Ireland in Low Season — Self-Launched
7 days · Ireland
Travel Chasers charges £940
No-markup version: ~£620 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, low-season loop of Ireland hitting the same beats as the coach tour — Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork and Blarney, Killarney and the Ring of Kerry, Adare, Limerick, the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Connemara and Athlone — but using Irish Rail, Expressway/ Bus Éireann coaches, local day-tour operators and independent hostels and guesthouses. Low season (Nov–Mar, plus late Oct) means cheap hostel beds, near-empty Cliffs of Moher and off-peak rail fares. The big money-saver: skip the coach and the optional-excursion upsells, and book the two unmissable day trips (Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher) direct with local operators. All costs are approximate per-person estimates for one traveller sharing a dorm or budget twin.
Day-by-day
Dublin: Trinity College, St Patrick's and a proper pub night
Dublin
Arrive and check into a city-centre hostel (Barnacles Temple Bar, Generator Dublin or Abigail's all do cheap low-season dorms for £18–25). Walk the compact historic core yourself instead of a coach orientation: Trinity College's Front Square and the Book of Kells, then down Dame Street to St Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church. Late afternoon, join a free walking tour (tips only, ~£5–10) if you want the stories without the group-tour price tag. Evening: pub dinner in a non-Temple-Bar pub (The Lord Edward, The Cobblestone in Smithfield) — a €15–18 stew plus a pint beats the tour's set three-course hotel dinner and costs less.
🚌Dublin Airport to city: Dublin Express or Aircoach ~£7–8 one way; all day-1 sights walkable
🛏Hostel dorm, city centre (e.g. Barnacles Temple Bar / Generator Dublin) — ~£22
- →Trinity College & Book of Kells (book online, ~£16, or just walk the free campus)
- →St Patrick's Cathedral (~£8)
- →Free walking tour (tip-based ~£8)
Dublin to Kilkenny by train, then on to Waterford
Kilkenny / Waterford
Take an early Irish Rail train from Heuston to Kilkenny (~1h40, £12–16 booked online). Drop bags, then wander the medieval mile on foot: Kilkenny Castle grounds (free) and St Canice's Cathedral and round tower (~£7), with lunch in a traditional pub. Mid-afternoon, catch the Bus Éireann/Expressway coach south to Waterford (~1h, £8–10). Check into a Waterford guesthouse or hostel, then visit The House of Waterford Crystal for the workshop tour (~£12–15) and eat along the Quays.
🚌Irish Rail Dublin Heuston–Kilkenny ~£14; Expressway coach Kilkenny–Waterford ~£9
🛏Guesthouse or hostel twin/dorm, Waterford — ~£25
- →Kilkenny Castle & medieval mile walk
- →St Canice's Cathedral & round tower (~£7)
- →House of Waterford Crystal workshop tour (~£13)
Waterford to Cork, Blarney Castle and on to Killarney
Cork / Blarney / Killarney
Bus to Cork (~2h15, £10–13), stash your bag at the bus station or a Cork hostel and spend the late morning on the English Market and St Fin Barre's / the riverside. Local bus 215 runs from Cork city out to Blarney (~30 min, £3) — buy the Blarney Castle ticket at the gate online (~£16) and kiss the stone early to dodge queues. In the afternoon take the Expressway coach Cork to Killarney (~1h30, £12). Settle into a Killarney hostel (The Black Sheep is the backpacker classic), and eat in town.
