The Perfect Route to See It All
I was LUCKY enough to visit Ireland back in August 2019 with my sister, father and Irish mother. Upon leaving for the trip, the decision of what our mode of transportation would be was up in the air. I highly suggested against getting aboard a big tour bus with all the old folk. I was a strong advocate for just renting a car and bopping around the island on our own time. I had to remember though, who I was traveling with: my very analytic father that up until a few years ago was still using paper maps to get to places and my extremely anxious mother who never fails to grip onto the door handle whenever she’s in the passenger seat. And, just to make it all that more confusing, traffic goes the opposite way in Ireland. You drive on the left hand side of the street. Even the steering wheel is on the opposite side. It’s true that renting a car here in Ireland would turn this trip from “vacation” to “survival mode” within hours of us arriving.
Many members of my mother’s large, Irish Catholic family have been over to Ireland and suggested we hire a driver to escort us around. This was definitely not the cheapest option but we emptied out our pockets to assure our safety and have a little peace of mind. Our driver was an old Irish fellow named James Kelly & he turned out to be a great tour guide for us. My dad and I drafted up an itinerary while trying to see the most we could in 10 days without feeling rushed. Here’s what that looked like:
Fly into Dublin in the AM. Spend 2 nights there getting used to the time change and seeing all the city highlights (check out my blog post on 10 things to do in Dublin).
Kinsale - Kinsale is a historic port and fishing town with great seafood. We had a great dinner at The Spaniard. We walked down to the town center for a couple beers and live music at Kitty O’Se’s. They even got my sister and I up on stage to accompany them with some instruments. Before heading out, we visited Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance that was dedicated to the lives that were lost in 9/11.
Caherdaniel - this small town is along the Ring of Kerry, right on the coast. We chose to stay here because my dad’s friend has a family member that owns a B&B here - Moran’s Farmhouse. This was a very quite and peaceful place with a lovely host & FABULOUS panoramic views from the bedroom windows. Absolutely breath taking.
Dingle - this port town’s main street is lined with brightly painted storefronts that make the road look like a box of Lucky Charms. many shops and restaurants will keep you busy when you’re not checking out the Irish Famine Cottages or the Dingle Gin Distillery. *My mother has always stayed very loyal to her usual Bombay Sapphire G&T - she has a new drink order now …
Doolin - a perfect stop before you hit the Cliffs of Moher, a very small village known as the “music capital of Ireland”. It sits along the Atlantic Coast as a gateway to the Aran Islands that are just offshore. You’ll know you arrived by the bright pink cottage that sits on the corner of the road. Gus O’Connor’s Pub was packed with people enjoying the live music and Sean, the very handsome bartender. On our way towards Doolin we stopped in Adare, the cutest little village, to meet up with an old UNH friend. I had met her here in Adare 5 years prior when we both studied abroad! (I’d be sure to add Adare and Limerick to your list before you hit up Doolin).
Galway - referred to as the “cultural heart of Ireland” as it is most associated with the Irish language, music, song and dance traditions. Great city with tons of shopping, pubs. This was the only time it rained for us in Ireland and was the last part of our trip. We spent much of our time drinking.. ya know, do as the locals do.. When I ever make it back to the Emerald Isle, I will make it a point to spend more time in Galway as it is a favorite to many visitors of Ireland.
Our driver, James, was really good about stopping wherever and whenever we wanted to. I insisted we get out and pet sheep so when we came across enough of them, we pulled over and we did just that. My trip was complete at that point! Obsessed with these fluffy, white cuties!
Because we only had 10 days, it was important to see as much of Ireland as we could! Renting a car or hiring a driver is the best option to do this. Do yourself a favor and try to avoid just taking day tours from Dublin. Many tour companies offer a variety of different packages that include trips to the Cliffs of Moher or to Giant’s Causeway, any popular tourist spot in their country .. but if you’re able to share a pint with a local in a quaint little town, you’ll have a better Ireland experience!
