Originally Posted by
Cavlaw
I spent about 10 days in Ireland in 2007. My usual travel arrangement in English-speaking countries is to get a hotel the first night and the last night in advance of the trip, rent a car, and just stop wherever I am when I'm tired of seeing stuff and get a place to stay. We only "put down roots" in a particular area for more than a day or two if we're particularly impressed.
I'll make a few brief comments/suggestions, based on my trip.
1. You can probably see all you want of Dublin in a day or two. It's a small city, and if you're staying in or around Temple Bar you can easily walk to the main attractions. Take the time to stroll down to St. Stephen's Green, and to peruse the manuscript collection at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle. The cathedrals are nice, too.
2. If you have a car and are driving around the island, be prepared for bad roads and long travel times, despite the short distances, unless you're on the motorways (the M7, M4, etc.). Some of the National Highways are good roads and some are not. Don't be fooled into thinking that it will be like driving in England.
3. Try to make the time to head south out of Dublin on the M11/N11, rather than going west straightaway. Stop at the Powerscourt Estate and Waterfall, and Glendalough park, they're well worth it. Then take R756 through Wicklow Mountains National Park to get back on track towards the west. They're all good roads, and the trip is worth the half- to three-quarters-day diversion.
4. Roads in the southeast are among the worst. If you're a history buff, there are things worth seeing (particularly Kells Monastery), but if you're not you can lose too much time down there navigating around.
5. The cities on the southern coast are nice enough, but if you've not been to Ireland before I would skip Waterford and Cork and get to the west sooner, rather than later. They're nice enough cities, but they don't offer a whole lot that is much different from Dublin.
6. In choosing between the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, if you must choose, a lot of people think Dingle is the better option because it is less well known and less crowded. That's true, but it's also less developed in terms of roads and amenities, and it's not as naturally beautiful as Kerry. If you're smart about it, you can see everything you want around Kerry without hitting bad crowds.
7. Tahila Cove is a terrific B&B on the Ring of Kerry just outside of the town of Tahila. You get around and see everything you want in the area without overpaying for a place in crowded Kilarney. The owners also call around and make reservations for you if you need help. From there, we were able to spend a few days in the area without stressing at all. We went kayaking in Kenmare bay, horseback riding in the inland, took a carriage and a hike through Kilarney National Park, etc. Our Kayaking trip actually launched from the Dingle side of the bay, but we drove down in the morning from Tahila, and then spent that afternoon in Kilarney National Park.
8. If you can make the time and get a boat reservation, the Skellig Islands are a once-in-a-lifetime thing to see. Awe inspiring mountain islands that rise up out of the Atlantic, with a beehive monastery atop from the 4th century. I can't say if your mother could make the climb or not, as it is rigorous (despite a hand-laid stone staircase all the way up the mountain), but if you can break away for a morning, do it).
9. Kenmare is a beautiful town just off the Ring of Kerry, south of Kilarney. Highly recommended stop, particularly on market day.
10. When you head north, consider stopped in Adare, on the road to Limerick. It's a nice little town, and home to the Dunraven Arms Hotel, a top-notch, 4-star hotel. We got lucky, arriving late in the day looking for a double room. They were sold out, and so gave us a princess suite instead at the same rate. Of course, we were there in September, which isn't at the peak of high tourist season, so your mileage may vary.
11. I missed the Cliffs of Moher and the Islands of Inishmore, Inishmaan, etc. and forever regret it. Make the time to see them if you can.
12. Not much to recommend Galway. Industrial town. Consider skipping over it.
13. County Sligo has a surprising amount to offer. Particularly of note are Cairns more then 7,000 years old, set in breathtaking landscapes. We saw quite a few in the morning/afternoon after spending the night at an amazing manor house on a working farm, where we enjoyed a 7-course meal, one of the best I've ever eaten. The name of the manor house escapes me at the moment, but there's much to see.
14. We ran out of time before getting into Donegal, from where my family originates, and I'm a little bummed about that. We also missed Ulter, which would have been another thing to see.
15. On the way back into Dublin for our flight home we saw Newgrange, which is worth the trip. It's an ancient tomb and is remarkable to walk in to. We also saw Ross Castle, where portions of Braveheart were filmed, but we less impressed with that.
That's my general overview, hope you find an item or two in there that inspires you to see something (and that it turns out to have been worth seeing!)