Kristi,

Welcome to my forum! I hope you will find it a good place to plan your itinerary. You are wise to be planning well in advance. Do go to my "Getting Started" page for lots of info to jump start your trip. And contact Tourism Ireland for free info, maps and booklets.

I agree that Shannon will work best for the type of trip you have in mind. It is always my airport of preference. In November probably the only banquet operating will be the one at Bunratty. Perhaps you can do it on your last night in the country.

At the end of November you will find many B&Bs closing down for the season. Order the Town & Country book from Tourism Ireland and it will give you opening dates for B&Bs. But keep in mind that the listings are just a guide. Sometimes a B&B will shut down earlier if there are not a lot of tourists around. If you have a list of B&Bs that appeal to you, you can contact them the evening before you plan to be in an area to see what is available. The local tourist offices will also book you a B&B if you have problems.

Do note that Ballynahinch is not a real castle but an old fishing lodge in a beautiful setting. I think it will fulfill your dream of an old country inn with a stream as well as a lake, gardens and more.

Some of my favorite small towns:

Kenmare
Dingle
Kinsale
Killarney
Ballyvaughan
Oughterard
Roundstone
Clifden

There are a lot more but those are mainly in the SW and West, wich if you fly into Shannon you will be closer to.

Now get your map from Tourism Ireland and get working on a good itinerary. We are here to help!

Michele