Ireland Driving Itinerary | Ireland - Lonely Planet Forum

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Sat, 19 Apr 2014 15:59:07 +0000

Hi folks,

My family and I are off to Ireland this summer. I was curious if anyone had concerns/suggestions about our itinerary and I have a few related questions as well.

Dublin - 2 days
Hire car - stop in Kilkenny for lunch
Cobh/Kinsale/Drombeg - 2 days
Drive to Doolin via ?? - 1 day
Doolin - 3 days (Cliffs of Mohr, Burren, Inis Oirr)
Drive to Dublin via ?? - 1 day
Fly home

I know we'll have maybe 3 longer driving days but also like having some time to relax too (especially since we are traveling with our five year old). We like historic and scenic. Any suggestions or anything semi-close to this route we might be missing?

We'll be in Cohb one night then want to drive to Drombeg Circle and Kinsale. Rather than return to Cobh for a second night (which isn't convenient to N20), can anyone recommend a nice town to stay after driving Cobh-Drombeg-Kinsale? I'd love something convenient to N20 but not sure I want to head into Cork City (more costly and the short evening stay wouldn't do it justice)... should we just stay in Kinsale? Anywhere else spring to mind?

On the day we drive to Doolin, we'd love somewhere to stop for lunch or take a break. I was thinking Bunratty Castle but I'd read some stuff and talked to some people about it that makes it seem a little too over-the-top for us. I don't mind touristy places but maybe somewhere a little less so. Any recommended stopping places between West Cork and County Clare?

It might seem like a long time in Doolin but we know people there.

We'll have a day to drive back to Dublin area for our flight the next day. How about a fun stopping point between County Clare and Dublin? Clonmacnoise Abbey looks interesting. Is that enjoyable ? Any other thoughts?

Thanks so much for your time!!

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Thu, 24 Apr 2014 16:50:26 +0000

Hi sonichaggis,

You have already highlighted the main observation which is you have 2 long drives.
How attached are you to the stop in Kilkenny for lunch?
If you wanted to skip it, then you could go to Cork via the M7 & M8 which would have you in Cork in 2.5 hours and I'd probably then go on to Kinsale instead of Cobh. You could do Drombeg the next day and then come back to Cobh. You would be nearer Doolin in Cobh than in Kinsale.
Fota Hotel in Cork is a beautiful 5star hotel very near Cobh but right near the N25 which links to Cork City and easy access to the N20.

If you want to stick to your plan I'd change the order of Cobh-Drombeg-Kinsale to Cobh-Kinsale-Drombeg. Drombeg is quite a distance further west than Kinsale.

Just my thoughts.

Edited by jimmyw123

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Fri, 25 Apr 2014 00:35:28 +0000

Hi Jimmyw123,

Thanks so much for the reply! I am not wedded to stopping in Kilkenny - we just thought it would be a nice halfway point to stretch our legs and have some lunch, otherwise it is a long drive to Cork/Cobh. I do indeed like your idea of staying in Kinsale first and taking a more direct route (rather than going via Kilkenny). We'll take a good look at our itinerary again to see what makes the most sense. Any recommended places to stop between Dublin and Cobh/Kinsale (aside from taking the longer road via Kilkenny)?

Thanks!
SH

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Tue, 13 May 2014 19:45:42 +0000

In response to #2

Theres barely a highway stop on that road. It really is only 2.5 hours though, almost the same amount of time it takes to drive to Kilkenny, so if you can make Kilkenny, you can make Cork.
Overall I think you have the best itinerary I've seen so far. On the way back from Doolin you could stop at rock of Cashel/Cahir Castle, the less direct route goes this way, and its only 30 mins or so longer over all (exc. stop off obvs).
Make sure and go to fora Island even if you don't stay in the hotel. Sometimes it comes up on special offers though on groupon.ie
This sounds like a really good trip to me!

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