"One of the greatest things in human life is the ability to make plans. Even if they never come true - the joy of anticipation is irrevocably yours. That way one can live many more than just one life."

Maria Trapp-The Story of the Trapp Family Singers - Ch. 12 p. 4

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

- St. Augustine

Itinerary

When we travel, I always make charts for how many days we'll be gone and what we'll do on each of those days. Then I start filling in boxes, cutting and pasting and deciding how to get the most out of each day of travel time. Vacation and travel time and money are precious commodities for us, so I work hard to get the most out of every 24 hours.

On our Ireland trip we want to see and experience as much of the real rhythm, ambiance, culture and community of the country as we can. So, we've decided NOT to try and see the whole country in our two weeks. We don't have the time to walk or bike the country as many non-tourist travellers do, but we will do what we can to have more quality than quantity in our Ireland sight-seeing.

Again doing Google research of travel blogs and Ireland sites, the recommendations seems to be to not try and do the what the average American does in Ireland - a whirlwind guided tour through the whole country in 10 days. Rather, if you want to actually SEE Ireland and not just stop at the commercialized tourist points, these travelers advise choosing a few key locations and spending a few days in each. Take time to walk around. Take time to hang out at the local pub with the locals. This is the kind of Ireland we're more interested in seeing.

Our trip will focus on Dublin, the South and the West of Ireland. Doug would like to get some kind of feel for the political mess that has been Belfast for the last 50 years, so we'll spend one day driving up there and looking around.

Here's our plan:

Day & Date
Sat May 7th
Day 1
Sun May 8th
Day 2

Mon May 9th
Day 3

Tues May 10th
Day 4

Wed May  11th
Day 5
Thurs May 12th
Day 6
Fri May 13th
Day 7

Sat May 14th
Day 8

Place
NYC
Mother’s Day
NYC to Ireland
Belfast
Dublin
Dublin
Dublin
Kilkenny

Travel Time
All day flight
Local only
All night flight
Local public transport
Train 2 hrs
No travel
Day Tour
3 ½ hrs. drive sightseeing to Kilkenny
Accommodation
Airbnb House
Airbnb House
Airplane
Priceline Belfast
Goals to See
Fly to NYC 7:55am-10:57pm
Breakfast
*Brooklyn Tabernacle
*Greenwood Cemetery
Brooklyn waterfront
*Grimaldi’s
*Battery Park
*Central Park
*Serendipity
* Tenement Museum
McSorley’s Pub
Email B&B’s to confirm, esp Dingle
Leave for airport  6pm
Fly to Belfast 9:25pm
Arrive 9:00am
*Black Taxi Tour
Milltown Cemetery
Stormont
Train to Dublin – 2 hrs.
*Trinity College
*Historical Walking Tour 3pm
Ha’Penney Bridge
Grafton St.
Shopping
Temple Bar in the evening?
*1916 Walking Tour 11:30am
*Killmainham *Guinness
*Literary Pub Crawl in the evening (7pm)
Personalized *Boyne Valley Tour
*Re-pack
Find picnic lunch for next day
*Powerscourt
*Glendalough
Sun May 15th
Day 9
Mon May 16th
Day 10
Tues May 17th
Day 11

Wed May 18th
Day 12
Thurs  May 19th
Day 13

Fri May 20th
Day 14
Sat May 21st
Day 15
Sun May 22nd
Day 16
Mon May 23rd
Day 17
Tues May 24th
Day 18
Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Waterford
Kenmare

Dingle

Ashley Estate

Ashley Estate
Dromoland Castle
NYC
Flying Home
Local driving only
2 ½ hrs. sightseeing
Local only
4 hrs driving to Kenmare
1 hr to Dingle
Incl. Muckross
3 hrs. from Dingle
No travel
2 ½ hrs. hrs/roundtrip
Flying to NYC (JFK)





Airport Hotel
Home
*Kilkenny
*Kells Priory
Jerpoint Abbey 
*Rock of Cashel
*Cahir Castle

*Waterford Glass
*Castle Grounds
2hrs drive
*Cobh
*Blarney Castle
2 hrs to Kenmare

See piece of *ROK when driving through Moll’s Gap to Killarney
*Muckross House
Ross Castle?
*Dingle Peninsula
Dinner at Ashley Estate

*Fishing
Relax
*Galway Day Trip
*Fly out of Shannon to NYC
1pm
Be at airport by 10:30am
Fly from NYC to Oregon
7:00am-2:15pm