Hi Ric:

This is my trip report from a similar outing a few years ago that was during St. Patrick's Day -- should still be pertinent enough to give you a few ideas, although we flew in and out of Shannon this time.  You could easilly alter the end of the trip to add a day or two to Dublin.  What the heck -- some food for thought follows.

Please follow Michele's advice about not trying to cover too much ground your first time.  It will be a most pleasant trip if you decide to stay in one section of the country and do two night stays when possible.

Best regards,

Geno

--

Flying out of Chicago, we landed in Shannon late in the morning of the March 13th, picked up our car from Dan Dooley and took off for Doolin.

Knowing we would be tired from the night flight, we ate lunch near Ennis then started to wind our way across the Burren to the Cliffs of Moher before going to our first B&B of the trip. We caught a wonderful day for seeing the Cliffs -- 55 degrees, sunny, and incredibly little wind. After time at the Cliffs and touring the center, we drove to Doolin and our stay at the Daly House. Susan Daly proved to be a wonderful host, as we got a bit of rest, ate supper, then headed to O'Connors for a short stint with the traditional music.

March 14 -- With sleep and renewed energy, our foursome took off on a full day of exploring the Burren, the coastal roads of County Clare, and assorted castles and ruins along the way. A highlight was finding Monk's in Ballyvaughn, which many have said has the best seafood chowder on the planet. That claim is correct! Big chunks of fresh fish floating in the chowder and great taste made it the perfect lunch. We returned late that afternoon for our second night at Daly's, and this time enjoyed a full night of music at O'Connors after doing some shopping earlier in the evening.

March 15 -- Off to Killarney where we spent two days exploring the beautiful scenery around this bustling community. To get there from Doolin, we took advantage of the Tarbert Ferry, saving plenty of miles along the way, and enjoyed another pristine, calm day as we crossed the River Shannon. The first day in Killarney we saw Muckross House, Ross Castle, the areas around the lake, and even a few pubs downtown. Best traditional music to be found we were told was at the Dunloe Lodge, and that did not disappoint. Great session indeed.

March 16 -- Still using Killarney as our base, we drove to Kenmare the next day (and what a beautiful drive that is through the mountains -- stopping to take in the Ladies View) continuing on to Bantry. The area around Bantry Bay is stunning, and a personal favorite of mine was discovering and spending a little time in Glengariff, which is a spotless, friendly community. Another interesting town was Castletownbere, where we enjoyed meeting the owner of McCarthy's Bar, made famous by the book of the same name. In Bantry, we had a great time at Ma Murphy's, a wonderful pub that is featured in the book "A Parting Glass." After more driving in the Bantry area, we returned to Killarney late that night to prepare for a St. Patrick's trip to Dingle.

March 17 -- The short drive to Dingle on St. Patrick's Day was wonderful, as we arrived early at our B&B so we could walk downtown in time for the noon parade. Along the way we stopped to watch a horse race on the beach at Inch! How interesting to stumble into that event. Once in Dingle, we found our B&B to be stunning. It was the Emlagh Lodge, a wonderful property on the edge of the bay that was the nicest B&B we stayed at. Spotless, welcoming, and featuring unbelieveable views, it also provided the best breakfasts of the trip. Our host, Maggie, is pretty impressive and runs the place with charm and detail, plus the property is only a short stroll on a path next to her home to Dingle Town. No better place in Ireland to have a pint than at Dick Mack's shooting the breeze with third-generation owner Ollie Mack -- a real character -- and the stream of locals who make a daily trek to the ancient pub. (Mack's is right across from the church).

March 18 -- It wouldn't be Ireland if the weather didn't change, and this was the day for Mother Nature to take control of things. Despite wind, sleet, and a cold front, we were still able to get enough sunshine in to tour the Dingle Peninsula during the day, and the sights were unlike anything I've ever seen. Wonderful stuff, including tours of the beehive huts, some other ancient ruins, etc. A full day capped off with dinner at Doyle's, more music at The Small Bridge -- and yes, another pint at Dick Macks.

March 19 -- Heading back to Shannon for the trip home, we decided to stay in Bunratty. We took a route there that allowed us to go through Adare (a wonderful town where we toured an abbey and enjoyed the town's visitor's center), and through Limerick and then off to Bunratty where we toured Bunratty Castle, checked into a B&B that was nearby, and then enjoyed a great meal that night at Durty Nelly's. A quick nightcap pint at The Creamery, and we were off to bed and preparing for our flight home.

March 20 -- Turned in car at Dooley's, and effortlessly went through customs in Shannon Airport. Flight home was easy, arriving at O'Hare at 3:30 p.m.

Recap: For those going to Ireland, my best advice is to not try and do too much. You will want to go back, so do a different area the next time. I want to go to the southern tip of the country the next time, and perhaps venture to Galway and north yet another trip. Don't try and fit too much in.

We used two day stays as our base, and thought that was the best approach. If you are hesitant about driving, don't be. You might get lost, but the people you meet are more than willing to help. (In Glengariff, a quick question about route advice turned into a game of chess with locals in the pub. It was one of many highlights, as all of a sudden our foursome had met 12 or so "new friends."