7 day plan for Western Ireland

Any comments on this 7 day plan. I will be travelling on my own next September, bussing it.
Fly into Shannon and stay in Ennis as a base for a few days and do day trips with Barratt tours I think they are called. Read that Ennis is preferable to Limerick?

Then move onto to Doolin, stay as a base, 2 nights. Are there tours companies doing day trip from Doolin?

Out to one of the Aran islands-any suggestions?

Dingle - a night, then Cork for 1 night.
Appreciate your input.

No way you are going to do all of that in 7 days by bus !!!
My suggestion is to stay in the County Clare area for the entire time, are head straight to Dingle and Killarney, are straight to County Galway for 7 days.
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

don't spend too long in ennis...the town is a hole to put it mildly! stay there maybe your first night, visit bunratty castle during the day. head to doolin the next day. see the cliffs...the burren, although i don't think you can get a day tour fom doolin to the burren, willl check that out and get back to you. aran islands, go to inishir....it's beautiful!!! really like stepping back in time. it's so peaceful out there compared to the mainland and the other aran islands. if you're in to camping, there's a campsite right behind the sand dunes at the beach, soooo nice to wake up in the morning, head out for the swim and relax walking around the island for the day. i'd say spend two nights out there. then get return ticket to rosamhil in galway county. you'll get to see some of connemara that way. then spend next night in galway city, then flight home the next day...that's what i'd suggest anyhow! :)

Your trip was ok until you threw in Dingle and Cork for one night each at the end - those are far out of the way (despite how it looks on the map) and bus connections won't be all that direct. An Aran Islands to Dingle bus ride would take at least all day.

Either go to Clare & Galway, or go south to Kerry and Cork. You're better off using Galway as a base than Ennis - its not that far from the Cliffs, Aran Islands and Connemara and you can do alot of tours from there. Best bet is to rent a car if you can - its really not as scary as you may have heard.

I agree with mierman. Make the best out of the short time you have, and forget about spreading yourself too much.

Doolin for 1 night, and traveling by regular BusEireann bus from Doolin to Galway will give you a sample of the Burren without paying for a day tour. If you're hostelling, I heartily suggest the quaint and comfy Aille River Hostel in Doolin.

Being based in Galway, a day trip to Connemara is easily done. From Galway, head to Inis Mór, the closest of the 2 Aran Islands: you get tickets easily from Galway to Rossaveal (1 hr bus) and crossing to the island, and back. If possible, give yourself and the island a chance, and spend the night (there is a hostel and a small tourist office right by the pier in Kilronan where you arrive, and a truckload of B&Bs within short distance) there - magical once the day trippers are all gone. Rent a bike upon arrival € 10 for 24 hours. Otherwise, a whole day trip from Galway will leave you with only 5 hours to "see" the island, and it is not going to do it justice. You might also cross to either Inis Oírr or Inis Mór from Doolin, but the crossings are more weather dependant and rocky than they are from Galway.

Save Dingle for another visit, since you would spend an awful long time to reach it and get away from, and Cork as well.