Travel Guides

The 'Set-Jetting' Road Trip: 7 Days of Movie Magic in Ireland

Aidan O'Keenan•February 17, 2026•7 min read

This itinerary connects all ten film locations in the Hollywood in Ireland cluster into a logical, drivable route. From Skellig Michael to Lough Tay, from Braveheart's castle to the Quiet Man's village — locations are scattered across six counties and hundreds of kilometres of narrow, winding road.

Important: This is a driving itinerary. Ireland's film locations are rural and poorly served by public transport. You need a car, confidence on narrow roads, and realistic expectations about travel times. What looks short on a map can take hours on Irish roads.

Day 1: Dublin to Wicklow — Vikings and Romance

Morning: Dublinia and Viking Dublin

Start in Dublin, where Vikings actually lived. Dublinia, at Christchurch Cathedral, covers the Viking settlement. The National Museum of Ireland's Archaeology branch has the Wood Quay collection — actual artifacts from Viking Dublin.

Time: Two to three hours for both museums.

The connection: The Vikings who settled Dublin were the same people depicted in the History Channel series. The show filmed at Lough Tay, less than two hours south.

Afternoon: Lough Tay Viewpoint

Drive south on the M50, then the N11 towards Bray. At Kilmacanogue, take the R755 towards Roundwood. The roads become narrow and winding immediately.

The R759 Military Road takes you to the Lough Tay viewpoints. From the road, you look down on the lake where Vikings filmed six seasons of Kattegat scenes. Remember: you cannot access the shore. The viewpoints are the experience.

Time: Two hours from Dublin. Allow an hour at the viewpoints.

The stone bridge from P.S. I Love You movie spanning a small river in the Wicklow Gap

Late Afternoon: P.S. I Love You Bridge

Continue on the Military Road through the Wicklow Gap. The route is spectacular — mountain passes, isolated valleys, sudden views. You're driving through the landscape that made both Vikings and P.S. I Love You possible.

The bridge where Gerry meets Holly in P.S. I Love You is on this road, at coordinates 53.0106° N, 6.3294° W. It's unmarked, easy to miss, and there's no parking. You'll recognise it from the stone structure and the river valley setting.

Time: One hour from Lough Tay to the bridge area. The drive itself is part of the experience.

Evening: Return to Dublin or Stay in Wicklow

Return to Dublin via the N81 (90 minutes) or stay overnight in Wicklow Town or the surrounding area. Accommodation options range from the historic Hunter's Hotel in Rathnew to Airbnb properties in the countryside.

Day 1 total driving: Approximately 180 kilometres, 3.5 to 4 hours on the road.

Day 2: Wicklow to Wexford — Saving Private Ryan

Morning: Glendalough

If you stayed in Wicklow, start at Glendalough — the 6th-century monastic settlement with round tower, cathedral ruins, and two lakes. The site is significant for Viking history — raided multiple times, defended by the tower, eventually part of the Viking trade network.

Time: Two to three hours for the monastic city and a short walk to the upper lake.

Afternoon: Curracloe Beach

Drive southeast to Wexford, then northeast to Curracloe Beach. This is where Saving Private Ryan filmed the Omaha Beach landing sequences. The beach is public, accessible, and spectacular. Walk the sand where the landing scenes were shot, though nothing from the production remains.

The Raven Nature Reserve behind the beach offers walking trails through dunes and woodland. The Pilgrim's Path is a 7-kilometre loop with views back to the beach.

Time: 90 minutes from Glendalough to Curracloe. Allow two to three hours at the beach and reserve.

Curracloe Beach in County Wexford showing miles of golden sand and gentle dunes

Evening: Wexford Town

Stay in Wexford Town, a historic port with excellent restaurants and traditional pubs. The town predates the Vikings — it was a Celtic settlement before becoming a Norse trading post.

Day 2 total driving: Approximately 140 kilometres, 2.5 to 3 hours.

Day 3: Wexford to Meath — Braveheart

Morning: Travel to Trim

Drive north from Wexford, through Arklow and Dublin's outskirts, to Trim in County Meath. The journey takes you through the edge of the Wicklow Mountains and into the fertile Boyne Valley.

Afternoon: Trim Castle

Trim Castle is the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland. The keep, curtain walls, and surrounding earthworks are remarkably intact. For Braveheart, the production used Trim Castle as the location for York — the city Wallace captures in the film.

The castle tour includes the keep interior, where you can see the scale of medieval fortification. The exterior grounds are extensive — allow time to walk the full circuit of the walls.

Time: Two hours from Wexford to Trim. Allow two to three hours at the castle.

Trim Castle keep and curtain walls, the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland

Evening: Return to Dublin or Stay in Meath

Trim has accommodation options, or drive 45 minutes back to Dublin. If staying in Meath, consider visiting the Hill of Tara or Newgrange on Day 4 morning before heading north.

Day 3 total driving: Approximately 180 kilometres, 3 hours.

Day 4: Dublin to Mayo — The Quiet Man

Morning: Travel to Cong

This is the longest driving day. From Dublin or Meath, head west on the M6 towards Galway. At Galway, turn north towards Headford, then follow signs for Cong. The village is on the Mayo-Galway border, nestled between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask.

The journey takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours from Dublin.

Afternoon: Cong and Ashford Castle

Cong is the village where John Ford filmed The Quiet Man in 1951. The film's legacy is everywhere — from the statue of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara to the Quiet Man Cottage Museum (a reconstruction of the film's White O'Morn cottage).

