Kinsale is a colorful old fishing village on the south west coast. It’s a popular destination not only for tourists but for the Irish as well. We didn’t partake in any of the golf, yachting or fishing which is the biggest draw here but instead spent most of our time in the harbour area. There are so many artsy shops and pubs as well as some very nice restaurants and Kinsale has even been hailed […]
We stopped at Killarney National Park on our drive from The Dingle to Kinsale. Again, a sunny and unseasonably warm day, great for a little hiking. What an absolutely amazing park. From the lake with the mountains (McGillycuddy’s Reeks) as it’s backdrop to Torc Waterfall to Muckross House with its beautiful gardens and unbelievably big azalea bushes, I was really wishing we had allotted more time to spend here. I especially would have loved to […]
While this is on the Dingle Peninsula which I have already posted about, I feel that this was such a fascinating place that it deserved a blog spot all its own. Sitting silently on the side of a beautiful, rising slope in the middle of a pasture – and guarded by nothing more than sheep and cattle – this remarkable stone church is impressive and awe-inspiring. From an architectural perspective, it’s crazy. Built entirely of hand-placed […]
Going on our sixth straight day of sunshine and mild temps which is almost unheard of in Ireland. But we certainly didn’t look that gift Connemara horse in the mouth as it was a great day to drive “The Dingle”. Supposedly a half day drive, we planned on the whole day as I was sure we’d be stopping more than the average tourist to take pictures. Many people question which is the better drive…The Dingle […]
If you are driving into Dingle, there are only two roads that will take you onto the peninsula: the N86 and the R561. The N86 is the northern most, coming from Tralee, and to take the Conor Pass drive you’ll want to exit at the village of Camp. Be aware that the drive has narrow, one lane, twisting roads and large vehicles like campers and trucks are restricted from taking the route. Once you start […]
We were fortunate and blessed to spend the night in this beautiful gothic castle turned hotel. And treated like royalty we certainly were from the moment we checked in until check out time. Originally built in the 19th century on the banks of the River Maigue, the home belonged to the the Earl of Dunraven. In 1984 it was bought and turned into what is now Adare Manor & Golf Resort. From the 52 chimneys, […]
Probably Irelands prettiest village, Adare is chock full of charm. The high street is dotted with colorful thatched roof cottages and cute pubs, eateries, and shoppes. A great place to spend the day just walking and taking picture after picture.
I was a little hesitant about stopping here as it seemed almost too touristy and fake to me. I have to admit, though, I was very pleasantly surprised and loved it! We spent a couple of hours walking through the whole park but you could easily have spent the day as there really is a lot to see. An excellent re-creation of an old village with many thatched cottages, shoppes, an old post office, church, and of course […]