Taste of Ireland – Self-Launched 6-Day Dublin to Dublin Loop

Start in Dublin city centre. Book a walking tour (free/donation-based tours leave from City Hall or O'Connell Bridge) or self-guide past Trinity College, the Book of Kells, Dublin Castle, Christ Church and along the River Liffey. In the afternoon visit the Little Museum of Dublin on St Stephen's Green (book online, ~£10). In the evening head to a traditional music pub — the Merry Ploughboy in Rathfarnham runs a dinner-and-step-dancing show like the original tour (~£45), or catch free trad sessions at The Cobblestone or O'Donoghues for a fraction of the cost.

🚌Arrive Dublin Airport; Airlink 747 or Dublin Bus 16 to the city centre ~£7 (or Leap Card). All sights walkable.

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Dublin city centre (e.g. dorm £25–35/night, private room £60–80)

• →Self-guided Trinity College & Book of Kells (~£16)
• →Little Museum of Dublin (~£10)
• →Donation-based city walking tour (~£5 tip)
• →Traditional music session in a Dublin pub (free–£45 for a dinner show)

Take an early Irish Rail train from Dublin Heuston to Cork (~2h40, book in advance on IrishRail.ie, ~£15–25). From Cork's bus station take Bus Éireann route 226 to Blarney (~30 min, ~£4 return) and spend 2–3 hours at Blarney Castle and gardens, kissing the stone and wandering the grounds (~£16 entry). Continue by bus or train from Cork to Killarney (Bus Éireann 40, ~1h30, ~£10). If time allows, hop off at the Rock of Cashel on a Dublin–Cork bus for a photo stop en route. Check into a Killarney guesthouse and eat in town.

🚌Irish Rail Dublin–Cork ~£15–25; Bus Éireann Cork–Blarney ~£4 return; Cork–Killarney bus ~£10

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Killarney (dorm £20–28, private room £55–75)

• →Blarney Castle & gardens entry (~£16)
• →Rock of Cashel photo stop (optional, ~£8 entry)
• →Killarney town evening

The Ring of Kerry is a 179km loop — without a car the best value options are a local day tour from Killarney (~£25–35 with Deros Tours, Kerry Coaches or similar, bookable on GetYourGuide/Klook or directly) or a hop-on hop-off Ring of Kerry bus. Hit the classic stops: Moll's Gap, Ladies View, the village of Sneem, and the Skellig Experience visitor centre on Valentia Island (~£6). For the Gap of Dunloe, take a local bus or the Gap of Dunloe jaunting-car/bike route (bike hire ~£15/day) rather than the coach shopping stop. Optional: evenings in Killarney's pubs for live music.

🚌Ring of Kerry day tour bus or public Bus Éireann 280 loop (~£25–35); bike hire ~£15 if self-riding the Gap of Dunloe

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Killarney

• →Ring of Kerry scenic drive / day tour (~£30)
• →Skellig Experience visitor centre (~£6)
• →Moll's Gap & Sneem stops
• →Gap of Dunloe bike or jaunting car (optional ~£15–30)

Long transfer day. Take Bus Éireann from Killarney to Limerick (~2h, ~£12), drop bags at your hostel, then take the Bus Éireann 350 (Ennis–Limerick–Cliffs of Moher–Galway) to the Cliffs of Moher (~2h, ~£10 each way). Entry to the Cliffs visitor centre is ~£7. In the evening return to Limerick — a compact, walkable city with a medieval castle and a lively pub scene. If you'd rather not double back, stay overnight in Ennis or Doolin instead and continue to Galway the next morning.

🚌Bus Éireann Killarney–Limerick ~£12; Bus Éireann 350 Limerick–Cliffs of Moher return ~£20

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Limerick (dorm £22–30, private room £55–75)

• →Cliffs of Moher visitor centre & trails (~£7)
• →Limerick city walk (King John's Castle exterior, The Treaty Stone)

Morning bus or train from Limerick to Galway (~1h30–2h, ~£10–14). Spend the day self-exploring Galway: Latin Quarter, the Spanish Arch, Galway Cathedral, the medieval Lynch's Castle, street performers on Shop Street, and a stop at a café or pub for a pint of Guinness and seafood chowder. In the late afternoon take the CityLink or Bus Éireann express bus Galway–Dublin (~2h30, ~£12–18) or Irish Rail from Galway station (~2h30, ~£15–25). Stay near the city centre or close to the airport for an easy departure.

🚌Limerick–Galway bus/train ~£10–14; Galway–Dublin express bus ~£12–18 or train ~£15–25

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Dublin city centre (dorm £25–35, private room £60–85)

• →Self-guided Galway Latin Quarter walk (free)
• →Spanish Arch & Cathedral
• →Street performers on Shop Street
• →Pub lunch / seafood chowder (~£12–18)

Final morning in Dublin — grab breakfast, do any last-minute shopping on Grafton Street or a walk in St Stephen's Green, then take the Airlink 747 or Dublin Bus to the airport (~£7). If you have a late flight, consider a morning visit to Kilmainham Gaol (book well ahead, ~£8) or the Guinness Storehouse (~£22).

🚌Airlink 747 or Dublin Bus 16 to Dublin Airport ~£7

🛏None (departure day)

• →Grafton Street / St Stephen's Green stroll (free)
• →Optional Kilmainham Gaol (~£8) or Guinness Storehouse (~£22)