Appreciate everyone's input on this. I think we've settled on a rough agenda of:

Fly into Dublin, spend two-ish days there
Two days in Galway and Cliffs of Moher
Two days in Dingle area
Fly home from Shannon

Given our limited time I don't think we can squeeze in much more than that.

For those who have stayed in castles - any specific recommendations? Dromoland outside of Shannon looks pretty impressive.

I've played a ton of gold at dromoland

Doonbeg is also fabulous

I used to stay at the old ground hotel in Ennis and go out to doonbeg and lahinch from there.

Enjoy

Agenda looks great, I think you will love it. I stayed at Dromoland Castle for only one night in 2022 and it is absolutely amazing and worth a visit if you can make it happen. That said, you definitely need to get on top of your trip planning because things tend to book up over there especially for summer. You definitely want to check availability on things ASAP. The restaurant at the castle was also great. I'm sad I didn't get to spend more time there and utilize more of their amenities but even just going for a run around their grounds was super nice. Another place we stayed a long time ago was Temple House in Sligo which is near Galway. Just a really cool place. Although I love Galway and just staying close to the city where you can walk around is probably better for what you are looking for.

One other little tip I'd add is if you are renting a car, just be aware that their idea of car size over there is different from ours. They are usually smaller. And many of them are manual although I think that automatics are a lot more available than they used to be.

I think you picked a very sensible agenda to follow. Not too much on the plate for the time allotted. Emzee is right about the cars being little, but the roads are pretty narrow and lots of cliffs by the coast. Two big cars and many busses on some of the routes make backing up necessary in the turns. Just get used to it and keep an eye out for wide spots and you should have no problems. Have a great trip.

Dromoland was awesome way back when I stayed there. If you want to see the Guinness, book a few days before you want to go.

We were “this” close to visiting Ireland in August. Florida State is playing their first game in Dublin so we thought that would be a cool thing to do. Then they released the date and it’s the Saturday before the Monday start of classes. The 24 hour turnaround to get GMAN Jr. from Dublin to Tallahassee to start classes wasn’t at all feasible. Had the game been a week earlier we would be there.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

So he misses a day or 2 or sets his schedule for no Monday classes.....

Agreed. It was his call though. I was fine with him missing first day of class. Not like they do much of anything that day.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

One more question - has anyone taken the Irish Rail from Dublin to Galway? I have a rental car reserved in Galway but thought it might be fun and/or easier to take the train over from Dublin. Online reviews for Irish Rail are all over the place but I imagine that's pretty normal for a busy rail network. Looking for any firsthand experience or other suggestions.

Check out seat 61 for reliable info on all things rail

I don't know the answer that's where I go for info on rail travel anywhere

Thanks, he seems to think it's a good way to get from Dublin to Galway.

Wouldn't rent a car. They drive on the "wrong" side of the road so you will be more focused and stressed with driving rather then enjoying the sights. Wife and I thought about it but decided to take the local tour buses instead. Enjoy the sights and you get a guide who knows the area, history etc