Frommer's Ireland 2016 by Jack Jewers

Author:Jack Jewers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FrommerMedia
Published: 2015-03-08T16:00:00+00:00

Often the greatest pleasures along the Ring of Kerry can be found during a scenic drive along a side road or on a quiet byway just begging to be explored. Give in to those temptations—real treasure is waiting in these hills.

From Kenmare to busy Killarney, the Ring road takes you through a scenic mountain stretch known as Moll’s Gap.

Departing Killarney, follow the signs for Killorglin, a smallish town that lights up in mid-August when it has a traditional horse, sheep, and cattle fair called the Puck Fair (see box p. 315) after the puka or puki, a mischievous sprite in Celtic legend. For the rest of the year, Killorglin is a pretty, quiet town, well worth a wander. The River Laune runs straight through the town center; look for the statue of a goat by the river, symbolizing the puka.

Continue on the N70, and glimpses of Dingle Bay will soon appear on your right. Carrantuohill, Ireland’s tallest mountain at 1,041m (3,414 ft.), is to your left, and bleak views of open bog land constantly come into view.

The Ring winds around cliffs and the edges of mountains, with nothing but the sea below—another reason you will probably average only 50kmph (31 mph), at best. As you go along, you’ll notice the remnants of many stone cottages dotting the fields along the way. Most date from the mid-19th-century Great Famine, when millions of people starved to death or were forced to emigrate. This area was particularly hard hit, with the Iveragh peninsula alone losing three-quarters of its population.

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