For a first cycling trip, base yourself on a greenway: traffic-free, gently graded and easy to link to a town with beds. The Great Western Greenway runs 42 km from Westport to Achill Sound in County Mayo, following the old Newport railway line past Clew Bay. It is almost flat, takes most riders three to four hours one way, and Westport station has direct trains from Dublin Heuston. Hire bikes in Westport town, then stay two nights so you can ride out and back without rushing.
Start with a greenway, not a mountain pass
The Waterford Greenway is the other obvious starting point: 46 km from Waterford city to Dungarvan along a disused railway, crossing the Viaduct near Kilmacthomas. Allow four hours with stops. Both routes are busiest from June to August, so ride early morning. May and September give you the same light with far fewer people on the path.
Hiring a bike: what to expect and what to ask
Hire shops cluster in Westport, Waterford, Killarney, Galway and Dublin, plus a handful at trailheads such as Dungarvan and Achill. A day rate for a decent hybrid typically sits in the €20–35 band, with e-bikes closer to €45–60; multi-day rates usually drop. Always confirm helmet, lock, puncture kit and a spare tube are included rather than an extra, and ask whether the shop offers a pick-up or drop-off at the far end of the route — many do for a fee.
Book ahead in July and August, particularly at weekends, and for any e-bike. Sizing matters more than brand: ask for a test ride around the block before you pay, and check the brakes loaded with panniers or a child seat. If you are riding one-way, confirm the return transfer time in writing. Shops generally close by 18:00, so plan a morning start if you are collecting on arrival day.
Quiet roads and where to stay
Beyond greenways, Ireland's minor roads — boreens — are the real pleasure, but choose your county carefully. Kerry's Ring of Kerry (N70) carries fast tourist traffic in summer; the quieter alternative is the Beara Peninsula further south, or the lanes around Killarney's Gap of Dunloe and Black Valley. In Connemara, the R336 coastal road from Galway through Spiddal to Carna is rolling and largely calm outside peak hours. Avoid the N59 around Cong and Leenane on summer weekends.
Base yourself in a town with a station or a bus link so a flat tyre or a change of weather does not strand you. Westport, Killarney, Galway, Waterford and Dungarvan all work: you get bike shops, cafés, and a train or bus back to Dublin or Shannon. Book a hotel with secure overnight storage — ask directly, since a locked courtyard or basement is worth more than any gym. Rooms in these towns run roughly €110–180 in high season, less in April and October.
Weather, timing and what to skip
Irish weather changes hourly, so build flexibility into the plan rather than a fixed daily distance. A realistic target is 40–60 km a day with stops; anything beyond that on a hybrid, in wind and rain, stops being fun. Bring a waterproof shell, not an umbrella, and layers you can shed. Wind is usually the bigger obstacle than hills, especially on exposed coastal stretches in Mayo and Connemara.
Skip the idea of a coast-to-coast ride in a week; the road network is slower than the map suggests, with typical average speeds of 15–18 km/h once you factor in gates, towns and photo stops. Skip riding at dusk on unlit rural roads. If you have five days, my pick is two nights in Westport for the greenway and Clew Bay, then a train to Galway for the Connemara coast — one hotel booking each, both walkable to bike hire.
