Taking the wife and 11-year old daughter to Ireland for a week next summer. We’re working with a good firm to arrange lodging at some castles and B&BS, and they have provided a good looking list of suggestions. We’re doing our own research as well. My major contribution is to request stop overs at Guiness and Redbreast facilities for tours and tastings.

We’re planning to drive countrysides quite a bit, west and southern coasts.

For those that have been, I’d appreciate any insights and suggestions. Hate to come back and find out we were 10 miles from something unforgettable and missed it...

Thanks

Something on my list is the Flying Boat Museum in Foynes.
They have a full size replica of a Boeing 314 Clipper.
https://www.flyingboatmuseum.com/

There is a lot to see and do there. I've been many times and there is still so much I havent seen. My email is in my profile. I'd be glad to give suggestions based on where you are staying. I love the south east, County Wexford in particular. Hook lighthouse is not to be missed.

In Dublin there is Trinity College, Christ Church Cathedral & my favorite, Jameson.

The actual Jameson distillery, where they actually make the stuff today, is in County Cork. It is definitely a nice place to visit.

If you head to County Cork, I would recommend a visit to Kinsale. It is a beautiful city on the coast in its own right, but also the home of Charles Fort, which is a pretty impressive historical military fort:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsale

Cork itself is also a very beautiful city.

County Cork is also the home to Blarney Castle. Yes the Blarney stone is a bit of a tourist cliche, but I actually found it really cool. Even if you don't kiss the stone itself, just the castle alone is very impressive and provides some really nice views.

This is all southern coast stuff.

Sounds like you’re already going to Jameson Distillery. There’s something in Dublin, but as posted above, you need to go to Midleton, County Cork. Fantastic.

Visit the Rock of Cashel if you’re travelling from Dublin. Kilkenny is neat as is Cobh and Kinsale for seaport towns. I understand that most of our Irish ancestors actually sailed from Cobh.

We also did a train/bus tour to County Clare where my mom’s maternal side came from. Dublin to Limerick by train. Limerick to Ennis, to the Cliffs of Moher, lunch in Doolin. Galway, where my mom’s paternal side is from, and the train from Galway back to Dublin. I highly recommend this trip.

I hope it’s a good firm, not very many B&Bs we stayed in were that great.

If you get to Norhern Ireland, the Crowfield House B&B was fantastic! The Bushmills tour was great in Northern Ireland. The Belfast ship museum with the Titanic stuff was cool.

Didn’t get into Jameson, it was a first come basis at set times. The Guinness tour is cool, more touristy than Bushmills. Skip Blarney, go to the Rock of Cashel and Cahir castle was cool. Trinity College was cool.

Eat at Queen of Tarts in Dublin, right across from Dublin Castle. Kilmainham Gaol was cool, old prison. Temple Bar area is cool, but very crowded so watch your pockets. We tried to stay away from the main touristy areas.

Waterford Crystal was a neat tour.

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Originally posted by Riley:

Eat at Queen of Tarts in Dublin, right across from Dublin Castle.

Sweet baby Jesus yes, this place is amazing in every sense of the word. My wife still dreams about the BLT she got there in the fall of 2010.

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Kilmainham Gaol was cool, old prison.

This was a good tour, especially if you know anything about early 20th Century Ireland and the turmoil with the British.

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Temple Bar area is cool, but very crowded so watch your pockets. We tried to stay away from the main touristy areas.

We try to avoid tourist traps as well, the one exception being Gallaghers Boxty House in Temple Bar. I was skeptical about the recommendation (from our hotel) until our cab driver told us it was one of his favorite places downtown to eat. It was very good.

Outside of Dublin I can wholeheartedly recommend spending a couple days in Kenmare. From there you can drive the popular Ring of Kerry or the less travelled Ring of Beara (stunningly beautiful). If you go stay at Watersedge Guesthouse. We had more fun/pleasure staying here than anywhere else on our trip to Ireland. The owners were genuinely great people and made you feel very much at home. There are also a number of excellent restaurants in town; we ended up at Packie's and were not disappointed.

Along the way, wherever you are, take the opportunity to pop in to the local pubs for a bite at lunch or drink around diner. Especially at night these places come alive with great music and the chance to meet and talk with the locals isn't to be missed. This isn't the typical bar scene as we know it and the presence of an 11 year old shouldn't be out of place especially during the day. Truth be told we met some amazing friendly people on our trip and all because we engaged and started up small talk with folks. The stories they told and the laughs that we shared are the most lasting memories to me.

Enjoy it, you're going to love it.

Rent a small car! Roads are tight.

Do NOT kiss the Blarney Stone...

Dingle Peninsula is a must see. Lots of medieval and pre-medieval sites. Great views from Connor Pass. The Pax B&B was excellent.

We stayed in Kenmare for a week a couple of springs ago. Although we were with friends in a rented house with a kitchen, all we did was make breakfasts since the other couple's wife wanted to blog about the food.

Irish cuisine has advanced enormously in the two decades since my wife and I first visited. The restaurants in Kenmare we tried were all excellent for either lunch or dinner.

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Originally posted by offgrid:
Rent a small car! Roads are tight.

Once I had mastered driving on the left, I found the secondary and tertiary roads a lot more interesting than the single digit "N" roads and now the hub and spoke "M" motorways which have been built in the last 8 or so years.

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Originally posted by CQB60:
Do NOT kiss the Blarney Stone...

Google the word "garderobe"

My wife and son spent 10 days in Ireland this past June--I knew the Guiness Tour was a big hit.
Will check with them.