Recently returned from a fantastic Ireland vacation planned using Rick's Travel Guide (2017) taking many of his recommendations for sites and lodging along with a few recommendations from friends who have traveled previously. Trip began in Dublin (3 nights - The School House Hotel), then onto Kilkenny (1 night - Butler Court), Kinsale (2 nights - Old Presbytery Inn), Kenmare (1 night - Landsdowne Arms), Dingle (3 nights - Pax Guest House), Galway (1 night - Petra House), Cong (2 nights - Ashford Castle). It is difficult to say which part of the journey was most enjoyable as each location had its own unique charm. There were many highlights. The greatest of which are the Irish people. They are wonderful. Most disappointing part of the trip is we didn't get the full experience of Ireland's weather as it didn't rain once. In all seriousness, the lack of rain is problematic causing the Government to take necessary precautions regarding drought/water shortages the likes which they have not experienced in 40 years.
Regarding driving, we rented a VW Tiguan (Diesel/Auto) upon leaving Dublin for our stops along the east and west coasts. This small SUV was most comfortable and economical. Cost was $1600 USD for full coverage including the additional drivers and WiFi ($120 USD) for our 11-day rental. The road system is very well marked and maintained and the drivers most courteous. One would have no issues driving the motorways (M), national roads (N), rural roads (R), and most local roads (L). Time to drive estimates available from many websites are extremely accurate. Regarding driving the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Loop. It was our intentions to drive them. I highly recommend you don't for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the driver will miss out on many opportunities to take in the beautiful landscapes of the regions as you need to pay close attention to driving especially in those instances where single lane passages abound. Secondly, you miss out on the history of the localities as there are many enjoyable stops along the way that are enhanced when you have a guide/tour leader explaining about them. We would have not had the same experiences if we didn't take tours/excursions. Lastly, if you are a photographer like me, you are going to the places that are the highlights. A note here, look to take tours from local guides or smaller group tours as they present opportunities to be flexible in offering other locations and time at locations.
Below is a high-level summary of stops in each location:
Dublin - Trinity College, Book of Kells, Old Library, Dublin Castle, Saint Patrick's, Merrion Square, Kilmainham Goal, Guinness Storehouse, Jameson's Distillery, Grafton Street, Musical Pub Crawl, O'Connell Bridge and Street. We found Jameson's to be more enjoyable than Guinness mostly in part to it being a guided vice non-guided tour.
Kilkenny - Rock of Cashel (awesome), Castle Cahir (pronounced "Care") one of the larger castles in Ireland, Kilkenny Castle, Saint Canice (enjoyed this more so than Saint Patrick's).
Kinsale - Don and Barry's Historic Stroll, Charles Fort, and the Bulman Pub/Toddies Restaurant
Kenmare - Ring of Kerry Tour, Muckross House, and Torc Falls.
Dingle - This was our R&R stop. The Sciuird Archaeological Tour is a must. St. Mary's Church and Diseart Windows.
Road to Galway - Cliffs of Moher and Burren
Galway - Quick stops at the sites identified in Rick's guide. Mostly enjoyed the street life here.
Cong - Indulged at Ashford Castle. Lough Corrib and Inchagoill Island excursion was enjoyable and highly educational. School of Falconry Hawk Walk was awesome. Cong Village was quaint stop.
For those that are interested in a detailed travel journal, I have created a Shutterfly Site with journal and photos. Please feel free to email me at [email protected]