Road Trip Around Ireland - Ideas?

massdebater

So I'm doing a 10 day road trip round ireland at the end of august and looking for ideas of where to go. I'm irish but live overseas so don't get much of a chance to see the place these days. I've been to every county before but never really done any touristy things (cliffs of moher, guinness factory, blarney stone etc) so I'd like to do some of the best ones. I will have a car if that makes a difference.

My first 5 days I will be travelling with a girl from sydney (from tinder) who's never been to ireland before (I've never met her before either but will meet her in london a couple of days before she's due to fly here). Note if she's a complete fruitcake I'll do the first 5 days myself but I'm pretty sure she'll be joining me. The second 5 days I have friends from cork and donegal joining me.

I guess the west coast is best for most of the time but I don't care where I go really. I'm from co. monaghan if that makes a difference. Help me AH!

mcneil

massdebater wrote: »

So I'm doing a 10 day road trip round ireland at the end of august and looking for ideas of where to go. I'm irish but live overseas so don't get much of a chance to see the place these days. I've been to every county before but never really done any touristy things (cliffs of moher, guinness factory, blarney stone etc) so I'd like to do some of the best ones. I will have a car if that makes a difference.

My first 5 days I will be travelling with a girl from sydney (from tinder) who's never been to ireland before (I've never met her before either but will meet her in london a couple of days before she's due to fly here). Note if she's a complete fruitcake I'll do the first 5 days myself but I'm pretty sure she'll be joining me. The second 5 days I have friends from cork and donegal joining me.

I guess the west coast is best for most of the time but I don't care where I go really. I'm from co. monaghan if that makes a difference. Help me AH!

Go west, its beautiful over there!

Been thinking a wee trip around the country myself with the misses and kids but worried about all them crazy drivers ya see on the roads

exaisle

You could do a roadtrip along the Wild Atlantic Way....runs all the way down the west coast..

il gatto

massdebater wrote: »

So I'm doing a 10 day road trip round ireland at the end of august and looking for ideas of where to go. I'm irish but live overseas so don't get much of a chance to see the place these days. I've been to every county before but never really done any touristy things (cliffs of moher, guinness factory, blarney stone etc) so I'd like to do some of the best ones. I will have a car if that makes a difference.

My first 5 days I will be travelling with a girl from sydney (from tinder) who's never been to ireland before (I've never met her before either but will meet her in london a couple of days before she's due to fly here). Note if she's a complete fruitcake I'll do the first 5 days myself but I'm pretty sure she'll be joining me. The second 5 days I have friends from cork and donegal joining me.

I guess the west coast is best for most of the time but I don't care where I go really. I'm from co. monaghan if that makes a difference. Help me AH!

The car will make a difference alright. Faster and easier on the feet than walking.
Apart from that, the usual, Kerry, West Cork, Clare and Connemara are all lovely. If you want somewhere with less tourist but still loads to see, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal are worth a look. Loads of scenery that most people don't seem to know about. Achill, Downpatrick Head, Lough Gill, Glencar, Dartry mountains, Glenveigh, Glencolumcille, The Rosses,
Please come. Bring money.

thee glitz

il gatto wrote: »

Kerry, West Cork, Clare and Connemara are all lovely. If you want somewhere with less tourist but still loads to see, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal are worth a look. Loads of scenery that most people don't seem to know about. Achill, Downpatrick Head, Lough Gill, Glencar, Dartry mountains, Glenveigh, Glencolumcille, The Rosses,
Please come. Bring money.

Don't forget Lovely Leitrim. The drive from Rosses Point to Fundoran is spectacular. Equally so is the the road back towards Manorhamilton, Dromahair etc.

Uriel.

Really hope not to see a missing persons bulletin about a girl from Sydney who was travelling with a strange man from Ireland..

il gatto

thee glitz wrote: »

Don't forget Lovely Leitrim. The drive from Rosses Point to Fundoran is spectacular. Equally so is the the road back towards Manorhamilton, Dromahair etc.

I felt bad leaving it out but I wanted my post to be taken seriously. People who aren't from the north west just don't "get" Leitrim. I blame Dustin.

Aglomerado

Loop Head in Clare's spectacular.

(not biased, it's gorgeous).

