Itinerary · Return to Ireland
Updated 20267 Days for the Second Trip
Seven days for travelers who already did the first one. No Cliffs. No Ring of Kerry. No Trinity College. Two nights in Donegal at Lough Eske, two in Sligo at Markree, two in Connemara at Ballynahinch. The Ireland you missed because the first trip was about the photos.
The places we recommend to friends.
The Ireland Deborah returns to. Read her editorial perspective
If this is the second Ireland trip:
→ Fly Dublin in, Shannon out. Skip the loop back.
→ Lough Eske two nights, Markree Castle two, Ballynahinch two.
→ No Cliffs. No Ring. No Temple Bar. Different country.
Route Overview
Three Castles, Three Counties, No First-Time Stops
- Day 1: Dublin to Lough Eske via the Boyne Valley. Castle by 6pm.
- Day 2: Slieve League cliffs and Glencolmcille loop.
- Day 3: South to Markree via Mullaghmore and Classiebawn coast.
- Day 4: Ben Bulben loop, Yeats grave at Drumcliffe, Lissadell House.
- Day 5: South to Ballynahinch via Westport and Killary fjord.
- Day 6: Connemara on foot. Sky Road, Kylemore garden.
- Day 7: Galway lunch. Shannon by 5pm.
Three bases, no first-time beats, the Ireland the second trip is for.
Cartography
Three Castles, Three Counties, No First-Time Stops
Lough Eske Castle · Markree Castle · Ballynahinch Castle
Regions
3 stops
You have seen Trinity. Drive past it.
Dublin to Lough Eske
Skip the city. North through the Boyne. Castle by 6pm.
Quick Read
What this day is: Dublin arrival, north via the Boyne Valley, into Lough Eske Castle in Donegal by 6pm.
Best way to do it: Private transfer. Three and a half hours, with a Boyne stop.
What you'll remember: Lough Eske at last light, the castle behind, the water mirror-flat.
The Day
Morning
Dublin by 10am. Driver collects from the airport.
Midday
Boyne Valley stop. Lunch at the Beach House in Bettystown.
Afternoon
North via Cavan and Enniskillen. Into Lough Eske by 5pm.
Evening
Cellar Restaurant at Lough Eske. The set menu. Local Donegal lamb.
Signature Moment
→ First sight of the lough from the castle drive. The mountains beyond.
Where You'll Eat
Where: Cellar Restaurant at Lough Eske.
Order: Donegal lamb, a glass of Burgundy.
When: 7:30pm.
Skip: Eating in Donegal town the first night. Stay at the castle.
What People Get Wrong
Doing Newgrange on arrival day. Save it for the next trip. The Boyne lunch is enough.
The Ireland Edit Take
Castle-side room at Lough Eske, not the spa wing. The water view at dawn is the booking.
Experiences
What We'd Book First
Three castles, three bookings. Lock these first.
- 1.Lough Eske Castle, two nights, castle-side room. Donegal's only five-star hotel. Books out for June to August.
- 2.Markree Castle, two nights, library wing. Family-owned, twenty rooms, library wing is original castle.
- 3.Ballynahinch Castle, two nights, riverside room. Books out six months ahead for May to September.
Today the Wild Atlantic North earns its name.
Slieve League and Glencolmcille
The cliffs that are taller than Moher. The valley most tourists never reach.
Quick Read
What this day is: Slieve League cliffs in the morning, Glencolmcille loop and folk village in the afternoon.
Best way to do it: Self-drive or private driver. Slieve League at 9:30am before any coaches.
What you'll remember: Slieve League from the upper viewpoint. Three times the height of the Cliffs of Moher.
The Day
Morning
Drive to Slieve League by 9:30am, one hour. Upper viewpoint walk, 90 minutes.
Midday
Lunch at Ti Linn café at the cliffs, or in Glencolmcille at An Cistin.
Afternoon
Glencolmcille Folk Village and the loop walk, two hours.
Evening
Back at Lough Eske by 6pm. Casual dinner in the Gallery Bar.
Signature Moment
→ The Slieve League upper viewpoint. The drop, the Atlantic, no coach park in sight.
Where You'll Eat
Where: Ti Linn café at Slieve League.
Order: Crab sandwich, brown bread.
When: 12:30pm.
Skip: Going up to the upper layby in cloud. Wait for it to clear.
What People Get Wrong
Treating Slieve League as a five-minute photo stop. The upper walk is the whole experience.
The Ireland Edit Take
Drive the back road from Carrick to Glencolmcille via Malin Beg. The strand below is empty.
Experiences
Donegal recedes. Yeats country opens.
Lough Eske to Markree
South through Mullaghmore. Into Sligo by 4pm.
Quick Read
What this day is: Check out late, drive south via Mullaghmore Head and Classiebawn Castle, into Markree by 4pm.
Best way to do it: Self-drive. The coast road is the route, not the N15.
What you'll remember: Classiebawn Castle on its headland with Ben Bulben behind.
The Day
Morning
Late breakfast. Check-out 11am.
Midday
Drive south via Bundoran. Lunch at Eithna's in Mullaghmore village, oysters and chowder.
Afternoon
Walk Mullaghmore Head, 45 minutes. South to Markree Castle by 4pm.
Evening
Dinner at Markree. The Knockmuldowney Restaurant. Sligo Bay scallops.
Signature Moment
→ Mullaghmore Head with Classiebawn on the horizon and Ben Bulben behind. One frame, three centuries.
Where You'll Eat
Where: Eithna's by the Sea in Mullaghmore.
Order: Mullaghmore oysters, seafood chowder.
When: 1pm.
Skip: Driving the inland N15. Take the coast.
