After landing in Dublin, we rented a car and drove down to Killarney, where our lodging was for most of the trip. Richard drove the entire trip. It was the first time had driven on the 'other' side of the road. The most difficult part was shifting with his left hand. The next day we drove around the Ring of Kerry. This is a circular drive starting in Killarney and following the shoreline of the Kerry Peninsula, until you get back to Killarney again.
The Ring of Kerry was perfect for children. It was a full day of driving, but we stopped frequently to enjoy scenic views, visit historic sites and try local food. The children were able to stretch and run often as we made our way around the ring.
Our first stop was Muckross House, a Victorian mansion located in the National Park near Killarney. Ownership has gone through different hands, it has been given as a wedding gift (gee wouldn't that be nice?), and even Queen Victoria stayed here at one point in 1861. Unfortunately, the tour wasn't available when we arrived, so we only saw the outside and the surrounding scenery. But even from what we saw, it was beautiful. Here we are at the entrance. A kind stranger took a family shot for us, but left out the house behind us.
From the side of the house, you have a large lawn and an amazing view of the lake and National Park beyond.
This is the side of the house that has the lake view.
And the backside has a pretty rose garden. Here's Hope making a typical silly face.
Next stop was Staigue Fort, which is a circular fort with stone walls. The fort is thought to have been built around 300-400 AD.
Entrance.
Richard and the kids on top of the fort's wall. See how green the grass is and how blue the sky is? I love it!
The kids had fun exploring the small storage areas that were dug at the base of the fort.
After a delicious local lunch with soups and sandwiches, we headed to Derrynane Beach. We practically had the beach to ourselves which made the experience even better. We watched the waves come in and threw rocks into them. We played in the sand and climbed up boulders, then ate a delicious chocolaty treat we saved from lunch.
We also stopped at Coomakista Pass, which is a scenic view of the shoreline and islands in the distance.
On the next day we drove up to the peninsula just north of Kerry, called Dingle Peninsula. Our first stop was Kilmalkedar Church and grave site. The church no longer has a roof, but many interesting architectural details still remain. Of note are the designs in the archways, and the stones with carved letters from an ancient alphabet.
Next we stopped at Gallarus Oratory, which is believed to be an early Christian church. You can see it's shaped like a bee hive, and some huts have been found in the area that have the same bee hive look to them. This oratory only has two spots where light can come in; the door and a small window on the wall opposite the door. On the cloudy day we visited, it was difficult to capture a picture of the inside, but the only difference in the walls, is a spot near the door where one could set a candle for light. Other than that, it's just an empty room.
Off we went to the town of Dingle, which is a cute little fishing village. They have their own brewery, called Dingle Brewing Company. We took a tour and enjoyed the beer, which the kids had some orange juice.
A must-do before leaving Dingle, was a stop at the well-known Murphys Ice Cream shop. They serve up unique, high quality ice cream that is delicious!
The last full day we went back to Dublin and visited Trinity College and The Guinness Storehouse. Trinity college was a pretty site with its old buildings that are well maintained.
We went into the library, which was gorgeous. Yes, a library can be gorgeous! It had floor to ceiling books on two levels and winding metal stairways to reach them all. You're not allowed to go through them, because the majority of these books are very old, and the college is working on restoring them. There is also The Book of Kells on display in its own room (no pictures allowed), which is an old copy of the four Gospels. Two copies are on display, while the other two are locked away, and rotated in for security. It was interesting the view the book, which was written by quill and ink on calf skin in Latin.
At The Guinness Storehouse, we took a tour through seven different floors, and ended up at the top level where we enjoyed some Guinness while viewing the Dublin skyline.
Even the baby got to try some. ;)
I highly recommend a trip to Ireland for anyone thinking about it. It's absolutely beautiful and filled with things to do and see!
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