Frommer's EasyGuide to Ireland 2017 by Jack Jewers

Author:Jack Jewers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FrommerMedia
Published: 2016-10-25T16:00:00+00:00

The Donkey Sanctuary SANCTUARY A real heartbreaker, this one: a charity that rescues abandoned and abused donkeys and nurses them back to health. A few of the beasts of burden here have been voluntarily relinquished by owners who are no longer able to care for them, but the majority have sadder histories. The donkeys live out their days at this quiet and bucolic place, where they receive medical aid and plenty of TLC. Visitors can meet the gentle patients and learn their stories. The emphasis is on happy endings.

Liscarroll, nr. Mallow, Co. Cork. www.thedonkeysanctuary.ie. 022/48398. Free admission. Mon–Fri 9am–4:30pm; Sat, Sun, and public holidays 10am–5pm.

Drombeg Stone Circle HISTORIC SITE This ring of 13 standing stones is the finest example of a megalithic stone circle in County Cork. The circle dates from 153 b.c., and little is known about its ritual purpose. However, the remains of two huts and a cooking place, just to the west of the circle, give some clue; it is thought that heated stones were placed in a water trough (which can be seen adjacent to the huts), and the hot water was used for cooking. This section has been dated to sometime between a.d. 368 and 608. While you’re out this way, consider stopping at the charming little village of Ballydehob (Béal Átha Dá Chab). An arty place with an ancient stone bridge and some brightly painted houses, it’s one big photo opportunity. Ballydehob is also signposted from R597 between Rosscarbery and Glandore.

Off R597 between Rosscarbery and Glandore, Co. Cork. No phone. Free admission (open site). The turning for Drombeg Stone Circle is signposted just after the sign for Drombeg (if approaching from Rosscarbery); if approaching from Glandore, it’s about 0.5km (1⁄3 mile) after the whitewashed church in Drombeg village.

Dursey Island HERITAGE/NATURE SITE This is a real adventure—a barren promontory extending into the sea at the tip of the Beara Peninsula. The island offers no amenities for tourists, but the adventurous will be rewarded with beautiful seaside walks, a 200-year-old signal tower, and a memorable passage from the mainland via cable car. To get there, take R571 past Cahermore to its terminus. As you sway wildly in the wooden cable car, you’ll wonder whether or not to be reassured that someone saw fit to place the text of Psalm 91 inside (“If you say ‘the Lord is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you”). You may even be sharing your car with sheep or cows, as it’s also used to transport livestock to and from the island. At this point, you might wonder whether a ferry would have been a wiser option. It wouldn’t. Apparently the channel between the island and mainland is just too treacherous to permit regular crossing by boat. Cables run all year, Monday to Saturday, from 9:30 to 11am, 2:30 to 5pm and 7 to 8pm, and Sunday from 9 to 10:30am, 1 to 2:30pm, and 7 to 8pm (7–8pm crossings for return journeys only).

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.