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IRELAND: DRIVING ON THE "WRONG" SIDE

By Unknown - 3:30 AM

When planning our trip to Ireland, we initially figured we'd just bus around. It didn't take long to realize while researching places to go that we would miss out on a heap load should we decide to rely on coach buses throughout our trip. Despite a little apprehension from Lauren about driving on the other side of the road (sadly I cannot drive manual and I'm not 25), we got on Europcar and bit the bullet. I  vowed to be an excellent navigator and constant "left-minded" support system.

After being handed the keys, we drove straight from tiny Kerry Airport to our first stop of the trip, Killarney. It was not a problem finding the city, since it is the closest "major" city to the airport, but once we got into the city, it took about three times asking for directions to find our hostel. We made it though, and next, we were off to buy a SIM card form Three, an Irish wireless provider. A little pre-trip research determined that we could obtain a card from Three mobile for 20€ and in turn receive unlimited data, text messages, and a week of free calling. It was perfect. I inserted into my unlocked phone, and we had GPS navigation and maps for the remainder of our trip (along with Instagram, Facebook, etc.).

I also plan on doing this in every country I visit in the future. It was so nice to look up anything we were curious about as we went along. We even had access to all the entry tickets we bought online! But hands down, the maps were the greatest advantage. We never even had to look touristy holding up a big paper map.


the "Blackcurrant"



immediately amused




There are reminders everywhere: signs, your dashboard (see sticker, which reflected in windshield), and of course, cars driving directly at you.





Driving is without a doubt the best way to discover Ireland. Our fast obsession became the "tree tunnels" we often found ourselves cruising through. The flexibility was unbeatable; one day, we were even visiting four cities in a single day: Killarney, Dingle, Adare, and Lisdoonvarna. The countryside of Ireland is insanely green and gorgeous, and without a car, you really would not get to soak up this part of the country.

Things to be aware of when driving in Ireland:


Left-minded: You will drive on the left side of the road in Ireland.
Roundabouts: There are a ton of them.
Passing lane: If you do find yourself on a highway, the fast lane is the right lane.
Navigation: Be sure to have some form of navigation system on your journey. Reading a map and constantly u-turning will only add to the stress of driving. In the countryside, many roads are unmarked and small. Use the technology available.
Narrow roads: Some of our biggest scares came from how tiny roads. We found ourselves cruising on windy, tiny roads with huge tour buses headed straight at us. All you can do is pull as far over as possible, right into the bushes. These bus drivers have driven there countless times, but it sure doesn't make you feel any better.
U-turns: The most confusing part of driving is turning around. It is so easy to snapback into the "right-way" mindset and hop back in your lane. Next thing you know, you'll have cars flying at ya with brights flashing and horns honking.

Overall, it is super doable, especially when you stay out of the cities. Free parking is widely available outside of the big cities, and we easily avoided paying for parking the entire trip. Renting a car is definitely worthwhile.


driving between Dingle and Adare



Braveheart Road, Glendalough



driving into Dingle


Tree Tunnel


What are your experiences renting a car whilst traveling?

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33 comments

  1. Sara LouiseJuly 22, 2013 at 2:47 PM

    I've been waiting for these!!! I spy with my little eye, Glendalough! So happy you made it there :)
    Looking forward to the rest of these posts!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Svenja SchoeningJuly 22, 2013 at 2:54 PM

    I never actually rented a car abroad, so also not in Ireland.
    But, I have been driving a couple of times when I was in England. It was that same driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road-experience.

    But I totally got into it after some time, luckily.

    Love Ireland, such a great place. Will be doing the half marathon in Dublin in October, so excited!!

    Svenja xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. NikenJuly 22, 2013 at 3:54 PM

    i wish i could travel for holiday more often!
    but at least, i always drive on the wrong side of the road then. hhaa

    ReplyDelete
  4. Car HireJuly 22, 2013 at 4:19 PM

    Fantastic post and loved the photos - lots of helpful information that would be applicable to a lot of people visiting Ireland and thinking about renting a car.

    ReplyDelete
  5. HeleneJuly 22, 2013 at 5:19 PM

    We thought about renting a car when we were in bgium and Spain but I nixed the idea, maybe we should have! I do think it makes it super easy to get to where you want to go fast but I would have been freaking out drinking on the wrong side of the road! Glad you made it back in one piece!

