Irish Road Trip Guide - The Wanderlust Effect

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Road Tripping through Ireland

Quick Guide to Road Tripping in Ireland Dublin to County Kerry

Where to Stay: v

For a boutique experience in Dublin, check out The Cliff Townhouse Hotel on St. Stephens’ Green – don’t miss their breakfast!

22 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Phone: +353 1 638 3939

v For those visiting Waterford, check out The Cliff Townhouse’s swanky sister property, The Cliff House, complete with a Michelin-starred restaurant on site. v In Newmarket-on-Fergus, your options are two: for a five-star experience, Dromoland Castle cannot be missed. Take advantage of the experience by engaging in some of their activities! For a more budget-friendly option, visit the Inn at Dromoland, which is housed on the same estate for a fraction of the price. v In Dingle, opt for a quaint B&B in the colorful town – it’s worth staying a night! Keep reading to find out why I would recommend two days in Dingle. v On the Ring of Kerry, opt for the quaint but interesting town of Kenmare. With a group, enjoy a villa experience like we did to really settle in and explore. Opt for Dromard Villa, set just outside of Kenmare’s main strip for an affordable luxe experience with stunning views. v For a Kenmare hotel splurge, visit either of the two five-star properties in Kenmare that are consistently ranked amongst the world’s best: Sheen Falls Lodge and the Kenmare Park Hotel. v For a more bustling experience on the Ring of Kerry, stay in the de facto capital of the loop: Killarney, which I found to be much more charming than I had originally envisioned; a great, hard-to-achieve mix of bustling and quaint.

Where to Dine: v In Dublin, don’t miss The Vintage Kitchen, a fun and approachable establishment serving up world-class cuisine and offering a BYOB policy. v For a splurge meal that’s worth its weight in gold, opt for dinner at Dromoland Castle, where the quality of the food is only surpassed by the level of service and ambiance, complete with pianist and harpist. The John Dory entrée is a must for fish lovers! v In Kenmare, don’t miss Packie’s, a veritable institution in the area serving up gourmet Irish fare in a cozy setting. Beer & wine focused. v On the Ring of Beara, enjoy lunch at Breen’s Lobster Bar in Castletownbere, the de facto capital of the Ring of Beara. v In Dingle, get your fill of local seafood at The Boat Yard Restaurant, where chowder and fish & chips are musts. v Also in Kenmare, visit The Mews, which embodies an approachable classy environment perfectly with friendly service and standout cuisine. Cocktail drinkers, know that the focus is wine with a couple of beer options.

Where to Sip: v In Dublin, visit the Old Jameson Distillery, arguably my favorite drinking tour experience in Dublin. Enjoy cocktails at the bar afterwards! v In Temple Bar, don’t miss The Old Storehouse where you can sip cider while listening to great live music. v In Killarney, grab a pint or an Irish coffee at the Laurels Pub & Restaurant. v Guinness lovers, don’t miss the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. The place is an absolute machine, but is well done and ticket prices include a complimentary pint.

Must Have Experiences: v Sip Jameson at the Jameson Distillery, where you can enjoy a guided tour, a whisky tasting and cool craft cocktails infused with the famous triple-distilled whiskey. Their bar is great and even non-whisky drinkers will enjoy the experience. v Listen to live trad music in the city during a self-guided pub-crawl. Don’t miss the Old Storehouse in Temple Bar for great music in a lively setting. v Don’t miss spending at least a day at Killarney National Park. For the ultimate way to see it, go on horseback with Killarney Riding Stables for an hour jaunt by the lakes. v If time permits in Killarney National Park, take a boat to mystical Innisfallen Island, where history and utter serenity create a unique destination. v Enjoy at least one of the scenic drives that makes County Kerry famous! The Ring of Kerry is the most famous, but the Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Beara are equally stunning. Hire a driver if you don’t feel up to the driving challenge. v Castles – you can’t visit Ireland without seeing a castle, and luckily they’re not hard to find. If castles aren’t your focus, try to at least visit two: one converted castle in good condition and one in ruination for a sampling of both. v If weather permits, don’t miss a once-in-a-lifetime experience on Skellig Michael, a rugged karst island 8 miles off of the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula.

Local Contacts and Tours:

v In County Kerry (& beyond) talk to Paul Brown, whose knowledge is only matched by his indisputable Irish charm. Brown's Taxi & Tours at brownpaul4321@yahoo.com to get more info. Have him help set up a specialized tour for your group!

Irish Road Trip: 9-Day Itinerary An Irish road trip could take any of a thousand forms: it could take you through the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, up to Northern Ireland, to the scenic drives of Counties Kerry or Cork, or even focus on a tour of golf courses, castles and cathedrals, or distilleries and breweries.

Unless you have months and months to explore, you'll have to narrow your focus and figure out what your priorities are for exploring.

For us, finding a home base was our first point of attack (I have a post forthcoming on having a home base vs. jumping from place to place). From there, we were able to bookend our trip with different locations on the front and/or back-end. Below is a sample of what we did for anyone wanting to recreate our adventure or anyone wanting to use this information as a departure point for crafting a trip of your own.

Ireland by the Numbers Kilometers Driven: 1471 Nights Spent: 8 Castles & Manors Visited: 6 Breweries & Distilleries Visited: 2 Restaurants Experienced: 13 Peninsulas Covered: 3 Hotels Stayed In: 2 Villas Rented: 1

The Itinerary •

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DAY 1: DUBLIN // We arrived at 6:30AM into Dublin airport and had a full day in Ireland's capital to kick-start our trip. We chose the well-located Cliff Townhouse for our two nights and couldn't have been happier! To maximize our time with two short days, we opted for the Hop On Hop Off Bus, including stops at major cathedrals and the Guinness Storehouse.

DAY 2: DUBLIN // Our second full day in Dublin brought us face-to-face with the Book of Kells at Trinity College for a dose of morning scholarship. From there, we enjoyed a local food market for lunch and an afternoon touring and sipping at the Jameson Distillery.

DAY 3: CASHEL, CAHIR + DROMOLAND // The road trip begins with a day of castles! We rented our car at 8:30AM with Sixt from the Dublin airport and began our road trip. Our final destination for the night was the Inn at Dromoland, but we mapped a path that allowed us to see the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle on the way. As you can see, it took us a slight bit out-of-the-way but it was worth it for us based on our interests. Dinner was a magical night at Dromoland Castle.

DAY 4: ADARE + DINGLE PENINSULA // We departed Dromoland Castle early and made our way to Adare to scope out Adare Manor and have brunch in what claims to be one of Ireland's cutest towns. From there, we spent our afternoon exploring the Dingle Peninsula en route to our villa for the week in Kenmare (our home base).

DAY 5: KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK + KILLARNEY // I had intended for day 5 to be Killarney National Park + the northern side of the Ring of Kerry, but that was an uneducated and overly optimistic thought. Killarney National Park's 26,000 acres are far too captivating for a half-day. We spend the morning horseback riding in the park, doing a family photo shoot with a vacation photographer, exploring, plus visiting the town of Killarney.

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DAY 6: SKELLIG MICHAEL + RING OF KERRY // Our pre-scheduled trip to Skellig Michael ended up being a win! We spent a solid half-day journeying to the Skellig Islands, and then spent the remainder of the day making our way back to Kenmare along the southern coast of the Ring of Kerry.

DAY 7: RING OF BEARA // Day 7 was spent exploring the Ring of Beara, and Kenmare was the perfect base for this, too. We explored at leisure, making our way clockwise around the peninsula.

DAY 8: KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK {INNISFALLEN ISLAND} // For our final day, I made no plans. We collectively decided to revisit Killarney National Park, a nearby place that had utterly inspired us. We rented bikes, rode to Ross Castle, and picnicked on mystical Innisfallen Island.

What We Would Do Differently Every day came with a slew of highlights, from the unexpected castle run-in on the Ring of Beara, to the stunning vistas of the Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula.

Quite honestly, our biggest issue was really time management on most fronts (and we tried really, really hard!). If we could go back, I would have added Valentia Island on to our day after seeing Skellig Michael. I also felt a bit short-changed on the Dingle Peninsula because we spent a bit too much time in Adare, which, in my opinion, was unnecessary. The Dingle Peninsula has such a wealth of beauty in the landscapes but also so much charm in the town of Dingle itself. In hindsight, we should have checked out the Adare Manor and then opted out of seeing the town of Adare. It's cute, but I would have rather dedicated those two extra hours of exploring and eating to the Slea Head drive or exploring the town of Dingle more in depth. If we had more time, I would have spent a night in Dingle to get the full experience.

Tips & Thoughts for Renting a Car in Ireland After months of research and organization we felt fairly prepared going into this trip. Still, when it came to renting a car, there were obstacles we didn't expect and things we simply didn't

know going in. There are some rental issues that are specific to Ireland so it's worth knowing what you'll need to make the process as seamless as possible.

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Insurance is mandatory when you're renting a car in the country. If you're thinking that your credit card has car insurance built into it (we thought the same), call your company to verify. Ireland is the exception to many rules on this front so there's no guarantee here. If your credit card company does, in fact, offer coverage in Ireland you'll need to talk to your car rental company to see what information they need from you as proof. For example, we have a Chase Sapphire card, which does cover cars in Ireland, but it wasn't until we reached the counter to pick up our rental that we realized they needed a letter from our credit card company delineating the coverage for their records.

We ended up making it work (Chase ended up emailing our car company the letter while we were there) but it was a hassle dealing with it the day of. If they hadn't been able to send the letter as quickly as they did, we would have ended up paying nearly €200 extra for the rental (and that was the super basic insurance option). Look into this in advance to be safe and make the process simple!

