Need help for first trip to Ireland

David · Member

Need help for first trip to Ireland

Michele Erdvig · Host

David,

Welcome to my forum. Glad you found your way here. You might want to use the AA route planner website to see how long your travel routes will take you. I have a little trick for using it accurately. It will give you the kilometers. Instead click on the link to get miles instead. Divide the miles by 35 to get more accurate times than the software on that site gives you.

It will take you most of the day to drive from Galway to Dingle via the cliffs, especially since you will be stopping and sightseeing along the way. Whether that is reasonable only you can tell. I have done it many times with no problem. But you may like to travel slower or you may have more things to see along the way.

Since you only have two days after Dingle it is not practical to think you can do both Beara and the Ring of Kerry. Each takes a day in itself. Plus there is much to see in the Killarney area. I don't think you will make it to Kinsale.

Here is an idea: base yourself in Killarneyfor 4 days and do day trips from there. From there you can choose Dingle, ROK, Killarney area, Kenmare and Beara. That might suit your travel style better.

Let us know if we can help you fine-tune even more.

Michele

tony2phones · Guru

Flying Into Cork and out from Dublin might be a Better option. thus reversing the trip and making more logistical sense? Dingle to Galway is a long drive even without a large amount of sight seeing.

On the other hand the Fledh Nua is on in Ennis from the 19th to 27th. I might also wear my Dingle phe! hat and ask why 2 nights for a small peninsular as part of what is essentially a road trip. My usual advise is to drive round the peninsular as a full day between Killarney and Ennis.

Just ideas..

David · Member

Thank you both for your quick responses. Apologies for not reciprocating in a timely manner.
I am still playing around with several options. One of them is to start out in Dublin and then take a train to Cork and pick up a rental car thee. Then drive to Kinsale and then after a night or two go either to Kenmare or as suggested Killarney.
Since we would want to see the Dingle peninsula I was thinking that driving the entire Ring of Kerry might to too much in such a short time.
Looking at a map, I see that I could drive from Kenmare to Sneem, and then instead of continuing on the ROK, I could take R568 and then the Ballaghbeama Gap towards Kilorglin (and then on to Dingle from there). My question is does this make any sense? Is it considered Scenic? Will I save a substantial amount of time doing this and most importantly, how is the road and driving conditions to Kilorglin this way. I suppose I hate the idea of being at the Ring of Kerry and not seeing any of it, and what I am trying to figure out if I will save substantial time this way and still see some of the ROK. But obviously, if this route is tortuous i probably wont want to do it. (The map router says it can be done between one and one and a half hours.)
Again, thanks for any additional help anyone provides. It is much appreciated.

Judy · Guru

Hi David,

It sounds like you are set on seeing at least part of the ROK. However many will tell you that there are places just as scenic around Kerry and Cork. The Ballaghbeama Gap is a very small road which is what some like and others would consider tortuous, only you can decide. Take a look for yourself on you tube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5fYwILXkQg . Others areas to consider for that kind of scenery, I would suggest Healy Pass on the Berra Peninsula and Connor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula or The Gap of Dunloe near Killarney. Remember that the drive from Killarney to Kenmare is still part of the ROK on N71. Moll's Gap has a nice view as does Ladies View.

Your flight from Paris to Dublin sounds good in your original plan and on to Galway on the 17th. Like Michele mentioned, the rest of the trip sounds like too much for the rest of the time you will have in Ireland.

Here is my suggestion, May 15 to 17 good. May 18, Galway to the Cliffs, 1 and 1/2 hrs drive, visit to the Cliffs 2 hrs, Cliffs to Dingle 3 hrs., overnight Dingle. May 19 Tour Dingle Peninsula most of the day and drive to Killarney late afternoon, overnight Killarney. May 20 Killarney to Kenmare and Glengarriff via N71, stopping at Ladies View and Moll's Gap from Killarney to Kenmare and through Turner's Rock Tunnel from Kenmare to Glengarriff. Glengarriff to Adrigole, then over Healy Pass to Lauragh, then back to Kenmare and Killarney via N71 for overnight Killarney. May 21 do sights around Killarney such as guided tour of Ross Castle, Muckross House and Traditional Farms or do the day trip through the Gap of Dunloe, overnight in Killarney. May 22, leave Killarney with stops at Adare and Bunratty Folk Park and Castle, overnight Bunratty or drive to Ennis for overnigh there. May 23, flight out of Shannon. Luckly you will have a lot of daylight in May.

Judy

tony2phones · Guru

You could cut a night out of Kinsale to give more time in Killarney/South Kerry. I do recommend the Cork peninsula's as better than the Kerry ones and the Iveragh peninsula is more than just the Ring of Kerry, getting off the main road there are a number of hidden gems. If you take the advice of Ennis for your last night the Fledh Nua starts on the 19th May so accommodation would need sorting early.

Michele Erdvig · Host

The Ballaghbeama Gap is small and slow going. Mostly mountains, lakes and hills. It is very easy to get lost in the center of the ROK. Most people do the ring road for the sea views, etc.