Travelling by bus is by far your best option for getting about all corners of Ireland. Buses are the main form of transport in Ireland and take passengers to even the most remote villages in rural Ireland. At the same time, regular services operate between all of Ireland's major cities.
Some of the most popular bus journeys in Ireland link the larger cities such as Dublin, Cork, Galway, Carlow and Donegal. Given Ireland's small size, travelling from one side of the country to the other is very doable within a day. For example, a bus from Dublin to Galway, which is the capital city of the much romanticised west, can take as little as 3 hours, with services departing every half an hour.
Bus Eireann is the main provider of bus and coach services throughout the whole of Ireland; excluding Dublin, where bus services are operated by Dublin Bus. Bus Eireann was established in 1987 and offers intercity, commuter, regional and school services. It also services routes to Great Britain and the rest of Europe at competitive rates and has an annual ridership of 77 million. Dublin Bus works on a smaller, regional scale but is still the most frequently used mode of transport in the city.
Onboard services and facilities tend to vary from provider to provider and depend on the distance of your journey. The majority of long-distance routes will be serviced by buses with toilet facilities, air conditioning/heating, adjustable seats and plug sockets.