Word to the wise: Irish roads are NARROW, but renting a car is totally feasible and a great way to get around. It’s less expensive to rent a manual but remember you’ll be shifting with your left hand and you drive on the LEFT side of the road. Road signs are in English and Irish.
One of the benefits of a good credit card (ours is venture capital one) is that it will cover your car insurance if you use it to pay for your car rental. Unfortunately, in the fine print, you’ll find a few excluded countries, including Ireland. You gotta buy car insurance here!
As a US citizen, we did not need to purchase a visa (prior or on arrival) to enter Ireland.
Stating the obvious here but DON’T DO IT. They have zero tolerance for driving while under the influence. Get a DD or enjoy some ‘No/Lo’ drinks (NA bevs).

We LOVED staying at this sweet farm and the routine of milking goats and feeding sheep each day. It’s perfect for kids, close to the historic town of Trim and self-catering (has a kitchen). The family that runs it is specular! The mom/grandma, Mary, even offered to be our DD one night. And her son-in-law taught ran PE class (hurling class) for Grace and William.
Eric crushed it in finding this gem of a town in Western Ireland. We stayed here, and were literally right in front of the harbor and next door to the local pub and coffee house. We hope to return one day to find our new/old friends.

Apparently this is the second oldest pub in all of Ireland. Myth or true… it didn’t matter to us. We love the low stone ceiling and immediate friends we made over a pint (or two or three) at this quant and very authentic watering hole. If you are near Trim, it’s worth the visit.
Trim castle was our kids’ first medieval encounter. It’s the focal point of the sweet township of Trim and worth a walk through. If you are in the area, check it out.
Hands down our most treasured experience in Ireland. GO HERE! We were drawn to Connemara National Park by the late poet/philosopher/priest, John O'Donoghue - only his prose can capture it’s beauty so you might want to listen to this before you visit.
We were lucky to have delicious weather in Ireland and therefore, a day building sand castles, swimming and exploring this beach was one of our highlights. The shells, rolling dunes and limestone cliffs are not to be missed. Plus, the narrow countryside drive to get there is one of a kind!