Suggestions please: Sites on Kilkenny-Donegal Route

American Horror Story

Hi
I promised some foreign visitors a trip to Donegal. I have decided to go direct from Kilkenny to Donegal as going from Dublin is almost as long due to visa restrictions for crossing border


As it is a long trip I just wondered if any one ha s done it before and could suggest any points of interest/views etc more-or-less along the route . Small diversions would be ok - I would hate them to miss out on something along the way ( at the moment I am concentrating on what drives to take in Donegal itself)

Thanks

Lots of lovely lakeland country north of Athlone, - you could do a cruise on the Shannon. Killykeen Forest park wouldn't be too far off your route either. If your preferred route is further west there are lovely places in Sligo, -e.g. Benbulbin, Yeats country, Strandhill. And Birr Castle - a bit off your route but might be worth taking in - it has a great astronomy centre and lovely grounds -you could google it to see whats the score re opening hours etc.

catbear

Boyle in Roscommon is a good stop, it's got the Abbey and Lough Key forest park nearby.


Kilbeggan Distillery is well worth a visit.
http://www.kilbeggandistillery.com/

It's a slight detour before Athlone but well worth it to take in Clonmacnoise.

Dozen Wicked Words

And if you go to Clonmacnoise, head in for a pint in Killeens in Shannonbridge, if you want a classic old fashioned irish type pub, you wont find much better.

raze_them_all_

American Horror Story wrote: »

Hi
I promised some foreign visitors a trip to Donegal. I have decided to go direct from Kilkenny to Donegal as going from Dublin is almost as long due to visa restrictions for crossing border


As it is a long trip I just wondered if any one ha s done it before and could suggest any points of interest/views etc more-or-less along the route . Small diversions would be ok - I would hate them to miss out on something along the way ( at the moment I am concentrating on what drives to take in Donegal itself)

Thanks

used to do it constantly will take you 4 and a half to 5 hours driving tbh last thing you want is many pit stops

American Horror Story

raze_them_all_ wrote: »

used to do it constantly will take you 4 and a half to 5 hours driving tbh last thing you want is many pit stops

Yes I was thinking that too. At the same time it might be an opportunity to see something ( for them more than me )

Birr castle is an option though I was there before. and hard to convey history to peoples whose home town is 5000 years old

I might be better off getting up there and spending the time on coastal drives etc

road_high

Do yourself a massive favour and go via Dublin. You'll have motorway all the way from kilkenny to north of Kells co Meath on the M3. Taking the cross country route across the midlands sounds like torture to me !

road_high

road_high wrote: »

Do yourself a massive favour and go via Dublin. You'll have motorway all the way from kilkenny to north of Kells co Meath on the M3. Taking the cross country route across the midlands sounds like torture to me !

And in that case you could include Newgrange.

catbear

road_high wrote: »

Do yourself a massive favour and go via Dublin. You'll have motorway all the way from kilkenny to north of Kells co Meath on the M3. Taking the cross country route across the midlands sounds like torture to me !

You'd end up with an even longer drive considering they have to divert to avoid Northern Ireland.

raze_them_all_

road_high wrote: »

Do yourself a massive favour and go via Dublin. You'll have motorway all the way from kilkenny to north of Kells co Meath on the M3. Taking the cross country route across the midlands sounds like torture to me !

through the midlands is the quickest. Though passing through the north is no big deal with no stops or passport checks

linny

road_high wrote: »

Do yourself a massive favour and go via Dublin. You'll have motorway all the way from kilkenny to north of Kells co Meath on the M3. Taking the cross country route across the midlands sounds like torture to me !

100% agree drove it today Longford to Kilkenny most depressing drive ever

road_high

raze_them_all_ wrote: »

through the midlands is the quickest. Though passing through the north is no big deal with no stops or passport checks

I've done Cavan to Kilkenny in about two hours, another two or so to Donegal. There is not a snowballs chance in hell of times like that going up the Midlands! Wouldn't be caught dead driving that way from KK.
If the OP has to avoid NI (don't see why as there are no border checks) then obviously can't go this way as it brings you through Fermanagh.

Einhard

Why would you have to avoid Northern Ireland? It's an open border. I've never had any trouble crossing it, with or without foreigners.

American Horror Story

Einhard wrote: »

Why would you have to avoid Northern Ireland? It's an open border. I've never had any trouble crossing it, with or without foreigners.

The student visa they are on is single entry and the college highlights the North in all there pre-sessional literature. I know its mostly insignificant. but if it here was a traffic accident etc it would in theory invalidate their visa and the college would not care less as they have got the cash by then .

IF ya knew the amount of things that go wrong , it would be just my luck

Richard

American Horror Story wrote: »

The student visa they are on is single entry and the college highlights the North in all there pre-sessional literature. I know its mostly insignificant. but if it here was a traffic accident etc it would in theory invalidate their visa and the college would not care less as they have got the cash by then .

IF ya knew the amount of things that go wrong , it would be just my luck

You're right, people have got in trouble for this and some have been deported for illegal entry into the UK.

road_high

I think if this is the case (sounds preposterous) then still use the motorways.
Take the M9 to Naas, cut acrss through Sallins, Clane and meet the M4 at Kilcock. The M4 ends at Mullingar, take the N4 road to Longord-Sligo-Donegal. That's the route I'd take.