, looking at the town (Irish towns are part of the charm of Ireland). Dingle is great though but we stopped LOTS on the drive. We stopped at just about everything on Rick's drive and then stopped some more. It was great!

Have you traveled to Europe before? Do you sleep well in planes? Do you suffer from jet lag? With a direct flight, I generally am okay on the first day, but I am a bit tired. There is no way I could drive all the way to Dingle on my first day. I would not plan a day like this unless you are sure you can handle it. Is there any way you could fly into Shannon? Day 3 is going to be a long day too. I'm not sure I would want to drive that far after taking the ferry to Great Blasket Island. However, I will say that it is my favorite thing to do in Ireland. It takes a while to get there and back by ferry, say half an hour each way. I can't remember if you get to stay for two or three hours, but I think it's just two. So it won't take the whole day if you get there early and are able to buy a ticket for one of the earlier trips. That might depend on the time of year you will be there. Also, keep in mind that if the weather isn't good, the ferries don't run.

How many drivers will you have? Will you be able to trade off if you are tired? Remember that you will pay an additional charge for each driver. Have you ever driven on the "wrong" side before? We landed in Dublin in the morning and drove to Kilkenny. We had a reservation there, but I was glad that I didn't have to drive further. We stopped at the Rock of Cashel on our way to Dingle the next day. To save time you could drive from Dublin to the Rock of Cashel, tour the Rock and stay in Cashel that night. Drive to Dingle the next day. Don't underestimate how tired you will be after arriving and driving under conditions you are not used to. Also, it takes longer to get to where you want to go than you might think it will.

After considering your suggestions and rereading RS Ireland, I have a revised itinerary with a few choices to get your feedback, if that's not asking too much. To answer questions asked: My father, a very seasoned driver, will be doing all the driving. He is accustomed to driving 6+hrs in a go, but has never experienced jetlag or wrong-side driving. Day 1: Arrive Dublin, sightsee, sleep in town. Day 2: Rent car, (drive to Brun na Boinne?), drive to Cashel, see Rock, continue on to Dingle, sleep there. Day 3: Drive Slea Head Loop, stop lots, sleep Dingle again. Day 4: Ferry to Blasket Island in morning, drive to Kinsale or Cobh, sleep there. Day 4: See Kinsale/Cobh in AM, afternoon flight from Cork to Paris. A possible change would be to skip Kinsale/Cobh and drive the Ring of Kerry instead, sleeping in Kenmare. What do you think?
Sara

Between Kinsale and Cobh then Kinsale wins by a long shot. Cobh felt a bit untidy for me at least a couple of years ago. Kinsale is very cute narrow streets and nice setting. Between Kinsale and Kenmare the decision is tough. I would probably pick Kenmare. Even if you don't drive the Ring of Kerry you could do the Gap of Dunloe, Ross Castle, and drive over the N71 over Molls Gap. This is very scenic drive. You could even stop at the Kissane Sheep farm near Molls Gap and learn about those Irish sheep. http://www.kissanesheepfarm.com/ This day would be a bit of a break from the bumpy Irish roads and a longer drive around the ROK yet still a great slice of Ireland.

You are basically on the same track I am!
Here is our plan if you would like to consider it. Day 1- Arrive in Dublin 8:30am. Rent car, drive to Bru na Boinne. Drive 30 miles south to Trim, see castle. Drive to Cashel for the night. Day 2- See Rock of Cashel. Drive to Dingle. Stay the night. Day 3- Drive Dingle Pennisula. Drive to Doolin. IF time, see Cliffs of Moher. Day 4- See cliffs of Moher if couldn't on Day 3. See Burren if time permits. Sleep in Doolin again. Day 5- Drive to Shannon airport to catch our flight to England. I realize we have a day more than you do but after feedback from others, including a British friend, this is what will work for us. Hopefully it can help! GOOD LUCK!

Sara, Your itinerary now seems to be very practical, much more than your original.