Well, half the battle is won if you are clear about where, when and how, and then you pick a compact region that can actually be ‘done’ in the time you have. Way to go! Fly into Dublin and spend at least a couple of days walking about this atmospheric, friendly city. Visit the Dublin Castle and its fabulous Chester Beatty Library, stroll to the historic St Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College, window shop on Grafton Street, enjoy the Georgian grandeur of St Stephen’s Green and Merrion Square (the National Museum is here), walk the lively waterfront to the Ha’penny Bridge, and if you are book lovers, don’t miss the Dublin Writers Museum. Then head south to the Wicklow Mountains and the village of Kilkenny, where you can spend a night after exploring the castle. Further down the coast are Waterford and Cork, and along the way you can enjoy the gorgeous countryside, the beaches at Ardmore and the castle at Dungarvan. After a night or two at Cork, drive the beautiful stretch to the famous Ring of Kerry, popular for its many monuments and charming villages. This can get touristy so if you prefer a quieter time, escape for a buggy ride around the lake at the Killarney National Park. At least a couple of days would be well spent over the many charms of the County Clare—here atop the towering Cliffs of Moher, the pretty town of Ennis, the imposing Bunratty Castle, and the other-worldly wonder that is Burren. Be sure to take the picturesque R480 as it traverses the stunning limestone landscape before heading back to Dublin. Buy a Heritage Card (heritageireland.ie) to gain free access to all government-owned sites.

Getting around poses some unique problems—Dublin is best seen on foot but trains don’t reach all parts of the country, especially remote villages, so take coaches (buseireann.ie is your best bet) or hire a car (try goalamo.com, autoeurope.com, budget.ie, hertz.ie or europcar.ie). Coaches are cheaper but slower and you might get tied down to their infrequent schedules to some places; car rentals can be very expensive in high season, so book well ahead. The good news is that your own valid driver’s license will do, as long as you have had it for at least six months. When you rent a car, check if the rate includes taxes, collision damage waiver and theft insurance.

Look up inexpensive and fabulously located Irish hostels with private family rooms first (anoige.ie) and then scout about for self-catered spaces (tridentholidayhomes.ie, cashelfean.com, rentacottage.ie, irishfarmholidays.com), many of which have minimum stay of a week built into their rules—this isn’t applicable in the off season and you are going in the shoulder before the peak of the summer. You will find plenty of vegetarian listings at irishvegetarian.com but eating out is expensive on a budget, so you might want to cook yourself, especially if you are stay in rented cottages and the like.