We got a LEAP card for Dublin's transit at the airport and used it to take trains north (Hill of Howth) and south (Dalkey) for day hikes and spent a day wandering Dublin itself. All south of the Liffey. We stayed at one corner of Stephens Green Park, in the O'Callaghan Stephens Green. Very convenient, and a very nice park. People were melting on the sidewalks in the heat wave (80F) and sunburns were everywhere.
We went back to the airport for our rental car and got talked into a BMW 381d. Then off to Skibbereen by car. Fortunately my 3 weeks driving in Tasmania and last year's week in Wales took most of the terror off driving on the left.
We stopped by Blarney Castle along the way - the ~90' wait to go kiss the Blarney Stone was more than we were willing to endure, so we mostly just toured the grounds.
We stayed at a B&B in Skibbereen and set off on two kayak outings with Jim Kennedy's Atlantic Sea Kayaking - to Reen Pier, and a night paddle (10pm - midnight) on Lough Hyne and got to experience its bio-luminescence. The weather broke and we did a day hike to the lighthouse on Sheep's Head Peninsula in thick fog. Rumour had it there was an ocean out there. Still, we were prepared for the weather.
Next up was Killarney National Park. The drive to Killarney is spectacular; the town itself not so much so. We did a day hike on Torc Mountain, and experienced most kinds of weather - fog, drizzle, rain, sun on the way to the top. Great view over the park. I counted some 60 midge bites on my legs afterwards. Deb was not attacked by the little buggers.
The remainder of the trip was centered out of Doolin on the west coast - two kayak outings with North Clare Sea Kayaking and a cliff walk from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre. Our cliff walk was made all the more fun and colourful by our local guide, Pat Sweeney, who helped launch the trail and is very passionate about it. He also owns two of the thirty six farms that surrendered land to allow the trail access to the cliffs.
We ate at the 3 pubs and experienced a couple of nights of great Irish music. Here are samples (fiddle/guitar, fiddle/accordion) of what we heard in Lisdoonvarna at the Roadside Tavern. We also visited the Doolin cave and its Great Stalactite.
