As a general rule people tend to use the hard lures first and switch to the softer lures, the theory being that the harder lures make a more forceful and disruptive impact on landing in the water. Others argue that the soft plastics impart a more realistic movement...
Its hard to subscribe to the hard impact theory since pike are attracted to a lure impact on the water surface and there seems no reason why salt water predators would be any different. That said, I have seen and experienced soft lures taking Pollack and Coalfish from the same water where hard lures have failed only seconds previously when fished at the same depth and in roughly the same manner.
There are not enough bass in Mayo to give you any direction, I've had a few (very few,
sniffs ) on each but would add your good old fashioned bass bullets to Tom's list. Especially valuable when you need a really long cast to reach outlying areas...
Add lure savers and 10 metres of slightly lighter bs fluorocarbon mono (to end your braid) to your kit... they'll save you a lot of grief.