Very Bored

The coast road from Belfast to Derry is awesome, you get to see (stop at?) the Giant's Causeway on the way as well.

mahamageehad

Irelands actually pretty small if you're travelling by car. We spent 5 days a few years ago in a road trip, we went to every county (32) and took a pic with the county sign and went to the main nice tourist thing in the county if possible. Overnighted in Belfast, Donegal, Galway, Killarney and Cork. Was great craic and having the theme kinda helped us keep going on hungover mornings.

PowerToWait

If going to west Cork, as I'm sure you will, you MUST go across the Sheep's Head peninsula. Some of the most dramatic coastline you'll see anywhere imo.

Your own county and others surrounding it are pretty great in places too don't forget! Armagh at that time will be well worth a visit.

whiskeyman

Spend all 10 days in Leitrim, Longford and Roscommon...

diomed

whiskeyman wrote: »

Spend all 10 days in Leitrim, Longford and Roscommon...

Cruel.

Hande hoche!

Sit in traffic outside Adare for an hour. Although Castletownsend and West Cork is gorgeous.

Last year I did Rosslare - West Cork. Stopped in Dungarvan, Glendore, Union Hall, Kinsale, Skibbereen, Baltimore & Sherkin Island and in Ardmore on the way back.

Ardmore I hated, was in a couple of cafes/restaurants and found the staff in them to be rude and obnoxious. Wouldn't go back.

All of West Cork was absolutely amazing. The people, the scenery, the food, the pubs! Kinsale was my favourite. If you're going there stay in Desmond House B&B. The owner Michael is Captain Birdseye himself, the nicest man you'll ever meet. The yummiest breakfast, and the comfiest of rooms (mine had a Jacuzzi bath!!!). Hire a bike (I had mine with me) and cycle to Charles Fort, have lunch in The Bullman. If it's good weather you can sit outside, it's right on a tiny cove

Baltimore is so pretty, don't be tempted to go on the castle tour, particularly if you have foreign guests, it's embarrassing take the boat to one of the Islands, I went to Sherkin, stunning place, you can hire bikes on the Island and go exploring. Have one of the many beaches all to yourselves

Check out beautiful The Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare, visit Lahinch, and Doolin.

Galway city is just the loveliest chilled fun place. Definitely a place to bring visitors Have a pint in O'Connells pub on Eyre Square!

Go to Sligo and take a walk up The Glen, climb Knocknarea and take in the spectacular Atlantic Ocean views. Go to Strandhill - have breakfast in Shells ice cream in Mammy Johnsons . Drive out to Rosses Point and have a pint in Harry's.

Get surf lessons in Bundoran (or maybe Mullaghmore if you're a bit more adventurous!). Go for a walk on Rossnowlagh beach, have the NICEST Guinness in the Sandhouse hotel. Drive along the beach (not if you've had the Guinness of cours) to Smuggler's Inn and eat mussels on a hilltop with the most amazing view of the bay.

Take a spin to Slieve League, either take a boattrip to view the cliffs from below, or take a walk across the mountain to look down from the viewing point. Pet some sheep on the way if you're brave enough!

Take your guest to the Dunfanaghy Famine Exhibition for an Irish History Lesson.

Go to the Inishowen Peninsula and stand on the edge of the world! Drive the coast to the Giant's Causeway, take a walk across the Carrick a Rede rope bridge. (bonus points if it's a windy day!).

There's so many things I haven't even touched on!!! And that's just the west coast. God but I do love Ireland

The Backwards Man

FailteIreland appear to have hacked whoops' account.

OP, take her to Donegal, we'll do the rest.

NachoBusiness

Don't forget to take her up the Áras.

Menas

The Backwards Man wrote: »

FailteIreland appear to have hacked whoops' account.

OP, take her to Donegal, we'll do the rest.

But not Bundoran. Rest of Donegal is nice, just not Bundoran.

Areyouwell

massdebater wrote: »

Road Trip Around Ireland - Ideas?

Stay on the West coast and stay away from the east.

I'd do it as follows...Donegal-Sligo-Mayo-Galway-Clare-Kerry-Cork

The Backwards Man

Menas wrote: »

But not Bundoran. Rest of Donegal is nice, just not Bundoran.

