Hello Donna,
It's wonderful to hear that you're planning a visit to our shores!
The public transport system here in Ireland is very robust and comprehensive! It's absolutely possible to travel around our island without having to rent a vehicle.
In fact, I'd recommend this article on our website that's all about travelling across Ireland using
public transportation. It has some incredible advice and helpful resources. One of my favourites is
Transport for Ireland, where you can put in your starting and ending location, and it'll plan out your transportation options - including different options by bus or by train. Looking at your options, it does seem it would be quicker to take a bus from Sligo to Belfast, rather than a train back through Dublin to Belfast.
In addition, you may be interested in checking out
Bus Éireann for more information about bus routes and other options.
I do hope that this helps!
Is there anywhere else that's caught your eye? I'd love to hear more about your plans for this upcoming visit!
Warmly,
Rochelle