What People Get Wrong
Skipping Mullaghmore for time. Forty-five minutes there is the day.
The Ireland Edit Take
Markree library wing room, not the modern wing. The original castle rooms are the booking.
Where to Stay
Experiences
Yeats wrote the country. Today you walk it.
Ben Bulben, Yeats, Lissadell
The mountain, the grave, the house.
Quick Read
What this day is: Ben Bulben forest loop, Yeats grave at Drumcliffe, Lissadell House and gardens.
Best way to do it: Self-drive. The three are within fifteen minutes of each other.
What you'll remember: Yeats' grave at Drumcliffe with Ben Bulben behind. Under bare Ben Bulben's head.
The Day
Morning
Ben Bulben forest loop from Gortarowey by 9:30am, 5km, 90 minutes.
Midday
Drumcliffe churchyard for the grave. Coffee at the Drumcliffe tearoom.
Afternoon
Lissadell House and gardens, two hours guided.
Evening
Back at Markree by 6pm. Final Sligo dinner at the castle.
Signature Moment
→ Yeats' grave at Drumcliffe with Ben Bulben rising behind. The whole point of the day.
Where You'll Eat
Where: Drumcliffe tearoom for coffee. Knockmuldowney at Markree for dinner.
Order: Tearoom: brown bread and tea. Markree: scallops, lamb.
When: Drumcliffe 12pm. Markree 7:30pm.
Skip: Lunch in Sligo town. Stay in the countryside.
What People Get Wrong
Treating Drumcliffe as a five-minute stop. Walk the churchyard. Read the inscription twice.
The Ireland Edit Take
Lissadell garden tour, not just the house. The kitchen garden is the better hour.
Where to Stay
Experiences
The country changes again. Mayo, then Connemara.
Markree to Ballynahinch
South via Westport and the Killary fjord.
Quick Read
What this day is: Check out, south via Westport, Killary fjord, into Ballynahinch by 5pm.
Best way to do it: Self-drive. Three hours' driving with two stops.
What you'll remember: Killary Harbour from the Leenane road. Ireland's only fjord.
The Day
Morning
Check-out 11am. South via Knock and Castlebar.
Midday
Lunch at Sage in Westport. Walk the Greenway for thirty minutes.
Afternoon
South via Leenane and Killary. Into Ballynahinch by 5pm.
Evening
Owenmore Restaurant at Ballynahinch. Trout, Sancerre.
Signature Moment
→ Killary Harbour from the Leenane road. The fjord, the mountains, the mussel rafts on the water.
Where You'll Eat
Where: Sage in Westport for lunch.
Order: Whatever the chalkboard says.
When: 1pm.
Skip: Stopping at Knock. Different trip.
What People Get Wrong
Adding Achill on the transfer day. Three hours' driving is the ceiling.
The Ireland Edit Take
The Leenane road over the inland N59. Twenty minutes longer, an hour's worth of view.
Experiences
The last full day, and the West holds it.
Sky Road and Kylemore
Connemara on foot. The route the first trip skipped.
Quick Read
What this day is: Sky Road from Clifden in the morning, Kylemore Abbey walled garden in the afternoon.
Best way to do it: Self-drive. Sky Road counter-clockwise, eastern viewpoint at 11am.
What you'll remember: The walled garden at Kylemore, empty by 4pm.
The Day
Morning
Drive to Clifden by 10am. Sky Road counter-clockwise, ninety minutes.
Midday
Lunch at Mitchell's in Clifden. Seafood chowder.
Afternoon
Kylemore by 2pm. Lakeshore and walled garden, ninety minutes.
Evening
Final dinner at Ballynahinch. The full menu. Cheese course.
Signature Moment
→ The eastern Sky Road viewpoint, no one in the layby.
Where You'll Eat
Where: Mitchell's for lunch. Owenmore for dinner.
Order: Mitchell's: chowder. Owenmore: the set menu.
When: Mitchell's 1pm. Owenmore 7:30pm.
Skip: Doing the Sky Road clockwise.
What People Get Wrong
Adding Diamond Hill. Save it for a walking trip.
The Ireland Edit Take
Library at Ballynahinch after dinner. Connemara whiskey. End of trip.
Experiences
The trip ends with the slow morning it should.
Galway, Shannon, Home
Long Walk. Lunch. Flight.
Quick Read
What this day is: Late check-out. Drive east to Galway. Lunch in town. Shannon by 5pm.
Best way to do it: Private transfer if the flight is evening.
What you'll remember: The Long Walk in Galway with the harbour on one side, the trip closing on the other.
The Day
Morning
Late breakfast. Check-out 11am.
Midday
Lunch in Galway at Kai or Ard Bia. The Long Walk on the harbour.
Afternoon
South to Shannon by 5pm.
Signature Moment
→ The Long Walk in Galway at 2pm. Hooker boats at the quay.
Where You'll Eat
Where: Kai in Galway.
Order: Whatever the chalkboard says.
When: 12:30pm.
Skip: Motorway service stations.
What People Get Wrong
Booking a 6pm flight and rushing the morning.
The Ireland Edit Take
Airport hotel the last night if the flight is morning.
Where to Stay
Experiences
Experiences
Why no Cliffs, no Ring, no Trinity.
The second trip is not the first trip with extra days. It is a different country, deliberately.
- Slieve League is taller than Moher and emptier. If the first trip was Moher, the second trip is Slieve League.
- Sligo and Yeats country is what Kerry refuses to be. No coach parks. No queuing. The Ireland the photographs missed.
- Connemara, given two nights, finally makes sense. The first trip's day trip becomes the second trip's region.
The Editors
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