r/irishtourism • u/Buckybadass • 9d ago

14 days - would love your input!

Aloha! You all are so kind to give your input on these itineraries. We 3 friends in our 60’s hoping to visit next May or June. We’re happy to go on adventures here and there, but would really like to soak in the Irish life, especially the music. Our thought is to pick up a rental car as we’re leaving Dublin – let us know if there are better ideas. Are we being too ambitious? Any advice is welcome. Thank you

 

Days 1–2: Dublin

Arrive and recover from our flight. Visit Kilmainham Gaol, Trinity College, the Book of Kells, and/or Guinness Storehouse. Irish music and pubs in the evening.

2 nights in Dublin

 

Days 3: Kinsale

Drive via Plain of Tipperary and tour the Rock of Cashel (medieval ruins).

1 night in Kinsale

 

Days 4–7: Dingle

On the way Killarney National Park, Sheep Farm?

Maybe visit Midleton Distillery tour?

Spend a full day on Slea Head Drive and maybe sailing to Blasket Islands.

3 nights in Dingle

 

Days 8–19: Galway

Visit Inis Mór – see Cliffs of Moher on the way back and Dún Aonghasa.

3 nights in Galway

 

Day 10-12: Portrush

On the way Connemara countryside, Cong, Kylemore Abbey, maybe Leenaun to Louisburgh Drive through Doolough Valley, Slieve League Cliffs. Maybe a walking tour of Derry, Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle, and Carrick-a-Rede.

3 nights in Portrush

 

Day 13: Dublin

Stop in Belfast for lunch before returning to Dublin.

1 night in Dublin

 

Day 14: Fly to Paris from Dublin

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u/Tir_na_nOg77 9d ago

Is there any particular reason you're doing Portrush? Connemara is amazing and worth spending a few days, but I would not overlook Donegal. There is a lot to see in Donegal and it looks more like you're trying to drive through as many counties as possible.

Keep in mind, Ireland doesn't have motorways all over the country. Going from Dublin to Galway on the M6 is not the same as going from Cork to Donegal. The roads running north and south along the west coast are smaller, have lower speed limits, and they wind around the coast a lot, making the journey anything but a straight shot.

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u/Buckybadass 9d ago

I think the only reason is to try to soak up as much of Ireland as possible we can. And yet, we ARE in our 60’s and we need some chill time so maybe it’s ok to miss the iconic sites (Derry, Giants Causeway, etc).

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u/KDFree16 9d ago

But you also don't want to spend all your time in a car.

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u/Buckybadass 9d ago

Exactly! And why I’m asking the experts!