The real locations are the village itself (largely unchanged), the grounds of Ashford Castle (where scenes were filmed, though the castle is now a luxury hotel), and the nearby Derrygimla Bog (where the horse race was filmed).

Time: Allow three to four hours to explore the village, see the museum, and visit the film locations.

The Quiet Man Cottage Museum in Cong village, white cottage with thatched roof

Evening: Stay in Cong or Nearby

Cong has several pubs, restaurants, and accommodation options. Ashford Castle is the premium choice if budget allows. Otherwise, the village has guesthouses and nearby towns offer alternatives.

Day 4 total driving: Approximately 260 kilometres, 4 to 4.5 hours.

Day 5: Mayo to Galway — The Banshees

Morning: Achill Island

Drive west from Cong to Westport, then northwest to Achill Island. The journey takes you through spectacular Mayo coastline. Achill is connected to the mainland by bridge — no ferry required.

The Banshees of Inisherin: Achill Island & Inis Mór

Time: Two hours from Cong to Achill. Allow a full day to explore the filming locations.

Achill Island coastline with dramatic cliffs and Atlantic Ocean, filming location for Banshees of Inisherin

Afternoon: Inis Mór Option

If time permits, take the ferry from Rossaveal (near Galway) to Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands. The Banshees also filmed here, using the island's limestone landscape and prehistoric fort of Dún Aonghasa.

Note: This adds significant time to the day. The ferry takes 40 minutes each way, and you need several hours on the island. Consider extending to a sixth day if including Inis Mór.

Evening: Westport or Galway

Stay in Westport (traditional Irish town, good food and music scene) or continue to Galway City for a livelier evening.

Day 5 total driving: Approximately 200 kilometres, 3.5 to 4 hours (excluding ferry).

Day 6: Galway to Clare — Harry Potter

Morning: Travel to the Cliffs of Moher

Drive south from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. The journey takes approximately 90 minutes through the Burren landscape — limestone pavement, rare flora, and sudden views of the Atlantic.

Afternoon: The Cliffs and the Cave

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince filmed at the Cliffs of Moher, using the dramatic seascape as the location for the Horcrux cave. You cannot access the actual cave — it's a sea cave at the base of the cliffs, reachable only by boat in perfect conditions. The production used CGI to create the entrance.

What you can do is walk the cliff path, visit the visitor centre, and take boat tours that pass the cave from the water (weather permitting). The cliffs are spectacular regardless of Potter connections.

Time: Allow three to four hours at the cliffs and visitor centre.

The Cliffs of Moher in County Clare showing the dramatic sea cliffs and Atlantic Ocean

Evening: Doolin or Lahinch

Stay in Doolin (traditional music capital of Ireland, small village atmosphere) or Lahinch (seaside town with beach and golf). Both are close to the cliffs and offer good accommodation options.

Day 6 total driving: Approximately 150 kilometres, 2.5 to 3 hours.

Colorful village of Doolin with traditional cottages and Atlantic coast

Day 7: Clare to Kerry — Star Wars

Morning: Travel to Portmagee

Drive south from Clare, through Limerick and into Kerry. Continue to the Ring of Kerry and the village of Portmagee, the departure point for Skellig Michael boats. This is the longest driving day — approximately 3.5 to 4 hours.

The Skellig Michael Reality

Skellig Michael is not a casual visit. The island has no pier or regular service. Fifteen licensed boats per day are permitted to land during the short season (May to October). These sell out months in advance.

If you haven't booked a landing trip, your options are:

Boat tours around the island: Non-landing tours that circle the island
The Skellig Experience Centre: On Valentia Island, covering the island's history and Star Wars filming
The mainland viewpoint: From the Kerry coast near Portmagee

Skellig Michael island rising from the Atlantic Ocean, showing the jagged peak and monastery

Malin Head Extension

If you have an eighth day, drive north to County Donegal and Malin Head. This is where The Last Jedi filmed the Millennium Falcon landing sequences. Ireland's northernmost point, spectacular and wild.

Day 7 total driving: Approximately 280 kilometres, 4.5 to 5 hours.

Narrow road through the Ring of Kerry with scenic coastal views

Practical Considerations

Driving in Ireland

Road width: Irish rural roads are narrow. Meeting oncoming traffic requires reversing to a passing place. This is normal but time-consuming.

Speed limits: Posted limits are often optimistic. Average speeds on rural roads are 50-70 km/h.

Navigation: GPS is essential, but don't trust it blindly. Use coordinates for remote locations.

Accommodation Strategy

This itinerary assumes different accommodation each night. Alternatives include:

Dublin base: Days 1-3 from Dublin (not recommended — too much driving)
Two bases: Dublin/Wicklow for Days 1-3, Galway for Days 4-6, Kerry for Day 7
As written: Different location each night, less backtracking

The Commercial Pivot

Every day involves driving on challenging roads. Narrow lanes and navigation stress reduces enjoyment.

Hiring a Private Driver transforms this from a navigation challenge into an experience. The driver handles the roads, knows the viewpoints, and adjusts timing based on weather. For a week-long film location tour, the cost difference is justified by the quality of experience.

For Cinematic Ireland: The Ultimate Guide to Film & TV Locations — the master hub

All 10 film locations in this itinerary: