The ´ Ring of Kerry ´ is Ireland´s most famous tour
This is the setting for Ireland´s greatest tour, The Ring of Kerry. The 110-mile (176k) circuit takes in Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Caherciveen, Waterville, Sneem, Kenmare, and Killarney. Any one of the many stopping points along this magnificent odyssey makes an idyllic holiday destination. Killorglin, the home of the legendary Puck Fair, straddles the Laune, an excellent salmon-fishing river. The village of Glenbeigh is hugely popular in summer because of the glorious beach at Rossbeigh and the links course at Dooks.At Caherciveen you can visit the birthplace of the great justice-seeker and parliamentarian Daniel O´Connell (1775-1847). The Liberator, as he was known, eventually settled near the beautiful secluded beaches of Derrynane. In this century, Charlie Chaplin of silent screen fame was a regular visitor to Waterville. Last year the people of the town erected a monument to his memory. Sneem, possibly Ireland´s most colourful village, has won national awards for its beauty and neatness. George Bernard Shaw did much of his playwriting while staying at the nearby Parknasilla Hotel. While much of the coach traffic takes the direct route from Sneem to Moll´s Gap, it is worth going the extra miles to visit the town of Kenmare with its delightful shops and excellent restaurants. If you travel the Ring anti-clockwise, as most traffic tends to do, then spectacular views await you as you head from Moll´s Gap down into the Killarney Valley.
Dingle Peninsula
Peace and tranquility are synonymous with the Dingle Peninsula. Life moves at an unhurried pace, but the local people are quick to offer you the opportunity to share their unique culture and heritage.An Daingean (Dingle), a beautiful and charming fishing port, is the most westerly town in Europe and a most memorable destination. Gaily painted houses and busy streets lead you to the harbour, where you can meet fungi, a playful bottle-nosed dolphin who cavorts for the enjoyment of everyone.
The Dingle Peninsula has the greatest concentration of archaeological sites in Ireland. Step back in time as you visit such treasures as the Kilmalkedar Church, The Dún an Óir Fort or Fort of Gold, and the Gallarus Oratory. Shaped like and up turned boat, the Oratory is the most perfectly preserved example of early Irish architecture. The Fahan Group is a community of clocháns or beehive huts, souterrains, standing and inscribed stones, sculptured crosses, and earthen ring-forts. The beehive huts owe their name to the 5,000 year-old method of construction in which the dry stonewalls curve gradually inward.
With over 5,000 years of history, mystery and legend swirling about the Dingle Peninsula, you’ll never be left wondering what to do. Shop for exquisite Celtic jewelry and unique crafts, stroll the lovely beach at Inch, enjoy a few pints while listening to a traditional music session, and take tranquility to a whole new level.
Visit Bantry House and Gardens which houses a fine collection of art treasures and the beautifully restored gardens. From Bantry continue to Glengariff where you can catch a boat to Garnish Island where the exquisitely laid-out gardens exploit to the full the influence of the Gulf Stream. Leaving Glengarriff for Castletownbere, one skirts the northern flank of Bantry Bay, with the Sugarloaf Mountain and Hungry Hill rearing above the sea, and Bere Island running along the bay for 7 miles. The wild seascapes are enjoyed at their best by continuing to the villages of Allihies and Eyeries. Dursey Island is located at the extreme south-westerly tip of the Beara Peninsula. Access is by way of the only cable-car in Ireland, a dramatic experience as it carries one across the spectacular Dursey Sound. The area should not be left without climbing to the Healy Pass for a breathtaking view of Bantry Bay. Return to Castletownbere and make for Glengarriff.
Famous the world over for its hand-crafted crystal – hence the Crystal County, County Waterford offers the choice between a cosmopolitan modern city, a cluster of charming seaside resorts and a mountainous hinterland, ideal for activities and holidays of all kinds.
Waterford City, steeped in history, heritage and culture, represents a unique blend of modern shopping centres, traditional pubs and highly acclaimed gourmet restaurants – 9 of the Bridgestone Guides top 100 restaurants in Ireland are located in County Waterford. There is also much to do and see as the city features three of Ireland premier visitor attractions. The Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre, the highly praised Waterford Museum of Treasures and the Waterford Walking Tour as well as Christ Church Cathedral. Most recently, a section of the Waterford to Dungarvan railway line has been rebuilt. From this narrow gauge railway, travelling at 15km per hour visitors can experience the beauty of the Suir Valley as they take in the panoramic views of the river, rolling farmland, and mountains. You can also enjoy views of the River Suir by taking a trip on the heritage train of Waterford and Suir Valley Railway.
Cork City
The second city of the Republic of Ireland has a population of over 160,000 people. Like Venice the city is built upon the waters, and Cork centre is built on an island in the River Lee, just upstream of Cork Harbour. The two channels of the River Lee which embrace the city centre are spanned by many bridges, and this gives the city a distinctive continental air.
However it is often said of Cork City that it has all the amenities of a large city, but still manages to retain its pleasant atmosphere and extreme friendliness, which you will experience on your visit. Cork is a city of remarkable charm, and the visitor cannot fail to be captivated by its hilly streets, bumpy bridges, peaceful backwaters and inconsequential air.
Some great sights to visit include the legendary Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle. For many of the visitors to Blarney, their first priority is to kiss the famous Blarney Stone high up on the Castle battlements. Tradition holds that those who kiss the Blarney Stone will be endowed with the gift of eloquence - "the gift of the gab", as the locals call it.
Kilkenny
Kilkenny - the Creative Heart of Ireland, where heritage and history, environmental harmony, crafts and architecture combine to create an all-pervading spirit of excellence. With Ireland's Medieval Capital at its heart, County Kilkenny offers the South East's finest countryside, a pretty, rich farmland dotted with medieval ruins, solid stone walls, charming villages and a host of historic monuments including Jerpoint Abbey, one of Ireland's finest monastic settlements. Regal, majestic and ancient, overlooking the brooding River Nore, Kilkenny Castle, now fully restored has stood sentinel at this important river crossing for perhaps 900 years. There are forest parks, natural wonders and some of Ireland's finest studio workshops clustered in the scenic valley of the River Nore. Good food, lively restaurants, popular pubs and nightclubs are also important in a County that offers quite simply everything for an enjoyable and memorable holiday.
A scenic county, fashioned by the Galtee Mountains, adorned by romantic and mysterious Slievenamon and everywhere a lush, multi-hued green landscape. The plains of Tipperary are birthplace for some of the world's most successful bloodstock. Hurling, horses and hunting, history and heritage blend in a palette of motion in locations and attractions which are sure to please. Tipperary is particularly rich in archaeological sites of interest including the Rock of Cashel in Cashel Heritage Town and Cahir Castle in picturesque Cahir Heritage Town. These traditional attractions are now complemented by the new Excel Centre in Tipperary Town which boasts an interpretative centre depicting Tipperary's past. In Clonmel Town, the South Tipperary County Museum takes the visitor through the fascinating history of the county, from prehistoric to modern times. Walkers and outdoor enthusiasts are well serviced in this county of hills and vales. A county of contrasts - high hills and verdant valleys and everywhere, just as in ancient Ireland, in Tipperary the visitor is king.
The Cliffs of Moher are amongst the most spectacular in the world - and far and away the best that can be seen in Europe within easy reach of good roads and inviting places to stay. They are in County Clare – which offers several others. Some have the attraction of lying off the beaten track and giving a fair chance of your being the only visitor. Others are convenient to popular resorts and safe and easy for access (the cliff walks at Kilkee is worthy of special mention and is close to the centre of the Kilkee seaside resort).
Overlooking the Atlantic, even on a calm day white surf shows continually at the feet of Clare’s cliffs – the great ocean waves never cease pounding the shore. In stormy weather, the surf boils with fury, sending great plumes high up, even over-topping the cliffs. Wonderful to see the forces of the unbridled ocean, this is a time to respect its power and keep to a safe distance back from the edge!.
Galway
Galway is a city, a county, and an experience to be savoured and remembered. The historic city of the tribes dances to a beat uniquely it’s own. There is certain chemistry and vibrancy to this friendly University City, which many delight in, and few forget. Music, festivals, horse racing, pubs, restaurants, shops, theatres and most of all Galway people, combine to create this atmospheric mediaeval city of culture. From this pulsating heart the rest of the county flows. Galway Bay, immortalised in song, its beauty unchanging. Scenic Gaeltacht areas including the Aran Islands. Connemara, with the picturesque town of Clifden as its capital. Mountains, castles and stone walls, banks of turf, long sandy beaches, clear lakes, joyful leaping streams and flowing rivers. Delightful countryside punctuated by pretty villages, and traditional pubs.
Connemara
"Connemara is a savage beauty", Oscar Wilde
From the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake-rich Roundstone Bog to the golden beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean, you'll know you're in Connemara by the light that constantly changes the mood and tone of the landscape.
Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland.
This natural terrain and unspoilt environment offers the visitor a wonderland of sights, experiences, adventure and activities. The people are warm, friendly and extend a hospitality which is the essence of Ireland.