GPS is a must. For an additional €10 - 12 a day, you can have a GPS system with your car. If you're road tripping through the country, make the investment! Our GPS made our life so much easier and took so much stress out of navigating the country. Without it, someone would have had to be the navigator in a foreign country, dealing with small back roads and foreign land. If you're wavering, GET THE GPS SYSTEM. Smaller cars aren't necessarily better. Going in, we thought that the smallest possible car would be the best course of action when dealing with narrow Irish roads, but that's not necessarily the case. Yes, the roads are narrow but they're not that narrow. If you're planning on doing some of the scenic drives like we did, factor in your comfort. You'll be in the car for hours each day and being cramped is not fun.

Also, don't forget to factor in your luggage. We had initially booked a Nissan Qashqai and upgraded to a more spacious Volvo SUV for an additional €30 a day. In the end, we all agreed that the extra fee was worth it; it made our driving days more comfortable and we had space for our luggage in the back so no one had to accommodate bags by their feet.

Gas wasn't as terrible as we had imagined. There are so many factors that we were dealing with going in: euros vs. dollars, liters vs. gallons, a diesel SUV vs. gasoline...

we truly had no idea how much gas we would go through during our trip, but I had budged somewhere in the neighborhood of $500 in total, knowing we would be renting an SUV and driving a fair bit. In actuality, we filled up twice: once was about €70 and our final fill was €85 or so (from nearly empty).

All in all, I feel that we did a pretty good job of maximizing our time in Ireland and seeing an array of what the country has to offer. We got our city fix in Dublin and two days was perfect for us. We could have spent a week exploring each peninsula, but with the limited time we had I was happy that we got a taste of each (Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry).

The reality is that limited time will always be an issue, and you have to prioritize in these situations. There are so many other places that I want to see in this region and so many more drives I want to undertake. I suppose we'll just have to go back one day for round two!

The Best Ways to Experience Ireland's World-Class Landscapes We went into our Irish road trip feeling pretty well-researched and confident about our way of exploring the famously beautiful drives of County Kerry. In the end, I loved our experience – it was pure magic – and everyone in my family left feeling as though it was the best travel experience of their life. If you’re also hoping to experience the landscapes in Ireland, you essentially have three options: 1. Hire a car and self-drive the peninsulas (this is what we did) 2. Hire a driver for a private tour experience 3. Go with a big bus tour Having gone through this experience ourselves, I hope that some of this knowledge will be valuable to other travelers looking to experience this area who are perhaps unsure about the best way to see the region.

Hire a car and self-drive the peninsulas

This was the route we took, knowing that we’d want the flexibility to explore at our own pace and stop along the way based on our own preferences. To hire a care in Ireland, you need a valid license (from our experience you don’t need an International Driving Permit, despite what you’ll read online), and you’ll need to be prepared to fork over nearly double for an automatic vehicle. Unless you’re extremely comfortable with the idea of driving a stick shift in a right drive car on the left side of the road, you’re probably better off with an automatic for comfort and peace of mind.

While the self-drive scenario was a great option for us, it did have one downside: someone had to drive. In a country whose culture is somewhat anchored in pub experiences, whiskey tastings and a pint at lunch, this can become a bit of a drain on whoever is driving. Do note that Ireland has an absolute zero drinking and driving policy that’s not worth testing (this means zero, not 0.08); don’t plan on having a single pint if you’re taking on the task of driving.

Also factor in that for many people, this involves driving on the opposite side of the road while navigating narrow passages on some of the peninsulas. This isn’t always comfortable for everyone,

and it’s worth making sure that your intended driver feels okay with the task at hand. In our case, though we paid for a second driver (my dad, an additional €10 per day), Scott was kind enough to take the helm for the entirety of our trip. He’s used to driving on the left since that’s become commonplace with life in Anguilla, and had mastered maneuvering the narrow roads after a day.

For him that meant having to opt out of mid-day pints and having to stay awake – and maintain vigilance! – while passengers were able to be a bit more carefree.

Unless someone is 100% okay with having to be the driver for the entire experience, I do think it’s worth discussing having two alternating drivers for the trip. This will allow everyone to enjoy the experience without having to place sole responsibility on one person for the entire experience.

Hire a Driver for a Private Tour Experience

This was an option that I hadn’t considered initially but sincerely wish we had. Based in the pictureperfect town of Kenmare, we had two fabulous scenic drives in our backyard (the Ring of Kerry + the Ring of Beara), plus the famously beautiful Dingle Peninsula within striking distance. These are

all incredibly beautiful drives and are totally doable with a GPS and a responsible driver (see point #1 above). All of that being said, a private tour guide brings a few new elements into play: 1. Everyone can enjoy fully throughout the day, including distillery visits, mid-day drinks, etc. without having to worry about navigating.

2. A private guide brings incredible local knowledge. Scott and I have learned this during previous trips and have both come to really value touring a new destination with a private guide. No, I don’t like big tours (small ones are okay!), but I really appreciate having local knowledge when I’m being introduced to a new area. This means not only an added layer of history and insight, but also a driver who knows the back roads and knows the ins and outs of scenic drives, especially in areas where big bus tours are commonly seen. For example, in the summer, the Ring of Kerry can be congested with 50+ big buses making their way from town to town. Private guides, with custom itineraries and smaller paths, can help steer clear of those highly trafficked routes and provide an experience that’s a bit more special and personalized.

If I were to do anything different during our trip, I would have added a day or two with a private driver. Ideally, I’d hire someone to explore the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry (we allocated 2+ days for the Ring of Kerry, but I’d have one with a private guide). Both peninsulas include iconic drives and an understanding of time management to be able to see key sites within a set timeframe.

Going in, we hadn’t researched this option in any depth but also didn’t come across a great deal of information on this option, either. This can actually be done affordably if you’re splitting up the cost, considering vans can carry 6+ people comfortably. With the five of us, at €60 or so each (that’s a rough estimate but a fairly decent starting point for anyone thinking of this option), we could have had a private driver for a full day of exploring.

Our driver within Kenmare, Paul Brown, is someone who I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a knowledgeable local guide operating within County Kerry and County Cork (he may operate further afield as well). We worked with him for brief drives to and from town but were all blown away by his professionalism, punctuality, and incredible local insight. Plus, he wins the award for best dressed and brings that genuine spirit of Irish hospitality.

You can reach Brown's Taxi & Tours at brownpaul4321@yahoo.com to get more info and have him help set up a specialized tour for your group!

Big Bus Tours

We saw many of these big bus tours during our drive, and there are allegedly anywhere between 50 and 60 buses driving the Ring of Kerry on any given day in the summer. If you're someone who absolutely hates planning or feels ill equipped to plan a trip of your own, this may be a fine option, but it’s one that I would absolutely never recommend. I dislike bus tours broadly, but after our experience in Ireland, I would discourage big bus tours for anyone capable of doing their own planning. That being said, I realize that there are some bus tours focused on certain demographics (e.g. senior travelers, handicapped travelers, religious groups, etc.), which may add a layer and appeal that a self-drive option wouldn’t.

Knowing how much we loved the flexibility and autonomy of being able to explore the region on our own time frame, I think having ownership of your experience is so incredibly important. I want to stop where I want to stop, eat where I want to eat, take pictures when I see fit and generally do the things that I’d like to do. I don’t want to wait on other people and I don’t want someone taking me to cafeteria-style restaurants for sub-par food when there are fabulous, authentic options to be had. That’s all I can say on this particular option, but if you’ve had a great experience on a big bus tour, by all means feel free to dialogue in the comments section below and share your experience!

Day One: Dublin City Highlights We landed in Dublin around 6:45AM running on very little sleep but fueled by a load of energy and excitement. Our first stop was the Cliff Town House on St. Stephen's Green, a boutique hotel in Dublin that we called home for two nights. We were far too early for checkin, but we were able to drop off our luggage, spruce up and make our way out.

With limited in time in Ireland's capital, we opted to purchase tickets for 48 hours on the Hop On Hop Off bus operated by City Sightseeing Dublin. When I'm in a city for a brief period of time, I love this option for getting my bearings and seeing some key sites while avoiding the costs of cabs as much as possible. For less than â‚Ź20 each (seniors and students be sure to bring your IDs to claim your discounts - there are many!) we had access to many of Dublin's top sites, and commentary about the surroundings during our journey. There are nearly two-dozen sites to choose from and you could easily spend the full two days exploring everything the city has to offer. Here's how we spent our first day in Dublin on the Hop On Hop Off Bus:

Temple Bar

We entered at Stop 7 located on St. Stephen's Green, directly opposite our hotel and rode just a short way to Temple Bar. Even those who haven't been to Dublin will likely recognize the Temple Bar neighborhood as being the nightlife hub of Dublin, dotted with charming pubs and boutiques. The area is much more alive at night, but by day it's still captivating in its own right.

Brick buildings touch candy-colored pubs, and flowers and flags decorate many of the facades.

We walked through while the city seemed to be waking up; the Guinness truck was doing out barrels upon barrels of beer, and restaurateurs were slowly opening doors for lunch and an afternoon pint.

Christ Church + St. Patrick's Cathedrals

After strolling through Temple Bar, we made our way to Christ Church Cathedral for a dose of morning history (this is another stop on the Hop On Hop Off if you wanted to bus it). I visited Christ Church during my last visit to Dublin and found it absolutely stunning. The cathedral itself is a beauty but it's the history, dating back to the 11th century, which makes it an absolute must-see.

We continued our cathedral hopping at St. Patrick's; we were too close to pass it up. During my last visit, I skipped over it, just scoping out the facade and scooting by. This time, we went inside to compare and contrast St. Patrick's (late 12th century) with Christ Church. If you're a cathedral, architecture or history person, you should probably visit both. The inside of St. Patrick's has some incredible stained glass (always a favorite of mine), and a stunning set of flags decorating the inside.

