Ireland self-drive itinerary
Full Reference · 15 May – 1 Jun 2026
18 days · 17 nights · Ireland Trip 2026
Drive on the left
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Outbound Flight
Calgary (YYC) → Dublin (DUB)
Dep 19:55 Thu 14 May · Arr 10:50 Fri 15 May
PNR EHSDWC (Mike)
PNR WUCWAV (Marie-Claire)
Marie-Claire's Return
Dublin (DUB) → Calgary (YYC)
Dep 13:00 Wed 27 May · Arr 14:25 Wed 27 May
PNR WUCWAV
Mike's Return
Dublin (DUB) → Toronto (YYZ) · WS 47
Dep 10:40 Mon 1 Jun · Arr 13:20 Mon 1 Jun
Toronto (YYZ) → Calgary (YYC) · WS 645
Dep 15:50 Mon 1 Jun · Arr 18:10 Mon 1 Jun
PNR EHSDWC
Car Rental — Budget
Pickup: Dublin Airport
Booking 42617072CA1
Taxi · Day 5 · Tue 19 May
Woods Taxi
Coach · Days 15 & 17 · Fri 29 & Sun 31 May
Route links
Primary route
Alternate / variant
No driving
Tags
Priority Must-do
Optional Skippable
Booked Reservation confirmed
Alt Backup venue
Phase 1 · Self-drive — Northern Ireland & Wild Atlantic Way · Days 1–12
1DayFri
Route
Dublin Airport → Belfast
Dublin ↗ Forecast
🌤️
13° / 6°
Dublin Airport departure conditions.
Open-Meteo
Belfast ↙ Forecast
🌦️
14° / 7°
Wk1: low pressure, slightly wetter than normal. Pack a waterproof.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
In transit / grab-and-go at airport
Lunch
Carlingford harbour — toastie stop
Driving directions
Car pickup — Budget · Dublin Airport
Booking 42617072CA1
2DaySat
Belfast Forecast
🌦️
14° / 7°
Wk1 outlook: cooler & wetter than normal in midlands/west; eastern coast near average. Showers possible.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
Hotel / local cafe
Highlights
🥃
Whiskey stop — The Friend at Hand Saturday Only
The Friend at Hand, Hill Street, Cathedral Quarter — a compact, well-stocked whiskey specialist a short walk from the
Duke of York. Pick up a bottle or two on Saturday when selection is best and the shop is open late. Worth arriving before the pub crawl gets too committed. Look for Irish single malts and independent bottlings not easily found at home.
Driving directions
City day — no driving
3DaySun
Belfast Forecast
⛅
15° / 7°
Wk1 outlook: unsettled but Belfast's east-coast position helps — near-average temps. Layers + light rain jacket.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
Hotel / local cafe
Driving directions
City day — no driving
4DayMon
Belfast ↗ Forecast
🌧️
13° / 6°
Causeway Coast departure. Wind & showers likely on clifftops — layer up.
Met Éireann · extended range
Gortahork ↙ Forecast
🌧️
13° / 6°
NW Donegal arrival. High pressure building but NW coast still wetter than avg.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
Early departure (~6:45 am) — snack en route
Lunch
On the road — petrol station / packed lunch
5DayTue
Route
Gortahork → Gortahork
Gortahork Forecast
🌦️
13° / 6°
Wk2 outlook: slightly wetter than normal in NW. Donegal coastline exposed — windproof essential, especially Horn Head & Fanad headlands.
Met Éireann · extended range
Lunch
Downings (if doing Rosguill loop)
Alt: coffee stop in Dunfanaghy
6DayWed
Route
Gortahork → Gortahork
Gortahork Forecast
⛅
13° / 6°
Wk2 outlook: mixed. Glenveagh & Poisoned Glen can hold mist — check Errigal visibility before committing to high routes.
Met Éireann · extended range
Lunch
Light stop near Dunlewy / Crolly area
Dinner
Leo's Tavern or Strand Bar
(whichever not visited previous night)
7DayThu
Gortahork ↗ Forecast
🌦️
13° / 6°
NW Donegal departure. Showery morning — aim to leave early for best Slieve League light.
Met Éireann · extended range
Sligo ↙ Forecast
🌦️
13° / 7°
Sligo arrival. Slieve League is weather-critical — visit on the brightest window.
Met Éireann · extended range
8DayFri
Sligo ↗ Forecast
🌦️
14° / 7°
Sligo departure. Slightly wetter than avg — early start recommended for Carrowmore.
Met Éireann · extended range
Westport ↙ Forecast
🌦️
14° / 7°
Westport arrival. Achill & Keem Bay exposed — wind likely on headlands.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
Strandhill village — self-find café or bakery before
Carrowmore opens at 10 am
Lunch
On the road — Achill Island area
9DaySat
Westport Forecast
🌧️
14° / 7°
Wk2 outlook: persistent shower risk. If climbing Croagh Patrick lower slopes, check forecast morning-of — summit often in cloud.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
Hotel / local cafe
Driving directions
Base day — no driving
10DaySun
Westport ↗ Forecast
⛅
14° / 7°
Westport departure. High pressure building — conditions improving through day.
