Where to visit for a week in Ireland in summer?

[Mollytohiding]

You can tell i'm avoiding all Xmas festivities by posting twice about holidays in a row!

We'd like to come to Ireland in the Summer for a week (us, DS15).

I have only ever been to Dublin. Any thoughts on nice places to visit? Lovely natural beauty, but also nice places to eat/stay etc.

Donegal, the Wild Atlantic Way, is just superb.

Kittys Kayaks in Falcarragh, climb Errigal mountain, visit Ards monastery and walk down to their pine tree beach, have a meal at Danny Minnie’s.

There is loads of nature and loads of culture, you cannot go wrong.

Second vote for Sligo and the Wild Atlantic Way, absolutely beautiful.
We went for a week in August, rained every day.

I was going to suggest basing yourself in Fermanagh. Enniskillen is a great town, loads of water based activities, good accommodation and great food options. Plenty of other things to do in the county from Marble Arch caves, ancient monastic round towers and islands, beautiful National Trust houses and gardens to the stairway to heaven and if you drive day trips to Donegal or Sligo. The Wild Atlantic way can be really touristy busy in the spring/summer so this way you can dip in and out.

Another vote for Cork area. Cobh and Kinsale are also very easy to reach by public transport from Cork city. Cork also has a fab mid-summer festival, although maybe too early in summer for you.

I loved Co Clare and Co Galway, you can fly to Shannon Airport. We stayed in The Burren area (a village called Kilfenora) and went to Ennis, Lisdoonvarna, Ennistymon, The Cliffs of Moher and Ailwee caves. We then drove to Galway and flew to the Aran Islands for a day and did a tour of Inishmore. Otherwise County Wicklow and the surrounding mountains are beautiful, we stayed in Bray and went to Avoca where Ballykissangel was filmed.

Galway

The south east is a lot drier than the west in general...but still no guarantees either way. Being a bit flexible to move location is good...though some days it's raining everywhere. And other days it's absolutely gorgeous.

West Cork and the Ring of Kerry. Magical.

If you decide to go to Sligo and work up or down from there, stop here

https://loughkey.ie

Thank you all so much, will give it some time in next few days

Head over by ferry to Belfast and do Giants Causeway and/or the rope bridge first thing before the crowds appear, then head to Derry to see the sights, good pubs etc. Then head to Donegal just over the border, stay in Dunfanaghy for beaches, amazing views up the hill, pubs. Swim in the bay at Portnablagh and do sauna. Love it round there! Spoilt for choice in Donegal for clean, and lots of quiet beaches

I would go either west (a day or two in Galway city and then a few days in Connemara) or else south-west (specifically, west Cork). They're both really stunning parts of the country and there's lots to do in both areas.

There’s a reason why Ireland is so green. 😝

I love cork especially the Beara peninsula

I rented a car in Dublin and enjoyed a week in Wicklow and Wexford staying in one of the self-catering apartments at Wilton Castle (near Enniscorthy). It was utterly fabulous! A great location (as long as you’re happy driving) as it’s within easy reach of lots of places but also a stunning place to stay.

https://wiltoncastleireland.com

The owner Sean is so welcoming, and his wife will come in and make a cooked breakfast for you every morning if you don’t fancy doing it yourself! The apartments (4 in total) are beautiful, as are the grounds. I would love to go back.

Connemara is one of the most beautiful places in the world in my opinion. We went during the UK May half term which isn’t a holiday in Ireland so it was very quiet. We were also very lucky with the weather which was glorious sunshine. I love Ireland.