🚌Waterford–Cork coach ~£11; local bus 215 Cork–Blarney ~£3 each way; Cork–Killarney coach ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm, Killarney (e.g. The Black Sheep) — ~£24
- →English Market & Cork city walk (free)
- →Blarney Castle & Stone (~£16)
Ring of Kerry day trip from Killarney
Killarney / Ring of Kerry
Book the Ring of Kerry day tour direct with a local Killarney operator (Deros Tours, Killarney Day Tour or Gap of Dunloe tours, ~£40–48, cheaper in low season and often discounted for hostel guests). It covers the same ground as the operator's optional excursion: Moll's Gap, Ladies' View, Waterville, the Skellig Ring and Sneem, with an Irish coffee stop. Alternatively, DIY it with the local bus (Bus Éireann 280/281 loop is patchy in winter) — the organised minibus is genuinely better value here. Back in Killarney, walk to Ross Castle and the lakes yourself in the late light (free), or hire a bike (~£12) for Muckross House grounds.
🚌Ring of Kerry minibus day tour included in activity cost; local walking
🛏Hostel dorm, Killarney — ~£24
- →Ring of Kerry day tour (~£45)
- →Ross Castle & Killarney lakes walk (free)
- →Optional jaunting car ride (~£12)
Adare, Limerick and the Cliffs of Moher to Galway
Adare / Limerick / Cliffs of Moher / Galway
Take the early coach Killarney to Adare (~1h30, £9) — the thatched cottages and abbey ruins take an hour on foot. Continue to Limerick by bus (~40 min, £5) for a quick look at King John's Castle exterior and the Treaty Stone, then hop the Expressway route 300 up the coast to the Cliffs of Moher (~1h45, £10; the bus stops at the visitor centre). Low season means you may have the cliffs almost to yourself — pay the visitor centre/ car park fee only if you want the exhibition (~£8). Last bus or a short connection to Galway (~1h30, £10). Check into a Galway hostel in the Latin Quarter.
🚌Coaches Killarney–Adare–Limerick–Cliffs of Moher–Galway ~£34 total
🛏Hostel dorm, Galway Latin Quarter — ~£25
- →Adare village walk (free)
- →Limerick Treaty Stone & King John's Castle (exterior free / ~£10 inside)
- →Cliffs of Moher (cliff walk free; visitor centre ~£8)
Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, then back to Dublin via Athlone
Connemara / Athlone / Dublin
Join a Connemara day tour from Galway (Galway Tour Company or Lally Tours, ~£45–55, includes Kylemore Abbey entry) — it covers the scenic N59 drive, Connemara National Park viewpoints and the abbey, matching the tour's optional excursion. If you'd rather DIY, take Bus Éireann route 419 to Clifden (~1h30, £10) and back. Return to Galway, then take the evening train Galway–Athlone (~1h, £12) to see Ireland's oldest pub, Sean's Bar, then continue on the Dublin train (~1h20, £14) or a late Expressway coach (~£12).
🚌Connemara day tour transport included; Irish Rail Galway–Athlone–Dublin ~£26
🛏Hostel dorm, Dublin — ~£24
- →Connemara & Kylemore Abbey day tour (~£50)
- →Sean's Bar, Athlone (free entry, pint ~£5)
Dublin: Kilmainham Gaol, Guinness and departure
Dublin
Spend the final morning on the sights the coach tour skipped: book Kilmainham Gaol online in advance (~£12, sells out even in low season) and, if time allows, the Guinness Storehouse (~£22) or a whiskey tasting at Teeling (~£18) instead of the tour's whiskey-museum upsell. Grab brunch in Stoneybatter, then take the Dublin Express or Aircoach back to the airport. If your flight is late, the Chester Beatty Library and Dublin Castle are free.
🚌City bus/Luas ~£2; Aircoach to airport ~£8
🛏—
- →Kilmainham Gaol (~£12)
- →Optional Guinness Storehouse (~£22) or Teeling Distillery (~£18)
Self-launched vs. Travel Chasers
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Chasers | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£620 | £940 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £320 per person (34%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Chasers-style trips? Check them out here.~£620
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Ireland in Low Season — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £620 per person for 7 days in Ireland. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Travel Chasers?+
Yes — Travel Chasers charges around £940 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £620 — a saving of roughly £320 (34%) per person.
How long is the Ireland trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Ireland.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, slow-travel trip through Ireland, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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