I have a tentative itinerary and would like to get opinions on how doable this is. This is for a trip I have planned in May. I've been to Ireland two other times, but have had a car because I went with someone who felt comfortable driving there. This time I won't have a car, as I don't feel comfortable driving so this will be a new experience that I know will add travel time to my itinerary. I normally like to do 3 nights anywhere I go and this itinerary only has 2 nights, so that's already making me think this is going to be too rushed. On top of this, I've just found out I need to cut one day out of this because we're leaving sooner than I thought we were. Suggestions would be appreciated.
Day 1 (Monday) - Arrive in Dublin around 10am, take train to Galway to meet up with the rest of my party (I know there's a bus and I've taken the bus before but would prefer train this time). Day in Galway.
Day 2 (Tuesday) - Galway
Day 3 (Wednesday) - Train to Killarney. We want to visit Muckross House and Farms and Kerry Woolen Mills (in Beaufort) while in the area. Overnight in Killarney.
Day 4 (Thursday) - Killarney and above. Overnight in Killarney.
Day 5 - (Friday) Limerick. Would like to visit Bunratty Castle and Folk Village while in the area. Main reason for going to Limerick is that some of my family immigrated to the US from there and it's close to Bunratty, where my daughter wants to go. Don't necessarily need to do King John's Castle (I've already been there but haven't seen anything else in Limerick area).
Day 6 (Saturday) - Limerick
Day 7 (Sunday) - Train to Cork/Cobh. Main reason for visit to this area is also because this is where my ancestors immigrated from. Would like to visit the port and stay in Cobh.
Day 8 (Monday) - Cobh
Day 9 (Tuesday) - Waterford. Again, I have ancestors who immigrated from Waterford. Would like to visit Waterford Crystal while we're there.
Day 10 (Wednesday) - Waterford
Day 11 (Thursday ) - Train to Dublin. Visit Trinity College and the National Museum, EPIC Irish Immigration Museum while in Dublin.
Day 12 (Friday ) - Dublin
Day 13 (Saturday) - Original flight back to US. Just found out this has been moved to Friday.
Non-negotiables for this trip: Bunratty, my daughter really wants to go to the folk village, unless there's something comparable somewhere else. Kerry Woolen Mills because I have an interest in traditional textiles, unless I can find something similar that works better in the itinerary. Cobh, I want to see the port my ancestors departed from.
Finally, I'd really like to do this without taking a group/bus tour if at all possible (to get to Bunratty, for example), but would consider it if it would help get everything done. I might be open to hiring a car/driver for a day or two as well, but I don't have the budget for that for multiple days.
One thing I haven't planned yet is that I'd like to do some sort of boat tour (like the one they do on the Thames in London or on the Seine in Paris), but I'm having trouble finding anything like that. I assume the best place to do that would be from Limerick on the Shannon?
Thank you for any suggestions.
