Multi-day stays in smaller towns

Hello from Canada!

My husband and I are planning a 14 day trip to Ireland in August.  We fly in and out of Dublin, and plan to stay in the city (without a vehicle) for 2-3 nights, before renting a car and exploring.

We do not relish sleeping in a different place every single night of our trip, but would also like to see as much as possible without "pushing it".   We prefer smaller, interesting towns vs. bigger urban centres as well, so are looking for recommendations for towns that are central to the areas we wish to visit.

The areas we hope to hit on this trip are:
Kilkenny
Waterford
Cork
Ring of Kerry
Cliffs of Moher
Connemara
Belleek
Giant's Causeway
Belfast

Any recommendations for central, picturesque towns to stay in that would be perhaps pivot points to some of these areas would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Hello Karen,

A trip to see us in August is a wonderful way to spend 14 days on a vacation!

After your time in Dublin, a super place to stay and be able to visit Waterford, Kilkenny, and Cork would be around the Clonmel area. I have pre-selected some approved B&B accommodation on our approved accommodation search page for you to have a look at.

Moving on towards The Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Adare would be another wonderful choice, a beautiful place to explore and a suitable base for a couple of days.

For Connemara and Belleek, a stay in Ballina or the surrounding area will enable you to find some super places to visit before heading up to Ballymoney for the final part of your tour of the island of Ireland.

Please feel free to change the type of accommodation and location to best suit your needs.

Have you already plans for what to see and do in Dublin for the first few days?

Speak soon,

Hi Martin,

Thank you so much for these suggestions!  These B&Bs are more along the lines of what I was imagining when I was thinking of accommodations in Ireland.  Of course we want to see the sights in the cities, but we are much more into visiting with local people, shopping in local markets and artisan shops, and being out in nature where we can walk each day.

With regards to Dublin, we are just securing our accommodation in the St. Stephen's area.  That seemed like a logical and central place for us to stay in the city!  As I mentioned, we won't have a vehicle for the first few days and from that area I feel we will be able to walk to most of the sights; Dublin Castle, National Museum, Trinity College, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Temple Bar etc.

One thing we would also like to do while in Dublin is hit up a rugby game if the time of year is right :).  My husband used to play and I love to watch as well, but recognize that it may be too early in the season to see a game.  Any advice on how and where to get tickets would also be greatly appreciated, along with any other suggestions for must-see sights in Dublin.

Thanking you in advance for any and all advice!

Karen

Hi Karen,

Dublin is a wonderful city to walk around and the public transport system is excellent too! The DoDublin hop on hop off bus is also available, combining admission to the attractions along with an easy transport solution.

The St Stephen's area is a perfect location to stay to see all of the major attractions of the city, a wonderful park for a walk as well.

If you would like to see a few places just outside the city, we have an excellent article on 10 Day trips from Dublin, many of which can be taken without a car.

With regards to seeing a Rugby match, please have a look at the Irish Rugby website for information on fixtures and where to buy tickets. It is a little early to say if there will be a game on during your visit, but please check back with them closer to the date.

Martin