From a design and aesthetic perspective my dad preferred St. Patrick's Cathedral, but both are gorgeous in their own ways. For anyone interested in purchasing a Heritage Card, do note that neither of these cathedrals falls under the Office of Public Works so you'll have to dole out the cash for the entry fees on each of these.

Guinness Storehouse

By the time we'd finished exploring St. Patrick's Cathedral, we were all ready for lunch. Beyond ready. Instead of choosing whether to go to lunch or the Guinness Storehouse first, we decided to do both at once and have lunch at the Guinness Storehouse. There are a number of restaurants inside, but the Brewers' Dining Hall had the greatest appeal to us with a Whole

Foods-style bar serving up ready-to-heat fishcakes, quiches, stews, and salads; a great base before a few pints of Guinness.

I did the Guinness Storehouse tour during my first visit to Dublin in 2010 and remembered it as being incredibly well done. The tour was just as great as I had remembered; self-guided but interactive and highly informative. The tour includes a pint of Guinness, which you can grab at the Gravity Bar upstairs or use at the pour-your-own Guinness station. Regardless of which option you choose, you have to head to the Gravity Bar on the top floor - it's gorgeous with floor to ceiling windows for great views of Dublin.

Dinner: Vintage Kitchen

Okay, I never really write about food. I never think of myself as enough of a foodie to have an opinion on the matter, but The Vintage Kitchen is too good to not share. Let me start by saying that I made our reservations five months in advance.

Seriously. Five months. And I couldn't even get the reservation that I actually wanted. I requested Saturday at 7:30PM only to find out that the only possible reservation that may work for us was Friday at 6PM. 6PM is a bit early for us normally, but beggars can't be choosers so I humbly took the reservation and crossed my fingers that this place would live up to my expectations.

Oh. My. God. Vintage Kitchen exceeded all of our expectations by far. The food, the service, the ambiance, the quality, the quantity... every single thing was mind blowingly good and the BYOB element made it even more fun. We went equipped with three bottles of wine (more than we needed) and ate and drank for two solid hours before rolling ourselves out. Pure bliss. If you're in Dublin, this place is an absolute must.

You can thank me later.

My dad's comment: One of the top five meals he'd ever had in his life. Everyone's comment (except mine): the best seafood chowder ever crafted. (I don't eat meat and the chowder has chorizo. Wah.) Being that I made the reservations, I humbly took the credit and felt like an absolute hero. Score.

Nightlife

Our day was jam-packed and since we had all been up for 18+ hours, I was doubtful that we'd go out after dinner, especially after being stuffed to the gills with food and wine, but we were all surprisingly energized and couldn't be in Dublin without getting the full city experience.

To me, Dublin is nightlife. If you're there to experience the place and the culture, it feels sacrilegious to not go out, listen to live music and grab a drink (or five) at a pub. We ended up staying out for four hours, starting at the Auld Dubliner for one, and then spending the majority of the night at The Old Storehouse. We made new friends, sipped on ciders, local brews and whiskey, and had an all-around amazing evening singing, chatting and laughing the night away.

If ever there was a better start to a trip, I can't imagine it. Day one in Dublin: absolute perfection.

Highlights from the Day When I asked everyone at the end of dinner what their highlights were, everyone universally said that dinner itself was the highlight from the day. The food, the ambiance and the family time were a fabulous end to the day and the experience managed to outshine tastings at the Guinness Storehouse and medieval cathedrals.

Fast forward four hours, and live music at the Old Storehouse - with my mom stepping behind the bar for a moment to pour her own pint - trumped all for most of us (though it was followed very closely by our dinner at the Vintage Kitchen). For my dad, Vintage Kitchen still won out, but suffice it to say that our evening ended up boosting our already-fabulous day in Dublin.

Dublin: Trinity College + the OldJameson Distillery Our first day in Dublin was jam-packed and a bit zombie-like for all of us after our long flight. For our second, and final, day in Dublin we were much more alive and ready to explore a couple of other key destinations. On our radar: the Book of Kells (my one request), plus the Jameson Distillery. During my first visit to Dublin years ago, I didn't make it into Trinity College to see the Book of Kells or Trinity's famous library (4.2 million books housed there). This time, I vowed that I'd make it in to tour the area, and even prepped by watching The Secret of Kells beforehand to get some inside scoop into the history.

Book of Kells, Trinity College

Everything I read urged visitors to head to Trinity College early in the morning to see the Book of Kells to avoid the long queues that can form later in the day. We made Trinity our first stop and easily found the entry point to the exhibition, which houses the Book of Kells in an incredibly informative and educational way. Tickets were roughly â‚Ź10 each, with discounts for students and seniors. To my mind, this is a worthwhile investment if you're interested in learning a bit more about the manuscripts, the monks involved, the writing process, old Irish script, etc. The book itself was written around 800AD and contains the four gospels of the New

Testament. After the exhibition and getting to see the actual book, visitors are led into the Long Room, Trinity's massive library which is 65 meters long and houses 200,000 of the college's oldest books. I felt like Belle from Beauty and the Beast walking through this place, which is a highlight in and of itself.

Art, Food + Book Markets in Dublin

After Trinity College we only had one real objective left: the Jameson Distillery. First, we needed food, and I had read about a series of fabulous markets that happen on Saturdays in Dublin. In Temple Bar, there was a book market, a food market and a crafts market to uncover and we were on a mission to find all three.

The book market was small, and of little interest to anyone when we finally found it (located in the main Temple Bar square). The food and art markets on the other hand were of interest to everyone. In lieu of a normal lunch, we meandered to the food market and each found a stall that interested us before reconvening at a central table. Washed down with a hot spiked cider, it was perfection on a crisp fall day. The crafts market, while relatively small, still had a number of fun stalls to explore though we left empty-handed.

Read more about markets in Dublin on the city’s website to see what’s on while you’re in town.

Jameson Distillery

After lunch, we made our way to the Jameson Distillery on foot. I'll be honest: I don't like whisky. I knew that the boys in our group would want to visit the factory, though, and that it would be an educational experience at the very least.

The tour far exceeded my expectations. We ended up spending hours at the distillery and I actually had an incredible time throughout the entire experience. Unlike the Guinness Storehouse, this is a guided tour and there are a limited amount of tickets available for any given tour. We arrived right before a tour was going and we had to buy five tickets (the last five!) for the following tour over an hour later. If you're looking at visiting, be aware that you'll want to either get your tickets in advance or be prepared to wait (â‚Ź15.00 each).

No bother, though. The distillery offered free wi-fi, a great gift shop, and a great bar downstairs served up whisky cocktails to keep people entertained during their waiting period. When our guided tour started, we got to watch a brief video on the history of Jameson and its impact within the community, plus toured the old distillery. As many are aware, this is no longer a functioning distillery as they moved to Cork to accommodate the growing production. The only part of the process that happens in Dublin is the bottling, but the factory is still set up in a

way that makes the tour super educational so visitors can get an idea of how the whisky is made and what sets it apart.

The final room on the tour, where six barrels of whisky were highlighted, was very visually interesting (shown above). Each barrel represented whisky of a different age. The lower left was a new whisky (not able to actually be called whisky yet, technically), just a few months old.

To the right, a 3-year-old whisky, and to the right of that a five year old whisky. At the top, 15year-old and 18-year-old whiskies were shown to illustrate how much shrinkage happens over the years as the aging process happens. After the tour, we made it to the final room: the tasting room.

Tables are pre-arranged so groups can mosey on up to a collection of whiskies waiting to be sipped. In the middle, there's a small shot of Jameson, to the left is a Scottish whisky (Johnny Walker Black), and to the right is an American whisky (Jack Daniels), so guests can taste the difference between the types of whiskies. I had originally thought that the tasting was of three different vintages of Jameson but having three entirely different types made it way more useful for me as a novice whisky drinker (I honestly think that there would be little way I could tell

the different between vintages). After tasting the Jameson side by side with the other whiskies, Jameson was clearly my favorite, and while I still won't order whisky in a bar, I now know which type I prefer which is a step in the right direction!

The tour ended with a complimentary drink, either Jameson neat or Jameson and ginger ale. We sipped leisurely before heading to the bar for another cool Jameson-based cocktail. I expected the boys to love the experience but I was honestly surprised at how much all of the ladies ended up loving their time there. Beyond the tour and tasting, the distillery itself is a very cool setting and a great place to grab a cocktail.

On the Road: Rock of Cashel + Cahir Castle After two days in Dublin, we were off to begin our road trip through Ireland. Our main focus for the week would be in County Kerry, but first we wanted to head to the Dromoland Estate via the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle.

For anyone thinking about renting a car and road tripping through Ireland, it's an absolutely fabulous way to see what the country has to offer on your own timeframe. You have the autonomy and flexibility to stop where you want, leave when you want, pop into any shops, restaurants, pubs or points of interest without being on any sort of time frame.

Rock of Cashel

Our first stop was in County Tipperary at the Rock of Cashel, about a two-hour drive from Dublin. I had heard about the Rock of Cashel from an Irish friend of mine during graduate school. When I visited Ireland previously, she asked if I had made the journey to the iconic site but my adventure hadn’t taken me out that way.

Since we were driving the country on our own this time (no public transport), we had the flexibility to cater our path to take in as many sites as possible. The Rock of Cashel and nearby Cahir Castle made the cut for our first day of driving.

