Hi everyone! hoping to get some local/traveler insight before I lock things in.
We’ll be in Ireland April 25 – May 1 (6 nights / 7 days). We arrive in Dublin at 10:30 AM on Friday, the 25th, and fly out Thursday, May 1, at 10:00 AM, so we need to be back in Dublin the night before.
Plan is to spend the first 2 days in Dublin without a car, then pick up a rental car as we leave the city and explore the west/south.
Right now, I’m torn between Galway vs Kerry, and whether I’m trying to do too much for the timeframe.
Current rough idea:
- Apr 25–26: Dublin (city sights, Guinness, walking, pubs — no car)
- Apr 27: Pick up car, drive west
- Apr 27–29: Either
- Base in Galway (city, Cliffs of Moher, Connemara / Aran Islands), or
- Base in Killarney/Kerry (Ring of Kerry, Dingle, national park)
- Apr 30: Drive back to Dublin, stay overnight
- May 1: Fly home at 10 AM
Questions:
- For this timeframe, is it better to commit to Galway OR Kerry, rather than trying to squeeze both?
- If you had to pick one region for late April, which would you choose and why?
- Is 2–3 nights in Galway actually enough to justify Cliffs + Connemara, or does that still feel rushed?
We’re more interested in scenery, nature, culture, and atmosphere than checking boxes. Totally fine skipping places if it makes the trip more enjoyable.
Commit to 1. Galway is closer but Kerry is gorgeous. Not worth doing both in 5 days or less.
Galway. Easier drive to get there.
Day A Explore Galway City post drive from DUB
Day B Explore Connemara et al
Day C Drive to Doolin and Cliffs of Moher. Return to DUB
DUB
I’d go to Galway and skip the cliffs. You’ll have more fun doing a day trip by boat to Inish Mor.
Or alternatively- fly Dublin - Kerry. Hire a car there, do Ring of Kerry and Dingle peninsula if you have time. Fly back to Dublin on evening before you fly home. Would save a lot of hassle.
Yeah you can’t do Galway and Kerry in the time frame, choose Galway it’s closer and easier to get to. 2-3 nights in Galway it’s fine
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I think you should pick 1. Both are great places to see. I'm from Galway. It's a good base and plenty to see and enjoy a few days. Kerry is also beautiful and well worth seeing Killarney, ring of Kerry and all that. From either base you can check out Cliff's of Moher. I just think if you try to do both which you could it would mean a lot of driving and maybe your not getting to enjoy it fully. It's about relaxing and enjoying the slower pace of life and doing random things. If you pack too much in I don't think you get the full benefit. Just my personal opinion
Was just in Ireland for 2 weeks for my honeymoon last June! If needing to pick - Galway and Aran Islands! WOW. Galways is one of my favorite cities and the experiences around the Saran Islands hold a special place in my heart for the cultural connections to the land. So that’s my vote!
If you manage to have extra time, Dingle was also a gem!!!
Just saying hi to a fellow traveler who will be there the same time we are! Just booked our flights for a similar timeframe.
I did 8 days and 7 nights back in March.
Arrived in Dublin, essentially went from the airport straight to the Guinness Storehouse, did dinner and spent the night.
The next day I took the train to Galway and spent three nights there. I loved Galway and would head back to Ireland just to go there. Ate at a lot of good restaurants. Did a day trip to Inis Mor and loved it even more; looking to spend a night there in the future.
After those three nights I took the train to Killarney and spent two nights there. Mostly came here as a base for a Ring of Kerry tour. That tour was awesome. Killarney? I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it. Glad I did it for ROK but probably would never go back. Just doesn’t scratch the travel itch I have. I think the ROK tour guide said it’s the center of tourism for the country and it felt like it.
Then took the train back to Dublin for one more day/night before departure.
TL;DR: Make your base in Galway, do Inis Mor, and anything else in proximity to the city that makes sense.
Great feedback! Thank you
If you choose to go to Inis Mor and can handle body mutilation and you haven’t seen it already, watch The Banshees of Inisherin before going. Pretty much why I chose to do an Aran Island.
Although note that a lot of the movie was filmed in Achill Island even though it is meant to be an Aran island.
Yes apologies I didn’t mean to make it sound like it was solely filmed on Inis Mor.
No worries. It’s a great film, I’ve watched it several times.
You can’t do both Kerry and Galway. And you’d need to refine things down a bit even at that. Not feasible to pack Killarney and dingle if you go Kerry. Not feasible to squeeze in cliffs and Aran islands in Galway. Slow down! Ireland will always be here for you!
This doesn’t answer your question as I’m from Dublin but try get out to Howth for a few hours if the weather is clear, it’s lovely.
If you like fish and chips, get a Beshoffs while out there too!
Have a great time 💚
Kerry, every time. Do you particularly want to see Dublin or is that just where your flight is landing? Look at Kerry airport though it's unlikely you'll get a flight there, but Shannon airport is only about 1.5 hours from Kerry.
Based on my trip in ‘24, you could do a day in Killarney National Park and Gap of Dunloe and a day at Moher and driving around the Burren.
Ireland is very, very small.
How many days total were you in Ireland, and where did you base out of?