13 Day Driving Tour of Ireland

Day 1: Arrive at Dublin Airport (DUB)

Arrival transfer to your hotel

On arrival, meet your driver outside of baggage claim. Driver will be holding a name sign.

Check in at Dublin Area Hotel

In the afternoon, stretch your legs and visit the Guinness Storehouse

Day 2: Dublin

Dublin Irish Music Pub Visit

The tour commences upstairs at the Oliver St John Gogarty Irish Bar. The meeting point is easy to locate, and your guide will be waiting for you. Gogartys is within walking distance of all major tourist attractions such as Trinity College, Christchurch Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse.

Dublin Traditional Irish Music Pub Crawl 7.30pm:

We start upstairs (First Floor) In Oliver St John Gogartys at 7.30pm. You must be there by 19.15pm to collect your ticket from the Ticket officer on duty

When you arrive at Gogartys you must hand in your voucher and get a Ticket from our ticket officer. Gogartys is the only pub that serves food so if you want to eat you must aim to be finished eating by 19.10.

You will visit three pubs, the first pub is just a meeting point with a short introduction.

The below itinerary is what we work towards but occasionally can change. Please check with your ticket officer on the evening

Depart Pub 1: Gogartys between 19.40 and 19.50 – Depart Pub 2: The Ha’penny Bridge Inn at 20:50 – Tour ends in Brannigans (Bar off O’Connell St) at 22:00 The first two pubs are very close to each other and in Temple Bar, the last pub Brannigans is a 12 minute walk and is on the northside of Dublin, just off Dublin’s Main Street, O’Connell Street. This is 1 minute from the Dublin Spire, the official centre of Dublin city. If you are a slow walker you can get a taxi from the 2nd to the 3rd pub (6 EUR – 10 EUR approximately)

Tour Details

Time: 7.30pm for show only tour

Tour Option Description:

This package includes the show only. Tour starts at 7.30pm. Inclusions:

Private booking and seating in all bars visited

Escorted by two professional and talented musicians

Extensive commentary offered as to the origin and importance of songs

Exclusions:

Gratuities (optional)

Day 3: Dublin – Kilkenny

Check out at Dublin Hotel

Private car transfer to the airport to pick up rental car

Car rental including mileage and insurance.

Drop off at Shannon airport

Self-Drive tour to Kilkenny

Begin your drive tour of Ireland by heading south to Kilkenny, Ireland’s medieval capital. Depending on your route, a few points of interest include:

Einniskerry – a “classic” Irish village

Glendalough Valley – surrounded by the Wicklow mountains with scenic, green rolling hills

Check in at Kilkenny Hotel

Day 4: Kilkenny Free day

Your day is free to explore the local area:

– Smithwicks brewery

– Waterford Crystal factory

– Kilkenny Castle

Day 5: Kilkenny – Killarney

Check out at Kilkenny Hotel

Self-drive to Killarney

After checking out of your hotel, continue your self drive tour to Kilarney with a stop at

Doneraile, County Cork, IE

Check in at Killarney Hotel

Day 6: Killarney Free Day

Take a break from driving and explore the area around Killarney

Blarney Stone

Muckross House

Killarney National Park, Killarney, Co Kerry, IE

Day 7: Ring of Kerry Drive

Visit Ireland’s wild and scenic Kerry area.

The Ring of Kerry is a 111 mile (179 km) coastal road around Ireland’s Iveragh Peninsula. Technically, the Ring of Kerry is the horseshoe shaped N70, but you can take a linking road, the N72, to make a full loop beginning and ending in the town of Killarney. This closed loop covers 133 miles (214 km) in total. Because of its location on the landlocked end of the peninsula, Killarney is a popular base for travelers driving the Ring of Kerry.

If you were to drive directly around the Ring, you could complete the drive in just three and a half hours. Realistically, though, you should set aside at least six to seven hours to make stops along the way, if not longer. If you want to take side trips or explore all the sights along the route, then you could turn the Ring into a two or three-day road trip, staying overnight in one of the villages, like Waterville or Kenmare.

In addition to pulling over to see castles, Celtic ruins, lookout points, and friendly cows and sheep, you could also go hiking, biking, or horseback riding. A popular day trip also takes you out to the Skellig Islands. The larger of the islands, Skellig Michaels, is famous for its 6th century ruins, which were featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Ring of Kerry, Killarney, County Kerry, IE

Rossbeigh, County Kerry, IE

St Finan’s Bay

Skellig Ring, County Kerry, IE

Ballinskelligs, County Kerry, IE

Derrynane House

Off N70, Caherdaniel, KERRY, IE

Day 8: Killarney – Dingle

Check out at Killarney Hotel

Self-drive to Dingle

Drive approximately 1 hour to the cute town of Dingle – gateway to the scenic Dingle peninsula

Check in at Dingle Hotel

Day 9: Slea Head Drive – Dingle Peninsula

The wild and wind-swept Dingle peninsula is one of Ireland’s most scenic drives. Drive (clockwise) on the Slea Head Drive for a “ring” trip around the Peninsula.

Slea Head Drive is roughly 47km, or 30 miles, long, and is a loop drive that begins and ends in the village of Dingle.

If you drive it straight through with minimal stops, it only takes about 3 hours to complete–but to make the most of a trip to Slea Head Drive, you’ll definitely want to spend longer here than that!

Guide to Slea Head Drive/Dingle Peninsula

Dingle Peninsula

Dingle, CO KERRY, IE +353 66 915 1370

Slea Head Drive, County Kerry, IE

Day 10: Dingle – Galway or Connemara

Check out at Dingle Hotel

Self-Drive Cliffs of Moher

Depart Dingle and head north to Galway. In route, stop at the Cliffs of Moher, perhaps Ireland’s most visited site. After your visit continue on to Galway or press on to Connemara area

Cliffs of Moher (Coach Park)

Liscannor, CLARE, IE

Check in at Galway or Connemara area Hotel

Day 11: Galway or Connemara Free day

Your day is free to relax at your hotel and enjoy activities offered by your hotel (depending on selection) or visit the nearby town of Galway or take the scenic Connemara drive

Day 12: Connemara – Limerick

Check out at Connemara area hotel

Self-drive to Shannon and return rental car

Drive to Shannon airport and return the rental car

Take taxi to your hotel in Shannon or Limerick

After dropping off your rental car, take a taxi to your hotel

Check in at Shannon/Limerick Hotel

Day 13: Ireland Departure

Check out of Shannon/Limerick Hotel

Private transfer to the airport

Tour Dates & Prices

This tour is customizable to your dates and budget level. Request a quote today on this tour.