While we had some sun during our drive, it faded away by the time we had reached the Rock of Cashel. Rain clouds and wind replaced the warmth and we bundled up to made the trek to the castle entry a bit more bearable. The ruins, sitting up on the hilltop, are immediately identifiable as you pull into the town of Cashel. Tours take place every hour on the half hour and we had arrived just in time for the 11:30AM tour, which is a great way to see the site and add a layer of history and understanding to what you’re seeing.

Our guide was hugely informative and took us through the space, showing us key interiors and some highlights from the grounds. To be honest, the weather was hellish, which made the experience tough since we were trying to listen while shivering. I had always thought the Rock of Cashel was a castle and wondered why it was referred to as a ‘rock’ instead. In actuality, the space once served as home for royalty (perhaps in the 3rd and 4th centuries) before it was given to the church and used as a religious compound of sorts beginning in the 12th century or so.

From the tower, huge distances are visible on a clear day. The space ended up being abandoned because of the elements; winds of hurricane proportion blew through the area and the cold and conditions became so unbearable that the residents called it quits. My mom, dressed absolutely terribly for the weather, was shivering violently and quickly recognized why people would leave; a pretty space, but a tough place to withstand the elements.

I couldn’t grab many photos since the rain was coming down throughout the entire tour, but the space itself is remarkable and incredibly imposing. The ruins are still in very good shape considering how long they’ve been standing, and all of the restoration that’s been done replicates what it would have been like centuries ago. As morbid as this sounds, the burial plots surrounding the compound are astoundingly beautiful. The green is dotted with stone Celtic crosses marking burial sites of those passed, and there are still three burial plots left to be filled with the last living plot holders (the youngest is 84). If you visit, be prepared to see scaffolding – it’s not pretty, but it’s necessary to keep the ruins from falling into total ruination.

Cahir Castle

After Cashel, we made our way to nearby Cahir, a quick 15 – 20 minute drive away. Cahir Castle came recommended by a guest of ours at the Frangipani, and since it was in such close proximity to the Rock of Cashel it made sense to pop in and scope out the grounds.

While the Rock of Cashel is more domineering, Cahir Castle is remarkably beautiful as well, and certainly well maintained. The ramparts were used in the filming of Braveheart and make an iconic photo. We toured the space with a guide briefly and then explored a fair bit on our own.

If you’re planning on doing the Rock of Cashel, it’s worth adding Cahir Castle to the menu, too, since it’s so close and offers a different feel. If you’re using your Heritage Card, both sites are included.

Dromoland Castle + the Inn at Dromoland

For an evening we lived an absolute fairytale. After a day of seeing impressive castle ruins at the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle, we made our way to Newmarket-on-Fergus, the home of the Dromoland Estate. The stop was a bit out-of-the-way on our journey to County Kerry, but knowing my dad’s love for castles and my mom’s desire to see castles, I knew it would be worth the stop over.

A stay at Dromoland Castle itself didn’t fit into our budget for the trip. In lieu, I booked us two rooms at the Inn at Dromoland, a less posh though absolutely suitable hotel on the same estate as the castle itself. We arrived with enough time to get ready for dinner, which I had arranged in advance at the Earl of Thomond, the restaurant at Dromoland Castle. Knowing that we wouldn’t be able to stay at the castle overnight, a dinner there seemed like a great way for us to enjoy the castle grounds and see the interiors. Upon check-in, the concierge at helped us within arranging a car to collect us from the inn and take us to the castle for dinner, which allowed all of us to enjoy the evening without worrying about driving home afterwards.

“Your ride awaits.”

My mom received the call in her room when the van pulled up, and giddily told my sister and I that our ride was waiting outside. I had already felt like I’d been transported into a scene of Beauty and the Beast at Trinity College’s library in Dublin, but the fairy tale continued in a major way for our evening at the castle.

We arrived about 45 minutes early with the expectation of grabbing a drink at the bar. The castle’s façade alone is otherworldly, with green and red ivy crawling up the stone walls. Unlike the ruins we had seen earlier, Dromoland is an active castle hotel and clearly the product of a major investment to live up to its five-star standard. Many larger tour groups providing guided tours of Ireland include a night at Dromoland Castle in the offering, and it's easy to see why.

The castle grounds are pretty spectacular, plus beyond the accommodations guests have access to a range of options on-site including falconry, fishery and archery.

We slowly made our way to the bar, admiring the interiors and pausing to soak in the sitting area near the fireplace. When we made it to the cocktail bar, there were five open seats awaiting us. Perfection. We each ordered a cocktail to start to give us time to marinate a bit in the moment and soak it all in. We all knew this was going to be our nicest dinner out in Ireland, and was our perfect opportunity to dress up a bit for the occasion. For anyone looking at going to the Earl of Thomond, dress code is upscale casual (is that a complete oxymoron?): jackets aren't required for men though we saw many gentlemen in sport coats at the restaurant. Collared shirts and pants (no jeans) are a minimum requirement. For ladies, dresses seemed to be the de facto uniform but there were a few women in nice pants and blouses, too.

Just sitting at the bar felt like we'd been transported to another world and another time. The bartenders were carefully crafting our cocktails in front of a gorgeous bar while we looked on.

The entire experience was dreamy, for lack of a better description. From the get-go this trip felt incredibly special but this evening kicked off a truly magical experience for us.

After our cocktails, we headed to the Earl of Thomond for dinner, serenaded by a pianist and a harpist while we were escorted to our table. I’ll be honest: part of me was a bit concerned that the food would be mediocre. Did they really need to put out good food when guests were going to pay to eat there regardless? Presumably most of their diners are visitors so they’re not exactly banking on local repeat business. Besides, most people would leave happy just being able to experience the space.

When the starters came out, we were all pleasantly surprised. Everything was outstanding.

They clearly weren’t cutting corners in any way, and the excellent service just added to the royal treatment. Our entrees came out next, each covered with a perfectly polished metal lid.

Three servers approached the table and simultaneously removed the lids to reveal our respective meals. We were all beaming so brightly that our cheeks should have been sore afterwards. Our entrees were excellent (the John Dory was the arguably best fish I had in the whole of Ireland) and the setting just added to the magic. There couldn’t have been a more perfect evening for us.

To top it off, our server came out with a gorgeous chocolate cake lit with candles to celebrate my dad’s birthday. The cake was portioned out by the staff and brought out for all of us to enjoy before we left for the night. In Cinderella fashion, our coach pulled up to the castle to

whisk us back to the inn, but that entire night burned bright in our memories for the remainder of our trip.

My mom, who had no real idea of what to expect when embarking with us on this trip, sat with my sister and I before going our separate ways for the night. “I feel like a princess,� she said.

Mission accomplished.

For anyone looking at visiting the castle, I really can't recommend it enough. If staying there fits in your budget, I can imagine that there's value there if you plan on enjoying some of the activities on offer, too. For those wanting to balance budget with experience, I felt very pleased with how we approached the night. Since we only had a single night at the Inn at Dromoland, we were really only using it for accommodation. The primary experience for our night was the dinner at the castle which was very accessible from its sister property. While I think we would have all loved staying at the castle instead, I don't think anyone felt cheated at all in the way that we did it.

We went back to the castle the following morning to see the space in the sunshine. The castle during the day:

Adare Manor The town of Adare is utterly charming (the recipient of a tidy town award), and the manor itself is worth a visit to take in the sheer beauty of the facade. Unlike the traditional castles we’d seen, this is a manor home but is vaguely reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. The hedges in front of the manor, plus the series of brightly colored flowers just add to the overall beauty of the space. We were incredibly lucky: the sun was shining for us, and the entire space was truly illuminated and transformed in the sunlight. We had originally planned on stopping for breakfast at the manor but instead opted for a quick brunch in the town of Adare at quaint Main Street haunt, The Good Room Cafe. After coffee and a light bite, we said goodbye to the tiny town so we could head south to the Dingle Peninsula.

Exploring the Dingle Peninsula The drive was peaceful and the landscape was so vividly green during our journey that we couldn’t help but be enchanted. We passed field after field dotted with sheep; little white cotton balls meandering along the green, spray painted with large dots of blue or pink.

Finally, we passed Tralee and were entering the Dingle Peninsula. We had no real agenda other than exploring any towns that seemed interesting and taking the landscape along the way. We followed signs for the Conor Pass, which offered some of the most incredible vistas imaginable.

The slight haze just added a mystical layer to the entire landscape.

NatGeo and other publications have recognized the Dingle Peninsula as one of the most photogenic sites in the world and one of the must-see drives during your lifetime, and I can see

why. The landscape is dramatic and diverse; white water crashing against cliffs, swathes of beautiful tan sand against emerald cliffs, waterfalls sprouting out of craggy rock faces, and stretches of green fields so lime-colored that they seem painted. This was our first brush with one of Ireland’s scenic drives and we were mesmerized by the beauty along the Wild Atlantic Way. Along the drive, there are pullouts for visitors to stop and drink in the vistas. Give yourself enough time to do this properly; there are so many beautiful views that are worth taking in along the way.

Our final stop was in Dingle Town, the de facto capital of the peninsula, where we shopped and dined. Street after street housed brightly colored shops (from souvenir shops to cool artisanal spots), restaurants, and bars. So. Many. Bars. For a relatively tiny town, we were stunned by the number of quaint drinking establishments, and only wished that we had carved out more time for the Dingle Peninsula in general.

We dined at The Boatyard, a seafood restaurant doling out loads of fresh fish and locally crafted brews and ciders for visitors. Fueled by fish & chips and chowder, we made our way out of Dingle and east to Kenmare, our home for the remainder of the week.

