County Kerry, Have you been there?

That is a good way to see Ireland, with a group... I am too timid to venture to another country alone on the first time 'round! Maybe she's braver than I.

My first visit was with my husband, and we were the guests of a wonderful couple who spent the week showing us their favorite places in the south of Ireland. They were our tour guides, showing us around gently and keeping us from embarassing ourselves like 'bloody Yank tourists' can be prone to do.

Richard, since you seem to like trout fishing, here's a few samples of trout that can be had from County Mayo.

http://www.shrule.com/_shrule/_display.php...?fid=1&pid=1110

http://www.shrule.com/_shrule/_display.php...?fid=1&pid=1111

I agree with you that you just can't visit Ireland like you would a circuit of the states. For one thing it's very diverse and in such a compact area. I think that I will have to put aside a 3-week period of time for the first visit and then schedule another time to go over in detail. ....What a dream!
Chuck

My parents are from Donegal and we have a house there so I spent every summer there as a child. I've got 3 weeks planned for there in the summer.

I visited Killarney once when I was visiting family in Cork. It is truly beautiful . Donegal has a different kind of beauty. It is very wild and undeveloped (mostly). The scenery would remind you of the Scottish Highlands.Breathtaking with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.