Charlotte & Rob

Flying into Dublin gives you the most choice for how to get to Ballina, and there’s plenty to see while you’re there or on your way. Rent a car and meander through the countryside; get downtown, walk around and get a train straight there; or even get a tour bus for a professional to show you around – there’s no wrong way.

If you drive, the most direct route isn’t the most fun:

• For a day trip a little off the beaten path, take the M6 west, stop in Kilbeggan at the distillery founded in 1757 by Matthias McManus, spend some time in Athlone Castle and visit what may be the oldest bar in the world, and then head up to Ballina through County Roscommon.
• For a bit more off the beaten path (but still doable in a day), head up to County Meath and visit the Hill of Tara and the Newgrange archaeological site before heading northwest through County Cavan and down some country back roads, and optionally stop at Drumshanbo to see an all-new distillery before coming at Ballina from the east.
• For a multi-day trip, head down through Wicklow to see Glendalough before spending a night in Kilkenny, then make your way up through Tipperary with a stop at the Rock of Cashel before heading either straight there or detour through County Galway.

If you want to go more public transportation-oriented, take the Dublin Express into town, grab yourself a Leap card, then check out all the things that make Dublin an amazing city. There’s the Greatest Hits – the Guinness Storehouse, the Book of Kells, the EPIC museum – as well as some more hidden gems, like Howth Peninsula, Phoenix Park, and Dun Laoghaire. Then, hop on Iarnród Éirann (the intercity train) at Dublin Heuston station and enjoy not having to worry about driving on the wrong side of the road as it takes you all the way to Ballina on the Dublin Heuston-Westport line (with a brief transfer at Manulla Junction, so be sure not to miss that).

Shannon Airport, the home of the first duty-free shop in the world, is just 2 hours south of Ballina by car, but you won’t want to take the direct route. Our recommendation is a multi-day trip highlighting some of the gems the West has to offer, but any one of them could make a great detour on a leisurely one-day drive.

The hip college town of Limerick is just down the road with a lively art scene and a massive 13th century castle in the middle of town. Then, head back towards the coast of County Clare for a drive through the alien landscape of the Burren before visiting the famous Cliffs of Moher (don’t miss the visitor center!), and if you’re feeling really adventurous, take a ferry to the isolated Aran Islands. After that, it’s off to Galway for some great food, drink, and rollicking nightlife before taking a detour into Connemara National Park and stopping at picturesque Kylemore Abbey before heading north to Westport (optionally making a pilgrimage to nearby Croagh Patrick), Castlebar, and then on to Ballina from there.

Or, extend your trip by a day or two and first head southwest into Kerry, where incredible landscape fans in general and Star Wars fans in particular will love the Dingle Peninsula and the view of Skellig Michael, followed by a trip around the Ring of Kerry, stopping by Muckross House and abbey ruins and Killarney National Park – and for the most adventurous of you, climbing Carrauntoohil, Ireland’s highest peak.

Flying into Shannon and *not* renting a car is a bit more challenging than Dublin, but there are buses to Limerick and Galway that can make a good base for day-trips with tour buses to many of the aforementioned places, and then inter-city buses to hop over to Ballina for the big day.

Ireland West Airport is just north of the town of Knock, and though small, is an international hub you can connect to via London, Barcelona, Rome, and more. A half-hour drive from Ballina, it’s viable for either a taxi ride or a car rental, but public transit would require a bus plus a transfer to rail or another bus line, so that’s recommended for only the most proletariat of travelers.

On your way to Ballina, there are some quaint towns to stop in, like Swinford (for you Hardy Bucks fans) and Foxford (for you woolen blanket fans). Odds are, though, if you’re landing here, it’s to get into Ballina as soon as you can and use that as your base of operations for wedding activities or as your gateway to visit Sligo on one side or Achill Island on the other.

We guess. You’re on your own, though. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