A week in Ireland, fly/drive, where do you recommend please?

[imacroissantgirl]

A week in September, last time we were in Dingle for a wedding and stayed on a few days, so drove the Kerry ring and ended in Cork. Had the most amazing time.
Where else would be just as spectacular for scenery and little walking, history, good food etc? Guest house recommendations or maybe Airbnb as a base? Thank you
:)

I would have said Kerry if you hadn't already been! Definitely the west coast so Galway/Mayo? Donegal looks beautiful but a longer drive.

Are you flying or driving over? And do you mind how far you are from the airport?

If you liked the vibes along the bottom half of the Wild Atlantic Way (Dingle - Cork) why not try the top half? Donegal to Sligo is breathtakingly beautiful coastline. You could easily take day trips to the Aran Islands, and even to the Cliffs of Moher if you wanted.

Or if you want inland, I love Kilkenny. Rich heritage in the town, full of castles, pretty walkways, galleries & lovely places to eat. Castlecomer Discovery Park for beautiful nature walks close by, and Nicholas Moss Pottery for souvenirs. I would probably only spend max 3 days here as you could cover a lot of ground in that time.

I would then spin from Kilkenny to Waterford for a coastal break. Only an hour away, and lovely beaches plus greenways for more outdoor time. Dungarven is gorgeous if you want to stay outside the town.

If you want a beautiful drive, the Vee Mountain Pass is down that side of the country and stunning. You'll miss the rhododendron flowering season but the views are pretty in of themselves.

I usually do hotel breaks, so no help on the Airbnb I'm afraid!

Definitely Westport!! Such a beautiful town and a really good base for the Wild Atlantic Way. Great restaurants live music
Fantastic beaches nearby . Climb croagh patrick so much to see and do

Have you bought plane tickets yet? Fly into Shannon or Knock if you can. Much smaller and less stressful than Dublin airport

Nothing bought or planned, just an idea! Thank you

Sounds amazing thank you.

Thank you!

Wicklow is a beautiful county in Ireland, often called the "Garden of Ireland" due to its stunning natural scenery. Here are some things to see and do in Wicklow:

• Powerscourt Estate: Explore the stunning gardens, mansion, and scenic views.
• Glendalough: Visit this historic monastic settlement, surrounded by beautiful lakes and mountains.
• Wicklow Mountains National Park: Hike, walk, or explore the park's scenic trails and lakes.
• Brittas Bay: Enjoy the beautiful beach, water sports, and scenic coastal walks.
• Roundwood Reservoir: Take a stroll or go fishing in this picturesque spot.
• Avoca Handweavers: Visit this iconic shop and café, known for its colorful textiles and delicious food.
• Wicklow Way: Hike this long-distance trail, which takes you through scenic landscapes and historic sites.

Some popular towns to visit in Wicklow include:

• Greystones: Enjoy the charming harbor, seafood, and scenic coastal walks.
• Bray: Visit the seaside town, enjoy the promenade, and take in the views.
• Kilpedder: Stop by this quaint village, known for its shops and cafes.

Wicklow offers a mix of natural beauty, history, and culture, making it a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts and those looking to explore Ireland's scenic landscapes.

You could fly into Derry city, do a little bit of a city break and then tour Donegal, would be a lot easier than doing Donegal from any other airport. Both places are brilliant.

Where are you landing into? Dublin, Shannon, cork, knock?

There’s a lot to explore in Cork - both in the east and especially the west of the county as well as the city.

I love Clare, the Burren and going up to Galway and Mayo, plenty of beaches (some swimming, some surfing), galleries and craft spots, historic sites etc. Mointains to climb in Galway/Mayo. Greenway to walk/cycle from Westport. Interesting theatre in Galway.

Kilkenny is another great area. interesting castle, great crafts, very cultural, good food.

Around Dublin- take your pick of what kind of break you want (except no surfing).

There’s another Greenway to walk/cycle in Waterford. Look for the Copper Coast as you come away from the Wild Atlantic Way for ideas. And you can do a car route from Dublin through Kilkenny to Waterford, then over to Enniscorthy, Wexford and up through Wicklow along the east coast for more great beaches and mountains and craft stops.

Have a look at the North Antrim coast & the Glens too - you can cover a lot in a few days & it’s lovely 😁

I’ve been all over ( southern ) Ireland as my mums family are from there , pretty much all of it is beautiful . Donegal is stunning , Dublin far too touristy but still friendly , wherever you choose you’ll have a ball, but it is expensive so make sure you have a decent budget & unfortunately they have a lot of rain so don’t bank on the weather !

I think Kerry is probably the most beautiful county in Ireland. Perhaps you could do West Cork this time and visit kinsale as well.

Wicklow is lovely, you could perhaps combine a stay there with a couple of days in Kilkenny.

The North Antrim coast in Northern Ireland has some fantastic spots to visit - look up carrick a rede, Ballintoy, white Park bay, dunluce Castle, murlough Bay, the coast road from cushendun to Torr head is dramatic and cushendun and glenarm are cute little places to visit.

Visit the North. The Mournes, Atlantic Way, Belfast, The Glens of Antrim. Very foodie in Belfast. Loads of seaside resorts.

I agree the Mournes are worth visiting. If you are into walking there are some very accessible walks with stunning scenery: slieve Binnian would be one of them. Also, Fermanagh including the stairway to heaven, the marble arch caves and Florence Court House are beautiful. Enniskillen and hire a boat, devenish Island.

The most northerly point of Ireland is in Co. Donegal. Dublin is in the east.

The country is called Ireland, not Southern Ireland. The southern part of the country (Cork, Waterford etc) is called the south of Ireland, not southern Ireland.

I’m sorry to be so pedantic, but it gets annoying having your country re-christened all the time😉

I’m simply pointing out that Donegal is still considered Southern Ireland or the REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ( I know you don’t still call it EIRE which is what it was when I was growing up ) despite its geographical location ,
I don’t make the rules 🤷🏻‍♀️.
There is rightly or wrongly still a divide between north and south , even with their currency & OP may need to be aware re crossing borders etc .
For info , OP, Republic of Ireland counties use euro & Northern Ireland ( 6 counties - google for names ) use pounds sterling .

West Cork is actually magical. The most beautiful part of the world xx

Yes, please don’t say Southern Ireland! Just Ireland. Northern Ireland is correct. A slice of this country was partitioned which explains all this.
however, wherever you go you will see the most beautiful landscape and meet wonderful people, hear incredible music and be incredibly welcomed. Have a great time!

I don’t know Ireland at all really but recently went to Westport which was just lovely.

on the basis of that good dh we are going to drive down the whole of the west coat one day.

Definitely fly to Knock for a road trip through Mayo. visit Westport as mentioned a few times already. Drive through Achill Island which is beautiful. You’re not too far to Connemara National Park too

It’s only erroneously referred to as Southern Ireland outside Ireland @bugalugs45, never within. I can understand how the mistake is made because of the analogy with Northern Ireland, but it’s simply not the name of the country. The country’s name is Ireland and is also known as the Republic of Ireland.

It’s like someone re-christening England as Eastern England, and then saying things like they went to Cornwall in Eastern England on their holidays. It grates.

Anyway, I know it was just a simple error, but wanted to correct it so people know.

Kerry and West Cork get my vote OP. They’re beautiful.

@bugalugs45 Forgot to add, we do still call it Éire, but it’s only used when speaking Irish, never English. Éire is the word for Ireland in Irish.

The accent on the first e is important as the word has a different meaning without it.

The use of Eire (accentless) by the UK establishment was for poliical reasons and so it’s also best avoided in English as you know.