For anyone heading to the Dingle Peninsula, my advice would be this: spend at least a night there. We saw a number of quaint B&Bs, which likely offer competitive rates, plus there are bound to be more luxurious accommodations for anyone looking for something a bit more highend. With the time we had and the sites we wanted to see, we simply didn’t carve out the time for a night in Dingle but it would be a worthwhile stop for an evening or more. There are loads of fabulous shops and pubs, plus there’s the famously stunning Slea Head drive, which we missed. Additionally, there’s a distillery in Dingle turning out locally made gin and vodka, which I would have like to see – and taste! - as well. If someone in your party is driving (as was the case with ours), Ireland has an incredibly strict drinking and driving policy (as they should!), which means if you want everyone in your group to be able to enjoy the full pub experience during an evening, you should plan on spending the night so no one has to worry about driving.

Also, don’t be fooled by the seemingly short distances. We factored in time to explore during our planning process and even that wasn’t enough of a buffer to see what there is on offer. Sure, you could drive the peninsula in a few hours if you were driving from Point A to Point B without stopping, but the entire point is to stop and take it all in. The roads are on the narrower side so plan on going 40 – 50 kph for many scenic stretches. It’s worthwhile to think about the key things you’ll want to do when on this drive. Are there towns you want to see along the way? Specific routes you want to take (e.g. Slea Head Drive and/or Conor Pass)?

Prioritize those things. If you come to a point where you need to cut something out or sub something in, you’ll want to have an idea of what’s most important to you and your group.

Even with our time in Dingle cut a bit short, we found the peninsula to be an incredible introduction to the scenery of Ireland. Even if you only have time for a day of touring the area like we did, it’s highly recommended!

Horseback Riding in Killarney National Park

Our first full day on the Ring of Kerry brought a number of highlights, two of which ended up being genuine highlights for our entire time in Ireland. We had allocated the entire day to explore Killarney National Park, beginning with a private horseback riding excursion with Killarney Riding Stables, an experience that we had scheduled to have captured by [K] Photography.

My mom, the Bachelorette watcher that she is, was captivated by the idea of horseback riding in Ireland, and I was very much on the same page. The idea sounded magical, and what better place to explore on horseback than within Killarney National Park? Having heard about the depth of the landscape and the vast area of the park (26,000 acres), we thought it would provide the perfect way to get us out exploring in a fun format.

We coordinated a private riding time with Killarney Riding Stables to begin at 11:30AM. The sun was out and highlighted a landscape that is jaw-droppingly beautiful. I expected the park to be impressive based on the photos that we had seen, but I didn’t expect it to be nearly as beautiful as it is in reality. In hindsight, Killarney National Park, along with the Ring of Beara

and the Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula, were standouts when it came to absolutely amazing vistas.

When we arrived at the stables, we suited up with riding boots and helmets. The staff also gave us each a rain jacket to help dispel any rain that may head our way, and while we avoided getting wet during our ride, the coat was a welcome layer of warmth when the sun went into hiding. We were given horses based on our size and experience (all novices): two of the smaller horses for my sister and I (named Harry and Joey, respectively), a gorgeous grey horse for my dad (Peter), a stunning stallion for Scott (James), and a sweet horse with some personality for my mom (Mystery).

None of us are riders. I had ridden once, Scott and my mom had each ridden twice, my sister had never ridden before besides a quickie ride at the fair as a child, and my dad had ridden a handful of times years ago. Our guide made us feel incredibly comfortable and the horses were absolutely amazing to ride with. Besides the occasional rogue moments for each of us (with distracted horses wanting to nosh on some nearby grass), the horses easily followed our guide at a slow and comfortable pace.

The views are permanently emblazoned in my mind: vast expanses of green and brown-tinged grass with sparkling lakes in the distance. Collectives of deer, with domineering bucks within feet of us during our ride, interacting naturally and dancing around the area. Mountains lined the backdrop to add an extra layer of drama to the landscape. Since we hired a photographer I opted to leave my camera in the car (I was also concerned about where I would put it while on the horse) but I had to stop throughout our ride and just stare. We did this in cycles, each of us in utter awe of the landscape, which was made even more spectacular in the sunshine.

The guide took us through a couple of brief series where we could trot through the area and feel something a bit faster than the slow-paced walk; we all bounced up and down, holding tightly and catching air as the horses picked up a bit of speed before slowing down. The scenery here isn’t’ meant for galloping anyway; a slow walk is exactly what you want in order to take everything in and just enjoy the unadulterated beauty of the park.

Nearly anyone can ride. We were all novices, as I had mentioned, and are all different sizes and different ages with varying fitness levels. We were all absolutely fine (though trotting was a bit hard on my dad’s back after the second go around), and all found horseback riding to be a highlight of our entire time in Ireland. In that hour-long moment, everything conspired to make our experience amazing: the weather was perfect, our horses were incredibly beautiful and well-

behaved, we had a photographer capturing our experience for posterity, the landscapes showcased utter world-class beauty, and we were all together creating new memories that were unlike anything we’d ever experienced before. I’ve used the word ‘magic’ to describe so many of our experiences in Ireland and while I would like to mix up the descriptors a bit, there is absolutely no better word than magic to describe so many of our moments together.

What to Know

What to wear Our weather was incredible but even with sunshine I would still suggest pants (fitted seemed best for women) and a jacket, even something lightweight if it’s on the sunnier side. For shoes, go close-toed. Riding boots and helmets are provided by the stables so footwear doesn’t really matter but if you’d like to wear your own shoes they need to properly protect your feet.

What you can take This was where I had questions – can I take a camera? A purse? I ended up leaving everything in our car since I was unsure, but you can also leave excess items with the office staff at the

stables. I could have easily taken a small cross body bag and a camera around my neck fairly comfortably. As you may imagine, there's no where to put anything when you're riding so if you can't comfortably take it on your body then leave it.

If you’re taking a camera and going the novice route like us, do know that you’ll go through a few brief periods where you may be trotting which will make your camera bounce a bit. I would make sure to have the lens cap attached to the camera so you don’t lose it if it ends up coming loose!

What to expect The ride is an hour and takes you through the Knockreer Estate so you can expect to see what is shown in the images above: gorgeous views of the lakes, local animal residents, and a great selection of flora and fauna (including berries which my mom had to taste, naturally). Whether or not the deer always make an appearance like this, I'm not totally sure, but they were out en masse during our ride, which added some serious splendor to the experience!

As I mentioned above, our ride took place at an incredibly leisurely pace. Our guide knew that we were all novices and treated us accordingly, which was very comfortable for all of us. She gave us the option to trot, which we were all keen on but you could easily opt out if you're concerned or have back problems that may interfere. Our horses were all lovely to work with and the entire ride was totally comfortable for me. I had recalled my previous horseback riding experience in Hawaii as being rather uncomfortable and a bit painful by the end. This was not like that at all, very comfortable from start to finish.

We were fortunate to have a 'private' ride with the five of us, but normally rides take place at set intervals throughout the day so you'll likely be with other riders, which adds to the fun!

Who can ride

In terms of skill level, anyone can ride. As I mentioned above, we were all novices with little to no experience riding. I provided that information to the stables in advance but there was absolutely no issue for them to pair us up with the right horses and give us a brief overview on using the reigns when we arrived. You don't need your own equipment as they can provide it for you, and their sizes comfortably accommodated a range of riders. I can't be sure what the age limits are on this, though I would imagine children old enough to take instruction and ride responsibly (perhaps age 10+) can likely go with parents involved.

We left our ride on an absolute high that day. In hindsight, that hour together riding through the park on horseback was a highlight of our entire trip in Ireland. If you're considering scheduling a ride, do it. I can't imagine a better way to explore Killarney National Park for an hour!

Capturing our family trip with [K] Photography

My family and I have never gone on an international trip together in our lives, and the last family portrait we had done (besides at my wedding) was an Olan Mills snapshot from the early 90s. Since then, our captures have been the domain of amateur family photographers, including myself, who have snapped photos from special occasions. Don't get me wrong - I love those candid, casual snaps but I've also wanted an amazing family photo shoot to capture our adventures so we're all in the frameable photos.

When this trip to Ireland became a reality, I realized that there were fewer perfect places for a great family photo session. We would all be together on this rare occasion, on our first international trip, in my father's #1 bucket list destination for his 60th birthday. Absolute perfection. I searched up and down trying to find a photographer that could capture some photos in County Kerry or Dublin and finally came across Nerijus from K Photography, a Lithuanian-born photog based in Killarney. After glimpsing a sample of a family photo shoot in Killarney National Park, I knew I found our guy. He was an absolute breeze to work with from afar, and we quickly settled on a day and a general idea for the shoot (candid, including shots on horseback and bike riding within the park). Knowing us, I wanted the bulk to be

photojournalistic in nature but also wanted to be sure that we'd be able to 'busy ourselves' during the shoot so we would, in effect, forget that someone was photographing our interactions.

The experience was nothing less than our best day in Ireland. Firstly, a huge thanks to Mother Nature for working with us. Weather is the ultimate X factor as far as these outdoor photo shoots are concerned (you may recall that our photo shoot in St. John didn’t have the prettiest weather), and it’s an element that can really be a game changer in the outcome of photo shoots like this. The drizzly forecast and morning rains had us cringing, but by the time we arrived to begin our riding experience, the sun had come out, and it stayed out for the rest of the day to illuminate our backdrop.

Nerijus instantly made us all feel at ease, which is such a critical component to a genuine photo experience. We were fortunate in that we were working with him for an extended period (about 4 – 5 hours) but when your shoot is somewhat brief (30 minutes to an hour), you have to get comfortable fairly quickly. Within 10 minutes of meeting him, we were all relaxed enough to let our personalities shine through.