It's a little known fact that the people of Leitrim diverted the River Drowes in the middle of the night in 1878 to move Bundoran into Donegal, and the wastards won't take it back.

catallus

Would it be overly lazy to suggest doing it on google-maps, that way you don't even have to leave your house?

wrmwit

Deleted User wrote: »

Galway city is just the loveliest chilled fun place. Definitely a place to bring visitors Have a pint in O'Connells pub on Eyre Square!

I second that. O'Connells is a great spot.

If you find yourself in Cliften, head out the Sky Road and onto Lower Sky Road. The views are some of the best in the world.

Triboro

Menas wrote: »

But not Bundoran. Rest of Donegal is nice, just not Bundoran.

Was up at the sea sessions there and had a great time, lovely people!

mikom

massdebater wrote: »

My first 5 days I will be travelling with a girl from sydney (from tinder) who's never been to ireland before (I've never met her before either but will meet her in london a couple of days before she's due to fly here). Note if she's a complete fruitcake I'll do the first 5 days myself but I'm pretty sure she'll be joining me. The second 5 days I have friends from cork and donegal joining me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y83l9TNgQS8

SEPT 23 1989

My advise when travelling through the midlands is to stay on the road and beware the moon

Akrasia

If you find yourselves down around caherdaniel in Kerry, it would be rude not to go over to Skellig Michael. (unless them star wars lads have booked the whole place out) You'd need to book a few days in advance though to make sure you have a spot on a boat.

It's also not too far away from Valentia Island either which is lovely (there's a bridge so you don't need to worry about booking a ferry or boat to get there)

Dirty Dingus McGee

Forget about all that flashy scenery in the west,

A trip around Ireland is not complete without a trip to Offaly and it's beautiful boglands.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Last year I did Rosslare - West Cork. Stopped in Dungarvan, Glendore, Union Hall, Kinsale, Skibbereen, Baltimore & Sherkin Island and in Ardmore on the way back.

Ardmore I hated, was in a couple of cafes/restaurants and found the staff in them to be rude and obnoxious. Wouldn't go back.

All of West Cork was absolutely amazing. The people, the scenery, the food, the pubs! Kinsale was my favourite. If you're going there stay in Desmond House B&B. The owner Michael is Captain Birdseye himself, the nicest man you'll ever meet. The yummiest breakfast, and the comfiest of rooms (mine had a Jacuzzi bath!!!). Hire a bike (I had mine with me) and cycle to Charles Fort, have lunch in The Bullman. If it's good weather you can sit outside, it's right on a tiny cove

Baltimore is so pretty, don't be tempted to go on the castle tour, particularly if you have foreign guests, it's embarrassing take the boat to one of the Islands, I went to Sherkin, stunning place, you can hire bikes on the Island and go exploring. Have one of the many beaches all to yourselves

Agree fully with the West Cork thing...just not Sherkin. I find it pretty flat and unexciting. Cape Clear is more interesting, bigger, more to see, much further out etc. Then further west there is Dursey at the end if Beara with its cable car, and in Kerry the Blaskets with their rich history and stunning beach, and the most dramatic of all, the Skelligs.

Dr. Mantis Toboggan

http://www.wildatlanticway.com/home/

Son Of A Vidic

Areyouwell wrote: »

Stay on the West coast and stay away from the east.

I'd do it as follows...Donegal-Sligo-Mayo-Galway-Clare-Kerry-Cork

I would also like to second this proposal.

Capt'n Midnight

If funds are low you could hitch hike. With a fridge.

HeidiHeidi

If you manage to do the entire length of the west coast, I would highly (seriously highly) recommend the Skelligs in Kerry, and Glenveagh National Park in north Donegal.

Been to Skellig Michael once, to Glenveagh many times, and both are my absolutely favourite places in Ireland. Jaw-dropping.

HeidiHeidi

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

If funds are low you could hitch hike. With a fridge.

That's old hat, been done before.

I'd suggest a dishwasher. Or a mattress.

darkpagandeath

exaisle wrote: »

You could do a roadtrip along the Wild Atlantic Way....runs all the way down the west coast..

Yeah the whole road part make it wild :pac:

massdebater

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Some really great ideas here