Ring of Kerry, Kerry, Ireland

One of the places we visited for the first time on our 2022 trip was the Ring of Kerry.

We traveled the Ring of Kerry on our drive from Galley Head Lighthouse to Shores Country House. With a car load including 2 children, we had to pick our stops carefully. I think we succeeded!

Our first stop was Staigue Stone Fort. It's a couple of miles off N70 but worth the drive.

Staigue Fort is one of the largest ring forts in Ireland. It stands on an low hill, with a view of Kenmare bay to the south and is very impressive in size. The walls are up to 18ft high and 13ft thick and 90ft in diameter.

The fort is thought to have been built somewhere between 300 and 400 AD as a defensive stronghold for a local lord or king.

At the site there are toilets and a donation box. There was a coffee bar there but it wasn't open.

The website is here. The wikipedia article is here. The Tripadvisor review is here.

Less than 9 miles away is one of the most special places we visited. This was Derrynane Abbey.

The abbey is on an island appropriately named Abbey Island. It is accessible from the mainland on foot at low tide. It is believed to have been built in the 6th century.

Here's the tide chart. You'll need it. You can only walk there at low tide. We planned our drive to hit there at low tide. Watch your time so you don't get trapped out there.

While we didn't play in the water here, the beach and water were beautiful. It's worth spending an afternoon here.

The website is here. The wikipedia article is here. The Tripadvisor review is here.

Slide Show

Staigue Stone Fort

Derrynane Abbey

O'Donovan's Bar, Fishers Cross, Cork, Ireland

O'Donovan's Bar is on the way to Galley Head Lighthouse. But you probably don't want to drink before you drive to the lighthouse.

As O'Donovan's is a bar, not a pub, there's no food offered. But the management has arranged to have The Wandering Wagon Pizzeria there on the weekends.

On the Sunday evening we were there it was packed so get there early. And in the Irish tradition, stay late.

As usual, I had my Bulmers Cider.

Slide Show

Clonakilty, Cork, Ireland

We used the nearby town of Clonakilty as our locus for our time in County Cork. There used to be family in town but now they are all out in the countryside.

Clonakilty is a must for provisions for the Galley Head Lighthouse.

We shopped several times at Harte's SPAR Supermarket although there is a Lidl nearby. Harte's had a nice ice cream bar.

We spent an afternoon exploring Clonakilty and saw the Western Cork Model Railway Village, the Clonakilty Distillery, had lunch at Fig & Olive and dinner at The Whale's Tail Bistro.

There are lots of shops and restaurants to stop in so take some time in town.

Slide Album

Red Strand Beach, Clonakilty, Cork, Ireland

Just down the road from the Galley Head Lighthouse is a wonderful beach - Red Strand Beach.

Here's why it's called Red Strand Beach.

In spite of it being in July, the water was freezing and even our granddaughters wouldn't get in it. But they enjoyed running in the sand and playing on the rocks to the east.

There were lots of shells and jellyfish to play with and avoid.

We had been there in 2015 and this time there was a food truck there.

The web sites referenced in the 2015 post have mostly gone away but don't let that dissuade you from visiting. Take a blanket to spread out and turn the kids loose.

We went more than once during this trip.

Slide Show