Okay Route From Dublin

Rachel · Member

Okay Route From Dublin

Michele Erdvig · Host

I am wondering about going from Dublin to Adare. Is there something specific you want to do there? If not, you could drive instead to Doolin to see the cliffs. Then proceed with your outlined sightseeing. That would give you an extra day for something else.

Rachel · Member

We are travelling in September and we weren't going to get away from Dublin till later afternoon. Adare looks like a pretty village (touristy I know, but still neat looking) So we thought instead of trying to get all the way to Killarney we would stop and stay the night in Adare.

After seeing the area as in our above plan. We have another week which we thought we might leave from Doolin & head up to Connemara area Clifden and then from there to the Causeway coast route stopping along either in Sligo or Donegal for a night to break the trip up.

We are seeing a lot of coast, so we are trying to decide whether we should skip Connemara area and do something more inland before heading up to the Causeway coast route. Glenveagh National Park area sounds very nice as well.

Thanks for your help.

tony2phones · Guru

Doolin would not be on my list, I am a drink with the locals type, listen to unpaid musicians in a relaxed atmosphere type. with 3 bars serving a couple of townlands consisting mainly of B&B accommodation Dooilin does not fit the bill. There are other options for Clare including Ennis as the main town or a couple of smaller village locations on the coast or Burren, sneaking into Galway, Kinvara might tick some boxes.

Connemara is not just about the coast, the region is/was the last wild of Ireland made up of Mountains and Bog land, the wild West. Clifden Arts week is in late September with something going on from lunch till late to suit most tastes and a good mix of Irish amongst the visitors.

Driving the ring anticlockwise avoids coming face to face with a 50 seater tour bus on a narrow bit of road or blind bend. Not a relaxing activity.

With the opening of the Shannon Tunnel (1.80) a couple of years ago the dash from Dingle to the Cliffs is no different, time wise than the ferry (18.00) and unless exploring south west Clare the tunnel route is an easier drive.

I have started to put Ballina as a recommendation to break the usual Co Galway - Co Donegal/Derry trip. Reason being that there are options in the area north of Westport within reasonable reach.

Michele Erdvig · Host

It would help to see the whole plan rather than try to put the pieces of the puzzle together with parts missing. You have another week after Doolin? How much time do you have in Ireland total?

Rachel · Member

Hello, thanks for the suggestions already given.
We are in Ireland for 15 days. This is a tentative route we had thought about. I looked at the AA route planner for travel time, but also read that you need to add quite a bit of time to these estimations. So I tried to find what others have said regarding how long of drive it is. If you think it's longer just let me know.

Day 1: We arrive in Dublin and will spend the night there

Day 2: Plan to leave later afternoon & travel to Adare from Dublin later in the day. (3 hours) Spend the night there.

Day 3:Travel to Killarney (1.5 hours) and do a few things there before driving to Kenmare to spend the night.

Day 4: Leave Kenmare later morning & drive to Portmagee (2 hours)- where we will spend the night. We are going to try & get out to the Skelligs the next day.

Day 5: Stay another night in Portmagee - look around Valentia island.

Day 6: From Portmagee travel to Dingle (3 hours). Stay night

Day 7: Stay another night in Dingle

Day 8:Leave Dingle & travel to Tarbert (2 hours). Take ferry across & head up to Doolin (2 hours). Stay night here.

Day 9: Leave Doolin & travel to Clifden (4 hours)

Day 10: Spend time in Clifden and leave afternoon to Donegal (4.5 hours) & spend night

Day 11: Drive to Portstewart (3 hours) and spend night

Day 12: Drive rest of ring of Kerry probably stay somewhere else on this route or may go to Belfast

Day 13: Leave for Belfast & spend night there

Day 14:Leave Belfast for Dublin

Day 15: We fly out

Not sure if this is a good route. It was very hard to try & decide which places to see, so many neat/beautiful sounding places. You are blessed to be able to travel there often :)

Michele Erdvig · Host

There is no wrong or right route through Ireland, just the one that pleases you. What you have outlined will work. You can adjust as you go.

I think on Day 12 you mean "drive the rest of the Antrim coast" since you will be in Northern Ireland.

My rule of thumb for drive times is to get mileage (not kilometers) and divide by 35. However, you will make better time if your whole route is on the motorway.

You should note that in September days start getting shorter. Make sure you have enough daylight to get to your next town before dark.

Rachel · Member

Thank you, I wanted to make sure this outline would work, I didn't want to do something that was all driving, so nice to have the tips. :)