    ReplyDelete
  6. KimJuly 22, 2013 at 5:35 PM

    yay! we did a little coach tour in ireland last summer for 4 days but then we rented a car in scotland for 5(?) days. you're right, it is the way to go and i think we're gonna do it in Iceland this summer too (especially because we have four people in Iceland and it just makes way more $$-wise sense to rent a car). I wish I would've thought to do the SIM card thing in Scotland because there were definitely pictures of us with huge maps looking like bozos - also one video in particular of us when we got totally turned around (you aren't kidding about the roundabouts!) and were trapped in this little village for like thirty minutes before we figured it out!

    can't wait to see more pictures and read more recap! welcome back!

    ReplyDelete
  7. JennJuly 22, 2013 at 6:58 PM

    Wow, Ireland looks amazing!! I want to go sooo badly! Also, I think it would be interesting to try driving on the left!

    ReplyDelete
  8. ifs ands & buttsJuly 22, 2013 at 8:05 PM

    Drinking on the other side of the road does sound scary ;) But Train is MUCH better connected by train and bus than Ireland, so I think y'all will be set!

    ReplyDelete
  9. haileyhiggsJuly 22, 2013 at 11:12 PM

    gahh it looks beautiful there! I want to go to Ireland!!
    My first and only experience driving on the other side of the road was in New Zealand.. it seems like it would be scary, and it is at first, but I feel like you get the hang of it really fast. It's definitely thrilling! Can't wait to hear more about the trip!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cat of Sunshine and SiestasJuly 22, 2013 at 11:47 PM

    My family and I rented a car on a trip to Ireland. Add all of that, plus the first snowy Christmas in years! My dad is a pro and navigated well, but I was freaked out every second! But I agree - Ireland is so much better by car!

    ReplyDelete
  11. AlyxJuly 23, 2013 at 12:21 AM

    These are great pictures!!!

    I think that Scotland is the same way - it's sooo much easier to do with a car.

    Can't wait to hear more!

    ReplyDelete
  12. KatrinJuly 23, 2013 at 2:15 AM

    Oh wow, I love the pictures! I need to travel to Ireland as soon as possible!!! I am so scared of driving on the left side though. I am pretty sure that it would be a huge chaos and I would be on the wrong side all the time.
    Driving in Croatia was pretty intimidating also. There were so many tiny roads, no crash barriers and really horrible cliffs that you can fall down.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rika | Cubicle ThrowdownJuly 23, 2013 at 3:02 AM

    great photos!! i love all the signs to drive on the left haha. looks like the bahamas. when i was there in february, my thoughts of renting a scooter evaporated the second i saw all the roundabouts. um, i don't even know how those work when i'm driving on the right, thank you very much!

    ReplyDelete
  14. ifs ands & buttsJuly 23, 2013 at 12:21 PM

    Ah the one time we were near cliffs I was freaking out! That is the worst!

    ReplyDelete
  15. ifs ands & buttsJuly 23, 2013 at 12:22 PM

    Oh wow - in the snow would add a whole other scare factor for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  16. ifs ands & buttsJuly 23, 2013 at 12:24 PM

    Oh Iceland is definitely a must! If you send me where you are going, I have a couple friends from Iceland that probably have some good suggestions :) The only one I know so far is pick up some alcohol from duty free because it's apparently verryyyy pricey!

    ReplyDelete
  17. ifs ands & buttsJuly 23, 2013 at 12:25 PM

    All your suggestions were PERFECT.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Dominique CoulterJuly 23, 2013 at 5:03 PM

    Dang, those tree tunnels are GORGEOUS.

    And how fun to have to drive on the opposite side of the road. I am sure it made for lots of laughs and some pretty crazy experiences!

    And I thought driving in Spain was bad...

    ReplyDelete
  19. Jessica WrayJuly 23, 2013 at 9:05 PM

    This sounds like a wonderful idea, and if I get to Ireland this year (which I hope to) I am definitely going to look into renting a car.

    Ive only driven on the "other side" on scooters in Asia and it wasn't as difficult as I assumed. The only trouble occurs when your brain switches into "suto-pilot!" You have to stay alert to make sure you don't end up the causing havoc in the streets!

    ReplyDelete
  20. JulikaJuly 23, 2013 at 10:55 PM

    This sounds like so much fun! Road trips are always the best way to see a country! The driving on the wrong side of the road would have freaked me out totally though!

    ReplyDelete
  21. CaseyJuly 24, 2013 at 6:08 AM

    We are headed to Ireland in November and are renting cars a couple times throughout the trip... great advice here! Totally bookmarking this!

    ReplyDelete
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