Ireland road trip

[justasoul]

Hi all - DSis, DD and I are looking to do a road trip in Ireland end of October/beginning of November (half term week-ish) and I thought I’d ask what are the must-sees.

DSis and I have been to Dublin but nowhere else in the island. I’d like to go to Belfast but tips and recommendations for other places to visit would be brilliant, thanks ☺️

Probably arriving (and leaving) in Rosslare - other possibilities are flying into Dublin and renting a car, or crossing to Rosslare but coming back from Dublin. We like museums and old buildings (I have a thing for churches), and we quite like a walk and a nice pub

Many thanks for all your suggestions

Athlone has the oldest pub in Ireland called Sean's Bar. It's lovely and def worth a visit. If you're going Dublin to Galway Athlone is half way. Galway is a great city, the centre is really walkable and the Roisin Dubh always has good live music on.

The Guinness factory in Dublin has a fantastic tour. It's touristy but I was really impressed with it when we did it a few years ago.

Glendalough in Wicklow is a old monestery ruin and has gorgeous walks around if you get a dry day.

I haven't done Belfast yet so I don't have any tips for there.

Have a fantastic time!

If you’re thinking of doing Belfast, can you also fit in a detour to Donegal and see Donegal Town, the amazing beaches, Malin Head and Tory Island? The whole north is the best part of Ireland IMO, far less crowded than the south, better (toll free) roads and some real sights to discover that other people totally miss on their whistle stop coach tours to the same old places.

Galway is absolutely lovely I agree. Great fun and loads to see. Salthill beach is very near to the city and Galway has a nice atmosphere.

I also agree, Antrim in Northern Ireland is beautiful, especially up near the Giants Causeway and up near Port Stewart and Portrush.

Cork is lovely, you would have a great time in the city and then out to Kinsale, it is a lovely harbour town in Cork, you would get nice food there.

Kerry is absolutely beautiful, gorgeous for a road trip you could go to Killarney and do a bit of the ring of Kerry, it’s so scenic and I’d recommend you go to sneem if you can get that far.

But Waterford is probably the nicest county of all in Ireland, it’s just lovely if you can get there.

You will have a great time and enjoy it and please come back again x

If you are there over the halloween period, the halloween festival in Derry/Londonderry is a must-do https://derryhalloween.com/

Easy to tack on to the NI North coast or Donegal as previously recommended (having said that, if travelling in to Rosslare, the north is a bit of a trek)

Do you need to take your own car? Can you fly into Belfast and hire a car?

I would do Belfast (Titanic, crumlin gaol which would have Halloween activities on), then up the cost to giants causeway and carrick a rede. Then on round to Derry.

Will it not be awful cold and dark at that time of year? Particularly if you want to do anything outdoors.

Also don't underestimate the amount of driving vs actually seeing and doing stuff.

Yes, it’s not the best time for a road trip to any part of Ireland.

If you come into Rosslare and have a hire car, then I recommend Wexford-Waterford- Kilkenny- Dublin- back home.

My suggestion is always to skip Dublin (especially as you’ve been there before), get across to Galway, and then make your way down through Clare, Kerry and Cork, and fly home from there. But the trip I’m envisaging would lose a lot if visibility is minimal.

The Púca festival will be on in Meath (Trim & Athboy) at that time. That might be of interest to you. Lots on there.

Co Antrim coast
Donegal Town & Glenveagh National Park
Galway City
Keem Bay
Kinsale
Dingle

i live in Ireland and really would avoid a road trip at that time of year TBH

The Ring of Kerry.

Absolutely, but if the weather is bad and the clouds are down, it’s just driving on a wet road with nothing to look at.

I also think April to September are the best times to visit Ireland for a road trip, but if you fancy October here is what I would do.
Waterford city is about an hour's drive from Rosslare. It's a charming small city which has a really interesting Viking and Medieval past. It's got lots of guided walks, museums and cosy pubs. If your budget allows stay at the Granville hotel for some old world, chain free charm and hang out in the bar which is very popular with local people.

Take the little car ferry from Passage East across to Hook Head to see one of the world's oldest working lighthouses (the guided tour is fabulous) and walk out on the rocks to see thousands of fossils. Back in Waterford a 10k drive brings you to the pretty fishing village of Dunmore East with a few small but lovely beaches, the best fish and chips in the world and beautiful clifftop walks.
Heading west from Waterford along the Copper Coast there are lots of lovely villages and beaches - Ardmore is beautiful and has a Michelin star restaurant to boot! And hire a bike in Kilmeadan and cycle the greenway back towards Waterford stopping for lunch at Mount Congrove before heading back. There's a stunning coastal drive out to Dungarvan and beyond towards East Cork where you'll find Youghal with gorgeous scenery and beaches, where Moby Dick was filmed and beyond to Shannagarry, Killagh and Castlemartyr which apart from being very picturesque is also foodie heaven with the world famous Ballymalloe at it's heart and a very luxurious spa and hotel if funds aren't an issue! The hotel in Shannagarry is much more budget friendly and is right by the sea with lovely food and welcoming staff.
It's a short drive from there to Cork city which is full of cosy pubs and craic and beyond to West Cork if you fancy.
Nowhere near Belfast I'm afraid but have fun and enjoy wherever you end up going xxx
PS I don't work for Waterford tourism I swear🤣🤣🤣

Yes the weather is not great that time of year, likely wet but not particularly cold. I love autumn and all the colours.

Wow, thank you so much for all the tips

I figured the weather is not going to be the best but it is sort of a spur of the moment(ish) trip, DSis had a bit of holidays and decided to come over from South America. I live in coastal Wales so not unfamiliar with not-so-great weather. We were planning on taking my car - hence Rosslare, my nearest port is Pembroke - but maybe we should just take a flight to Belfast and do a bit of NI this time and leave the proper road trip for some time in the summer? I quite fancy Halloween in Derry now.

The drive from Rosslare to Killarney is lovely. You could stop in Youghal, for lunch. Stay overnight in Killarney, do the pubs, have some seafood chowder, walk through the National Park. Take a drive through the Black Valley.

Then head to Kenmare for a night, From there drive around the Beara Peninsula, ending up in Glengariff. The drive the coast to Kinsale, pass a day or two. Have two nights in Cork to finish . . .