Hi Pat, As other listers have already said, you will CERTAINLY need a car when you get there. It just takes a little courage, some patience and a good sense of humour. All your near-misses and impossible hill passes will be the stuff of after dinner stories for years to come! Incase it helps, here's our experience. So far we've rented a car from Dublin twice, and it took about four and a half hours to get to Dungloe but we survived fine. (Although the sheep around the corner trick was a real heart-stopper!) That said, this year we decided the drive from Dublin was too much of a chore, so we flew in to Carrickfinn and rented a car there. The flights were only 30 Euro each way, and I'd definitely go that way again. It's NOT too late for you if that's what you want - you can book both the flights and the hire car right up to the day before! The airline between Dublin and Donegal is AER ARANN, you can book online: http://www.aerarann.ie/ It's true Hertz doesn't have an office in Carrickfinn but AVIS do! CARRICKFINN AIRPORT has a nice website (with Avis prices): http://www.donegalairport.ie/ Avis Tel. No. at Carrickfinn Airport: 074 9548469 Have fun whatever you do - and don't forget an umbrella and plenty of waterproof clothing! Best Regards, Annemarie Bruinsma Hanlon >-----Original Message----- >From: Pat Thompson [mailto:irish4ever@comcast.net] >Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 09:54 PM >To: DONEGALEIRE-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [DONEGALEIRE] Question about traveling in Ireland > >Hi everyone! I am actually making my first visit to Ireland in October and >half of the visit will be a coach tour in the south but the other 6 days I >have signed up to do a self drive and am now having second thoughts. I want >to get from Dublin to the Glenties area of Donegal and was wondering if you >could hire just a driver for the 165 mile trip up and back? I want to still >have access to the car for the little driving we would do in Donegal for >research purposes and for our stays at the B&B's there but I don't need a >driver there. It is too late now for us to fly into Donegal airport for >Hertz does not have an office there. To hire a chauffeur from travel co. now >is a minimum $1200 so that is out. Driving on the opposite side of the road >is suddenly has me breaking out in hives. I know some of you have done your >research in Ireland and have driven around and Pete from Mass. has been so >helpful to me would hire him if I could .LOL thanks for any info > >Pat > > >