Met Éireann · extended range
Clifden ↙ Forecast
⛅
14° / 7°
Clifden / Sky Road arrival. Kylemore improving into afternoon — good for the upper Sky Road.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
Hotel before departure
11DayMon
Clifden ↗ Forecast
⛅
15° / 7°
Clifden departure. Good morning light for Dog's Bay sandbar & Roundstone bog.
Met Éireann · extended range
Galway ↙ Forecast
⛅
15° / 7°
Galway arrival. High pressure building — best city evening weather of the trip likely.
Met Éireann · extended range
12DayTue
Galway ↗ Forecast
🌤️
15° / 8°
Galway departure. Dry and improving — good for the Clonmacnoise riverside walk en route.
Met Éireann · extended range
Dublin ↙ Forecast
🌤️
16° / 8°
Dublin arrival. Wk3 drier & near-average temperatures. Good evening to settle in.
Met Éireann · extended range
Driving directions
Car drop-off — Budget · Dublin South
Booking 42617072CA1
Phase 2 · Dublin city days · Days 13–14
13DayWed
Dublin Forecast
🌤️
16° / 8°
Wk3 outlook: high pressure dominant, drier than average. Dublin gets the least rain of the trip regions.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
Near hotel with Blake
Driving directions
City day — no driving
14DayThu
Dublin Forecast
🌤️
16° / 9°
Wk3 outlook: dry & seasonal. Light layers fine for walking between Storehouse / Hawkesmoor / BANG.
Met Éireann · extended range
Driving directions
City day — no driving
Phase 3 · Connemara lodge — Ballynahinch · Days 15–17
15DayFri
Route
Dublin → Ballynahinch
Dublin ↗ Forecast
🌤️
15° / 8°
Dublin departure. Good conditions for brunch & the 11:45 coach pickup.
Met Éireann · extended range
Ballynahinch ↙ Forecast
🌤️
15° / 8°
Connemara arrival. Settled Wk3 outlook — pleasant for lodge check-in & evening.
Met Éireann · extended range
Lunch
Buy drinks & snacks at Tesco
(for coach journey)
Highlights
- Morning: breakfast / brunch at leisure in Dublin
- Stock up at Tesco for the road
- Coach pickup @ 11:45 am — Connemara Coaches (Tommy Nee +353 87 654 4238)
- 2-hour drive to Ahascragh Distillery
- Tour & Tasting @ 2:00 pm — Ahascragh Distillery Booked
- Contact: Eoghan O'Reilly
- 2-hour coach drive to Ballynahinch
- Check in to Lettery Lodge @ 5:00 pm
- Evening: hang out at the Lodge
16DaySat
Route
Ballynahinch → Ballynahinch
Ballynahinch Forecast
⛅
15° / 8°
Wk3 outlook: rainfall near/below normal. Connemara fishing conditions should be favourable — overcast skies often help.
Met Éireann · extended range
Lunch
On-site — open / casual
Highlights
- Morning: open time
- Guided fishing — bait or fly Arranged
- Guides: 1 per 2–3 people
- Drinks after dinner: Fisherman's Pub, Ballynahinch
Driving directions
Lodge day — no driving
17DaySun
Route
Ballynahinch → Portmarnock
Ballynahinch ↗ Forecast
⛅
15° / 8°
Connemara departure. High pressure holding — good for the patio lunch before the 2:00 pm coach.
Met Éireann · extended range
Portmarnock ↙ Forecast
⛅
16° / 8°
Portmarnock / Howth arrival. Light winds likely — Howth harbour seals & Mamo dinner conditions look good.
Met Éireann · extended range
Lunch
The Terrace, Ballynahinch
(patio lunch before departure) Dinner
Mamo, Portmarnock @ 7:30 pm
BookedRef: B6K494PV
Phase 4 · Departure · Day 18
18DayMon
Route
Portmarnock → Calgary
Portmarnock Forecast
🌤️
16° / 8°
Wk4 outlook: generally a little drier than average, temperatures around normal for early June.
Met Éireann · extended range
Breakfast
Hotel / airport before departure
Highlights
- Fly home from Dublin Airport — WS 47 dep 10:40 · arr Toronto 13:20
- Connect at Toronto — WS 645 dep 15:50 · arr Calgary 18:10
- Allow ample time for check-in and security at Dublin Airport
- Hotel checkout by ~7:30 am — allow ~3 hrs before departure · Portmarnock to DUB approx 20–30 min, longer in traffic
Driving directions
Safe travels home!
Booking references
WestJet PNR: EHSDWC (Mike · WS 18 / WS 47 / WS 645) · WUCWAV (Marie-Claire · WS 17 / WS 18)
Budget Car rental: 42617072CA1
Titanic Belfast: 2Q96MHTF ·
Crown Liquor Saloon: DMN-16950704520 · 7:30 pm
Glasshouse Hotel: EQEDCAQ ·
Westport Plaza: 425036 ·
An Port Mor: BKMAK2H3 · 6:15 pm
Foyles Hotel: 5538 ·
Hardiman Hotel: 457763105 ·
Mamo: B6K494PV · 7:30 pm
Note — All driving on the left.
Weather — Live forecasts load automatically from Open-Meteo (free, no key required) within Open-Meteo's 16-day window. Days outside that window display the Met Éireann extended-range outlook baked into this document. A
Live badge confirms real-time data;
Forecast = within 16 days but not yet past;
Avg = beyond forecast range.
Updated —
13 May 2026