When I initially began brainstorming what a family photo shoot in Ireland may look like, I tried to envision where the best backdrop would be to capture the essence of the country. Dublin was my initial instinct but when I gave it proper consideration, I realized that a more bustling city might make everyone a bit less comfortable. Capturing those perfect moments is a bit more difficult when you're surrounded by people on busy streets. For me, Killarney National Park was truly the ultimate destination for a vacation photo shoot in Ireland since we were able to play with many textures and a variety of backdrops within a single space. A number of photos took place during our walk through the park, with others at Ross Castle and at Muckross House. The pièce de résistance was the horseback riding experience, which truly ended up producing some spectacular images.

For others considering vacation photography in Ireland, I can’t recommend our locations enough for seriously stunning backdrops. If you have time to make the horseback riding happen, it’s provides an incredibly unique offering. If not, the park itself will set you up with a series of gorgeous and vibrant backdrops to give life to your images and really evoke a genuine sense of place.

We knew we were dealing with great settings but Nerijus’ talent really brought everything together for us. He helped us with choosing the locations, positioning ourselves within certain

landscapes, and evoking natural expression for the images so they weren’t all forced smiles. Plus, the quality of the images really do speak for themselves. If you’re looking to create an experience of your own, I hope you find the information below helpful for recreating your own shoot.

Please feel free to leave me any questions or comments in the comments section below, too – I’d be happy to share any input or ideas based on our experience!

Tips for Family Vacation Photography in Ireland

Photographer: Nerijus from K Photography, based in Killarney, Ireland // Reach him via email at info@kphotography.ie or via telephone at: +353 (0) 857814820.

Locations: Killarney Riding Stables, Killarney National Park (including Ross Castle, Muckross House and Gardens).

What to Wear: I learned a lot from our first photo shoot and shared those thoughts with my family going into this family shoot. Long sleeves and a neutral palette with complimentary outfits (not matching) was key. In addition, we gave ourselves enough time in the morning to properly prepare (read: hair and makeup) so we could feel pretty going into the shoot.

What to Know: Your vacation photographs are about you so communication is key. I shared my thoughts and ideas with Nerijus in advance and we were able to flesh out some thoughts and locations that we thought would capture the spirit of this family trip. I personally prefer a photojournalistic style to lots of posed-looking photos (though we wanted some of those, too!) and that vibed with his approach perfectly. If you’re someone who prefers lots of posed photos or has a list of photos you’re looking to capture, write down your thoughts and share those details so you leave with the photos that you’ve envisioned.

We were also flexible. We had initially planned on renting bikes during the afternoon and ended up scrapping that idea to play with different backdrops and work off of the energy that we were feeling in that moment. Go with a general plan, but also be open to inspiration and guidance from the pro! Some of my favorite pictures were from impromptu stops along our walk in the forest where good lighting and pretty natural elements worked together to create a seriously gorgeous backdrop.

Once-in-a-Lifetime: Mystical Skellig Michael Our alarms went off early on the morning we ventured to Skellig Michael. Based in the town of Kenmare, we had to be in Portmagee by 9:40AM to get on the boat with Brendan Casey and crew. By our calculations, the journey could take upwards of 2 hours with the narrow roads, unpredictable weather and factoring in the fact that we were dealing with unchartered territory. I had preliminarily booked our Skellig Michael experience months in advance but nothing was firmed up until that morning at around 7:30AM when I called Brendan to doublecheck if the boat would be going out. It was a yes.

The boats to Skellig Michael run for a brief period during the year, basically May through September in conjunction with the summer season. Even then, there are no guarantees that boats will venture the 8 miles off shore to the rugged karst islands sitting in the distance. During the week we visited, we managed to head out on the one day that operators were making the journey that week. Boats didn’t go during the two days prior and they weren’t going the following day either. In truth, we lucked out in a major way.

Skellig Michael flies under the radar, but the likelihood that it stays that way is pretty slim with its new breakout role as the set location for the upcoming Star Wars flick. Its rugged otherworldly location fits the bill.

Our timing worked out and we arrived at Portmagee with time to spare before our 10AM departure. We were sharing the boat with seven other passengers who were also venturing out for this unique experience. At €60 each it represented a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us and one that was praised by every local we talked with. Reviews from other visitors to Ireland dubbed it one of the best – if not the best – all around experience in the whole of Ireland. Could it really be that great?

The journey out to Skellig Michael takes about 50 minutes, and the seas can be rough. The crew provided rain gear for the passengers – pants and heavy-duty jackets – to help with the large amounts of water that would come in during the ride. Many people got wet on the journey over, and two people had to take the staff up on their seasick bags halfway through the ride.

My mom, who is prone to seasickness, fared like a champ. She opted out of breakfast that morning to keep her stomach from acting up and she ended up making it to the island in one piece. For those that do get seasick, be aware that it's a relatively rough ride and seasickness bracelets or pills may be in order.

About 45 minutes in, we were ready to arrive at the one small dock that welcomes fishing boats.

How anyone ever landed on this rugged island with an old boat is mind blowing to me. The fact that they built a monastery at the top is mind blowing. If I’ve learned anything during my last 12 months of travel, it’s that monks seriously value solitude and will go to any lengths to preserve it.

Upon arriving we were briefed by one of the island’s caretakers, Catherine, who has lived on Skellig Michael along with a handful of others for the past fifteen summers. She emphasized that the climb to the top of mountain wasn’t for everyone. The path is steep (that was apparent), the steps were wet after the rain, and the stark drop offs – paired with a lack of guard rails –

weren’t necessarily for the faint of heart. Naturally, visitors are advised to stay on the paths and while this seems like a fairly obvious bit of advise, I’m constantly amazed by how many people want to be the adventurers to forge their own path. The last thing I wanted to be was a sad statistic so I heeded Catherine’s advice.

After our briefing, we set off on the climb, estimated to take roughly 20 – 30 minutes; nothing overly intensive, but a climb that requires care to be sure you don’t slip on the narrow rock steps. We were about seven steps in when my mom declared that she couldn’t make the climb.

She’s not great with heights and the fact that there were no guardrails on the steep mountain face had clearly made her uncomfortable. She bowed out of the experience and was content to sit at the base, admire the views, and chat with Catherine for the hours ahead. I’ll pause there to say that I’m very proud of my mom for making that decision in that moment. I wish she had climbed just a couple of sets of stairs to be able to glimpse a bit of a view, but it was great that she recognized her limits and chose to not do something that didn’t feel right for her (despite making the rough journey over).

She left our band of merry travelers, and then there were four.

My dad was attempting the journey, partly to satisfy his interest and partly due to peer pressure from us. Between being steeped in history and soon-to-be Star Wars fame, I thought Skellig Michael would be my dad’s dream experience. We continued on, one narrow rocky step at a time, until we reached a few grassy plateaus offering gorgeous vistas of Little Skellig in the distance. The sun was finally peeking its head out and illuminating the landscape and the waters surrounding Skellig Michael for a seriously stunning moment. My dad made it about two-thirds

of the way before I could tell that he’s reached his limits physically. Beyond the real-life stair master component, my dad has back issues that were not being helped by hopping along one step at a time. When he was ready to pause, we had reached a stunning vista point offering stark views of the mountainside ahead and the vibrant green mountainous landscapes around us.

He sat peacefully at the top of a staircase and let us continue on.

And then there were three.

The Monastery at Skellig Michael

The three of us were left (fairly young and mostly capable), and despite a few moments of worry and breathlessness, we were generally okay to complete the climb to the top. For me, the key was not to look down too often, lest I see the vast drops surrounding us.

Finally, we had arrived.

The top is a flattened area that was home to the monastic buildings built between the 6th and 8th centuries. A caretaker sat in the middle of the compound, telling stories of the island and of its history. Five beehive shaped buildings formed the focal point at the top of the mountain.

Each structure stood strong, having withstood centuries of harsh weather and no mortar to keep the stones in place. One of the structures was the place of worship; a cross still sits in front of it, with a small burial ground on the backside. The other structures, all built the same, were the monks’ living quarters; essentially old-fashioned dorms where three or so monks would bunk together. At most, they believed that 12 – 15 people may have resided on Skellig Michael at any given time. Beyond the place of worship, they had a garden (a shocking fact to nearly everyone after looking at the landscape), and allegedly had a small library with special texts that they would have wanted to conserve. Looking at the site now, standing in remarkably well-kept

condition, it’s a wonder that it was built – or even seen as a viable livable space – in the first place.

We wandered around the grounds and listened to a bit of the caretakers’ narrative. The views from the top are impressive and seeing the monastery itself is definitely a highlight if your body is able to carry you to the top.

Skellig Michael: What to Know

The hike isn’t strenuous as such, but it could best be described as challenging when taking all of the environmental components into play. I would wager that most moderately fit people could complete this hike, even if it has to be done at a slower pace. Catherine, the caretaker, suggested that the hike may take 20 - 30 minutes to reach the top and that seemed like a fair estimate for us. There are resting/vista points throughout the hike where you can pause, take in the views and gather your breath if need be. The boats typically give you between 2 and 2 1/2 hours to explore, providing ample time to get up, explore, and get back down. Going up I was fine but I was a bit anxious when we reached the top: would going down be much harder? I was afraid of slipping and losing my balance going this direction (going down generally makes me more nervous than going up). Going down was totally fine, even with the slightly damp steps. We

ended up making it down more quickly than we made it up; in part because it was less physically strenuous, but mostly because we weren't stopping as frequently to take in the views.

For visitors that are extremely out of shape or for smokers, the steps may prove to be a bit of a challenge (there are around 600 steps).

