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South Western Ireland: 4 Days from Galway to Kerry
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Four days through the best of Ireland’s wild southwest, travelling in the green Paddywagon with a guide who knows this landscape and the stories behind it. You go from Dublin to Connemara, along the Atlantic coast to Dingle, into Killarney, and finish with a visit to Blarney before returning north. It’s a genuine cross-section of the west and southwest, covering terrain and towns that most visitors only manage to see in fragments.
Day 1 - Dublin to Connemara to Galway
You cross the midlands and arrive in the west, where the mountain scenery has doubled as a backdrop for countless films. The route stops in the village of Cong to see Ashford Castle and the ruins of Cong Abbey, with time for lunch at one of the village’s cafés and a lakeside walk. The drive follows Lough Corrib on the way into Galway, where your guide will point you towards a good pub overlooking Galway Bay. Traditional Irish music is usually on the cards in the evening. If you want to explore more, there’s an optional walking tour of the city or an award-winning pub crawl to consider.
Day 2 - Galway to Cliffs of Moher to Dingle
This is the Atlantic day. You drive south along the west coast with the ocean alongside you - golden sand beaches, and occasionally dolphins and whales offshore. The Burren is a remarkable stretch of limestone landscape, the only place in the world where Alpine, Arctic, and Mediterranean flowers grow together in the same ground. Then it’s on to the Cliffs of Moher.
Tonight you stay in Annascaul on the Dingle Peninsula - a real Irish village, well away from the tourist trail. Pull up a stool by the fire, or dance the night away if you prefer.
Day 3 - Dingle to Killarney
Dingle itself is a Gaelic-speaking fishing village with a lot of character and some excellent shops and lunch spots. You’ll have free time here before a tour around Slea Head, with plenty of stops to take in the views - or take a short hike, or just breathe in the Atlantic air. Your guide shares the stories and songs of this traditional region along the way. You’ll see Sleeping Giant Island and the 3 Sisters mountain range before heading to Killarney for the night. Killarney is a lively base with good traditional music, restaurants, and easy access to Killarney National Park.
Day 4 - Killarney to Blarney to Dublin
The final day takes you to Blarney Castle and the famous Blarney Stone. Then it’s the journey back to Dublin.
The tour departs from Dublin and returns to Dublin on Day 4. Pack for Irish weather - layers and a waterproof are a good idea regardless of season. The tour covers a significant distance over four days, so you’ll spend time on the bus - but the stops are well spaced and the scenery makes it worthwhile.
Your overnight in Annascaul is one of the best things about this itinerary, even if the village doesn’t advertise itself. Tom Crean - the Kerry man who rowed the James Caird with Shackleton and crossed the Ross Ice Shelf alone to save a colleague’s life - came home to Annascaul and opened the South Pole Inn in 1927. The expedition photographs are on the walls, his statue stands across the road, and a pint here is as close as you’ll get to the heroic age of Antarctic exploration without buying a parka. If you have a free hour before dinner, ask about the short walk out the Lispole road to Crean’s grave at Ballynacourty - he built the tomb himself.
In Dingle, skip the tourist-facing restaurants on the main drag and head for the working-town pubs. Foxy John’s is a pub and a hardware shop; Dick Mack’s has a wall of whiskey and a paving stone outside with the names of famous drinkers. Out of the Blue serves only what came off the boats that morning - if they’re closed, the boats didn’t go out. The Pier Loop walk (2.5 km, 40 minutes) takes you past the lighthouse and back along the lower road, and it’s worth doing before the Slea Head drive to get your bearings.
Killarney earns its reputation despite the coach traffic. Walk away from the high street and the noise drops quickly - Knockreer, ten minutes from wherever you’re staying, is nearly empty most mornings and gives you the postcard view of Lough Leane with Carrauntoohil framed across the water. The traditional music sessions at Courtney’s on Plunkett Street are the ones locals actually go to, rather than the bigger tourist rooms on the main drag. Murphy’s Bar on College Street has been doing trad on Friday and Saturday nights for three generations.
For Galway on Day 1, your guide will point you toward a pub - if you get a choice, Tigh Coili on Mainguard Street runs a nightly trad session with high-standard players. The Ard Bia at Nimmo on Quay Street is the dinner the city keeps recommending to itself. Galway is a working city first; turn off Shop Street into the laneways and you find the version that’s not performing for visitors.