As you can tell in the images, the hike is steep and the steps are narrow so anyone who finds those components nerve-wracking may have some issues with the climb. When we went in September, Skellig Michael was fairly calm in the sense that it wasn't overrun with tourists. In general, there are a limited amount of boats going out to the island but I imagine that summer months bring a great many more visitors to scope out the Skelligs. That being said, I didn't feel rushed at all during the hike, and if we wanted to pause we simply stepped to the side to make way for others. During our hike the traffic was slow enough where hikers going either direction could position themselves close to the mountain (vs. the cliffside) for extra peace of mind.

I think it's worth noting that not everyone will be able to do this hike, but that doesn't mean it's not worth the journey. My mom stopped after a few steps purely because she wasn't comfortable enough with the steep steps and the height. If you find yourself too scared to make the journey, don't. As Catherine mentioned to us, there's a healthy amount of fear that we should all have in places like this; anything beyond that - fear that's debilitating - is not right for this. If you're able, hike at least to the first vista point and enjoy the views from there.

For my dad, the climb didn't work well with his back issues. He's had disc problems for a long time and the tense focused stair master-like climb was hard on him. He was able to make it a fair bit of the way, which was impressive, but also knew his limits and stopped there to enjoy the moment.

For my mom, this was a nice experience but wasn't a highlight. She enjoyed seeing the island, knowing its history and the infrequency of visits to the Skelligs, and I think she's grateful for having made it out to Skellig Michael. Being that she's prone to seasickness and that she wasn't up for the hike, the Skellig experience was overall a bit lackluster for her as compared with some of our other activities in Ireland. I had initially thought that my dad would be head over heels for this place and while I think he enjoyed the experience overall, it was a bit uncomfortable for him physically which may have overshadowed the high points a bit.

For my sister, husband and I (those who made it to the monastery), Skellig Michael was definitely a highlight and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The space itself is certainly awe-

inspiring but layered with the fact that its home to a centuries-old monastic site that's still intact is jaw droppingly amazing. The caretakers on the island do a lovely job of sharing the history and key elements of the site so you leave with a fair understanding of the Skelligs' uniqueness.

If you have the opportunity to visit Skellig Michael and are able to enjoy the climb, I would highly recommend it. Give yourself the majority of the day (you'll leave around 10AM and return around 2PM). It's an incredibly interesting site steeped in centuries of history with a mystical quality about it.

Also note: There are no bathroom facilities or dining options on the island and nothing that resembles either of these things. Take a snack if you want to enjoy a picnic on the island and make sure you use the restrooms before you head out!

Who to go with: Casey's Skelligs Island Tours In addition to the normal journey to Skellig Michael, Brendan and his team will take you around Little Skellig to show you the dramatic scenery on this uninhabited plot, plus the history of the birds that call Little Skellig home. The guys that run this boat are incredibly kind and very knowledgeable. Also worth noting: there's a toilet on board the boat for an emergency situations to and from the island.

Where to dine afterwards: The Moorings/The Bridge Bar in Portmagee When you disembark, it'll be somewhere around 2PM and you'll likely be ready for lunch. The Moorings and The Bridge Bar are located right across the street from the dock in Portmagee.

There's a great selection of local ciders worth trying, plus a number of seafood options including traditional fish and chips.

Ring of Kerry: Quaint Towns and Stone Forts Following our morning at Skellig Michael, we took the afternoon to slowly make our way back to our home base of Kenmare, exploring the colorful towns and stone forts that dotted the road.

In total, three of our six days in County Kerry were spent exploring the Ring of Kerry but we barely scratched the surface of what there is to uncover.

Our first day, we had explored Killarney National Park on horseback, meandered around some of the park's key sites, and explored the town of Killarney. For our second day on the Ring of Kerry, we focused on the southern side of the peninsula, beginning in Portmagee after finishing our Skellig Michael tour, heading counterclockwise.

We returned from Skellig Michael around 2PM and had lunch at The Bridge Bar in Portmagee.

By the time we had devoured our fish and chips nearly an hour had passed, leaving us relatively little time to stop along the way to explore (this is a common theme, isn't it?). I had a few things on my agenda: St. Finian's Bay and Skelligs Chocolate being amongst the first two stops.

I'm not entirely sure where we diverted but I think we ended up taking the road to Waterville the shorter route - instead of weaving our way around the jagged peninsula to get to our destinations.

No matter. We were still enjoying the views and were keen to explore as much as possible during our day.

Waterville We came across the town of Waterville, which was anchored by the Waterville Craft Market sitting on the main road. Many shops that we came across in County Kerry had similar items: lots of locally crafted sweaters, gloves and scarves; Celtic-inspired jewelry, whisky-infused chocolate, and artisanal soaps. Still, I love popping into markets, especially those that have a sense of an independent spirit (read: not the mega-souvenir shops with row after row of kitschy magnets and pens). Outside of the shop is a heritage trail, a series of stones detailing historic events and Irish tradition.

Though bigger than many of the towns we came across on the Ring of Kerry, Waterville is a relatively small town. Despite its size and location, it boasts one surprising claim to fame which golf lovers will appreciate: it's home to a championship golf course that's consistently ranked amongst the best courses in the world. Who knew?

Loher Stone Fort

Leaving Waterville, we saw signs for Loher Stone Fort nearby. Up until this point we hadn't seen a stone fort during our drive, and with the sun shining it seemed like the perfect opportunity to go on an adventure. So we followed the signs, and continued down a narrow road until we began to think we had lost our way. Do we know what a stone fort looks like?

Maybe we passed it?

And then, out of nowhere, we realized we hadn't lost our way at all. In the middle of the sea of green, there was clearly a stone fort in the distance, a circular ring made of stacked stones to create a compound of sorts. We parked our car near the a flock of sheep and made our way down a gravel path to the fort.

The fort, which dates back to the 9th century, was well marked once we entered the main area, with a sign providing the fort's history in English and in Gaelic. While we didn't realize it at the time, the two stone forts that we would see during our drive represented two of the bestpreserved and largest stone forts in the country. This particular fort was recently reconstructed which is why the interior rooms are still clearly delineated and the outer perimeter, around two meters high, is still in good shape. Like many places we visited, we were the only visitors in sight, free to explore at our leisure and drink in the views.

Sneem The day was wearing on by the time we had reached the colorful town of Sneem. We ended up driving by a few smaller towns, knowing we'd have to play that time management game again.

When we had driven by Sneem in the morning on our way to Skellig Michael, we all commented on how charming the tiny town was and made a mental note to come back later in the day. In the evening, the weather was perfect for strolling by the independent shops.

We popped into a couple of shops to pick up fresh meats, chunks of Irish cheeses, bars of dark locally crafted chocolate, and craft ciders from the area. As a side note, can I comment on how many ice cream shops each of these small towns have? Seriously, there are more ice cream shops than residents. We were constantly amazed by the handcrafted ice cream signs every ten steps.

In a country that's famed for their drizzly grey weather, at what point does ice cream seem like the hot seller? In their defense, I had ice cream twice during this trip.

Staigue Stone Fort

We were on our way back at this point, a bit tired after our long day and early wake up call for Skellig Michael that morning. When we came across the sign for Staigue Fort we knew we had to stop and explore. Stone Forts admittedly aren't the most interactive of experiences but they still hold a special history.

We drove for what seemed like miles after we had seen the first sign. Just like the first stone fort, we were weaving around endlessly and beginning to think we were never going to find this place. Then we found the entrance; an open gate and a rock path leading to the fort. Staigue Fort is considered one of the largest and well-kept ring forts in the whole of Ireland and it hasn't had the reconstruction work that Loher Stone Fort has had. They believe the fort could have functioned as a tribal center when it was originally built, and the strong stonework has withstood many centuries of inclement Irish weather. For us, it was another brief opportunity to explore and admire the views from the tops of the walls.

Kenmare We made our way back to Kenmare, our home for the week. Kenmare itself is worth mentioning and discussing as a key town along the Ring of Kerry. When we booked our trip initially, we knew nothing about Kenmare. When we referenced the town to people who had traveling around County Kerry, everyone would go gaga over how fabulous it was; utterly charming with great food and an iconic main thoroughfare.

Indeed, after seeing some of the towns along the Ring of Kerry, I would argue that Kenmare is the ideal home base with a bit of that Goldilocks charm. Killarney is a great town, with more charm than I would have expected for being the biggest town on the peninsula, but Kenmare provides a more quaint small town feel with the options you'd want from a larger town. The other small towns we drove through were almost too small to stay in with few options for dining, nightlife and music. If you're staying in Kenmare, even for a night, you'll be utterly spoiled for choice when it comes to dining options. As it was explained to us, Kenmare benefits from the fact that restaurants are run predominantly by chef-proprietors, which means that there's a palpable sense of pride in everything being produced and a true focus on service that's a product of owner buy-in and the amiable Irish spirit.

We did a pub-crawl on our final night that took us to six or seven bars on the town's two main streets; all of which were great with unique vibes. Our food was fabulous, with standout dinners at Packie's (a local favorite!), and The Mews.

If you're trying to choose a town to stay in along the Ring of Kerry, you'll love Kenmare's feel and location - perfect for exploring the Ring of Kerry (including Killarney National Park), the Ring of Beara, and with easy access to the Dingle Peninsula.

What We Missed While we missed the entire northern part of the Ring of Kerry, my only real regret is missing Valentia Island this time around, especially since we were so close. Unlike some other islands along the ring, you can access Valentia Island by bridge from Portmagee. Our driver in Kenmare, not knowing what we'd seen or where we had been, shared that he found Valentia Island to be a key site along the ring, convinced that folks hadn't really seen the Ring of Kerry until they had visited Valentia Island. If that's the case, it looks like I'll need to book my return trip soon!

Scenic Drive: The Ring of Beara

You've heard of the Ring of Kerry and you're also likely familiar with the Dingle Peninsula, but what about the lesser-known Ring of Beara?

Until we began our planning for a week in County Kerry I knew nothing of it; quite a shame after having seen its untold beauty first hand. The Ring of Beara came highly recommended to us by the owner of Dromard Villa, our home in Kenmare, and it piqued our interest. Kenmare sits right at the crossroads of the Ring of Kerry and the Ring of Beara making it an ideal destination for exploring either locale easily.

The Ring of Beara is a notably shorter drive than the Ring of Kerry at roughly 130km, about 80 miles (that was our drive distance from Kenmare to Kenmare going clockwise). 80 miles doesn't sound like a lot but this isn't a race, it's a leisurely scenic drive that requires sufficient time to be able to enjoy the stops along the way and the breathtaking vistas (there are many).

In truth, I found relatively little information online when I was looking for itineraries, highlights, etc. about the Ring of Beara. Their tourism site provides a good starting point, but

hopefully these images and a first-hand perspective will be somewhat useful to anyone planning this adventure for themselves.

The Ring of Beara We headed clockwise around the Ring of Beara, beginning in Kenmare, approaching the drive in a rather leisurely way. I had a list of highlights along the ring, key towns and some distances, but we didn't really have a timeline. I'm of two minds on this: this is probably how you should approach it so you can enjoy each stop and not have to be a drill sergeant throughout the day.

On the flip side, we found that we ended up spending hours of our day exploring before we even reached Glengarriff. For many, Glengarriff may be perceived as the actual starting point of the Ring of Beara. So, here are highlights from our day and a bit of feedback and insight as to which areas you may want to prioritize if you only have a day to drive the Ring of Beara.

Bonane Heritage Park

Within 10 minutes of our drive we saw signs for the town of Bonane and the Heritage Park within its borders. The Office of Public Works' Heritage Cards are not accepted here as the Heritage Park is a community initiative to preserve the unique histories found within the compound. Entrance will cost somewhere between â‚Ź3 and â‚Ź5 (discounts for seniors and

students), and the staff will equip you with a map to begin your journey. Visitors can explore the entire park, a 1 - 2 mile loop, on foot, and it's worth allotting at least an hour to explore the various sites. If you have mobility issues, it's worth noting that there are some inclines and the roads are not handicap accessible (you can see the gravelly roads in some of the photos).

While it appeared to be a rather small operation from the outset (one lady welcoming people, collecting money and passing out maps), the park itself is very well done with great signage and explanations for the sites within the park's borders. There are two walking paths: one that's a bit longer with less of an incline, and one that's steeper but a shorter route. The easier, longer route (called the 'Druid's Walk') is totally accessible for the majority of people. You'll find a stone ring along the way, a stone fort (the fort is mostly in ruination and requires some imagination), a bullaun stone, a cooking area from the early centuries, and a famine house, which represents a more recent Irish history. In my family, we’re all different travelers, but we all enjoyed this stop. The natural beauty alone is breathtaking, and the walk is easy enough for most travelers, and provides a fairly high concentration of Celtic sites.

Molly Gallivan's Cottage

After leaving Bonane, we shortly arrived at Molly Gallivan's Cottage, a quaint cottage setting with shops and a tearoom facing the beautiful Druid's View. The stop is impossible to miss; you'll see cars parked opposite the cottage with an old truck marking the entries.

If you have the time and desire, you can tour the grounds, which are home to famine ruins, a bog, a lime kiln, a stone row and a poitin still. We opted to poke around the shops inside without embarking on the journey but the grounds are a great place for history buffs wanting a bit of insight into local history.

Even in our short time there, we were absolutely enchanted with the story of Molly Gallivan.

As a single mother of seven children, she struggled during the famine to feed her family and survive. The poitin still on property was where she distilled her strong homemade whisky, or poitin, called 'Molly's Mountain Dew', which she sold illegally. Even if you opt out of doing the full farm tour, it's worth popping into the charming craft and gift shop to snatch up some locally made Irish goods.

Glengarriff Our first stop was Glengarriff, the second largest town that we experienced on the Ring of Beara. Along with Castletownbere, this was one of the more bustling hubs, with restaurants, bars and shops lining the main street. If you're taking a ferry to Garinish Island, this is where you'll embark for the experience. We found a few cute shops in Glengarriff doling out typical, though not kitschy, Irish takeaways; Irish wool, Celtic jewelry, and children's books highlighting Irish lore.

There are a number of restaurants and pubs that would be suitable for lunch here but we knew that Castletownbere would have more to offer and we needed to set the pace a bit if we were going to make it around the Ring of Beara before dinner in Kenmare.

Castletownbere

Castletownbere is the de facto capital of the Ring of Beara and overlooks Berehaven Harbour.

Of the towns we came across, it was the largest and most vibrant with a lovely charm about it.

There are a number of restaurants to choose from, with many serving up locally caught seafood

fresh from the shores. Without much forethought as to where we would eat, we ended up at Breen's Lobster Bar for lunch, which ended up being a great setting for a casual bite with excellent fresh selections. For cider lovers, try the Orchard Thieves cider that they stock! Along the main road, you'll find a few sweet shops and specialty stores, banks, grocery stores, and some outdoor market stalls.

Puxley Estate + Dunboy Castle

After we left Castletownbere, our intention was to head around the tip of the peninsula to make our way to Allihies, a coastal town famed for its copper mining days of old. Here's the beauty of road tripping independently around Ireland, though: there are surprises around every corner and you get to make up the itinerary as you go.

When we stumbled upon a sign that said castle, we turned the car around and headed down a nondescript road to see what was in store. We quickly came upon old domineering gates, beautiful ruins that acted as an entrance to a jaw-dropping castle estate. Could we go this way?

It looked like there was some construction going on but we couldn't be sure. BUT THIS WAS A CASTLE WAITING FOR US, and not just castle ruins or some private estate that someone

called a castle but an actual castle, and we were still working on getting our fill of princess moments.

My dad, with his sage wisdom asked, 'What's the worst they can do? Kick us out?'

Fair enough. So we continued on to the princess castle, which is actually the Puxley Mansion (I'm still calling it a castle in my mind), which sits on the Puxley Estate. It was clearly a private space and obviously being worked on so we didn't go in.

We just parked our car across the street and scoped out the area, walking along the water facing the estate. It was an absolutely gorgeous time of day with the sun bouncing off the inlet and illuminating the landscape. By the water we noticed a sign for Dunboy Castle and the history of the site with records dating back to the 1600s. Was this Dunboy Castle?

I was now very confused, so we continued walking.

No, no.

This was Dunboy Castle:

Okay, was I just transported to The Shire?

Also, duh there's a castle behind the castle-like mansion, because doesn't every estate have real castle ruins in their backyard? I mean, It's only proper.

We took our time running around the shamrock-laden fields and taking it all in. The sun was shining, we had just stumbled upon these castle ruins, and we were the only people in sight. We scaled the hill and made our way down to the water to scope out the estate from around the bend. There was no doubt about it: we had fallen into a dreamy storybook. We were all just praying that we could stay in this dream for a little longer.

My mom, with her childlike wonder, was taking in the views before noticing a bush of blackberries nearby that clearly needed to be devoured. She only ate one before my sister and I lectured her about how they could probably most definitely be poisonous. She swallowed it just to spite us and kept frolicking, and I was happy to just be in that moment of everyone else's happiness.

Allihies, Eyeries and Ardgroom

It was sometime after 5PM at this point and we were barely past Castletownbere along the Ring of Beara going clockwise. We still had a fair way to go and didn't want to rush our experience along this scenic loop. To give ourselves enough time to enjoy, we moved our dinner reservations back from 7PM to 9PM; enough time to continue along the route, get home and get cleaned up for our evening out.

I had read about Allihies, Eyeries and Ardgroom being traditional fishing villages worth visiting. There's no doubt that the towns are charming but I don't know that they're necessarily all worth a stop when faced with the issue of limited time.

We quickly drove through Allihies before we had really realized we had driven through it. It's a quaint town with a history of copper mining, but its quiet - nearly comatose - pace didn't do enough to compel us to stop and wander. Eyeries, with its pastel homes, was charming to drive through, but at this point in our trip and at this point in the day we needed something a bit more than charming facades to draw us in. We drove through with admiration and headed to Ardgroom. To be honest, the scenery along the way was more of a highlight than any of the smaller towns were. We stumbled upon a stunning burial site covered with unique Celtic crosses and the ruins of what appeared to be an old church. Within minutes, we had passed a corner with sweeping view of a beach and pink and blue painted sheep grazing the grass. It was beautiful. Beautiful in that way that makes you stop for a moment, breathe it in, and say thank you for the precious world we live in.

What We Missed, Tips + Insight

So, what did we miss and what would we do differently next time?

Some highlights along the Ring of Beara that we missed: •

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The Healy Pass: We drove from Kenmare to Kenmare counterclockwise and planned on seeing the towns along the outer perimeter of the Ring of Beara. Whether this was the right choice, I'm not totally sure. Another route would take you along the Healy Pass, which essentially cuts through the Caha Mountains from Adrigole in County Cork to Lauragh in County Kerry. Those who have gone rave about the stunning natural beauty.

Garinish Island: As you saw above, Garinish Island can be reached from Glengarriff by taking a ferry across. Due to our limited time, we opted out of this experience. It's positioned as an 'island garden', which is supposed to have amazing botanicals, gorgeous walks and a seal colony. For us, this wasn't a priority.

Adrigole: A town along the Ring of Beara, Adrigole is home to the highest waterfall in Ireland, and is the entry point (or exit point?) of the Healy Pass.

Dursey Island Cable Car: Dursey Island is one of the few inhabited islands in the area, but the biggest draw is the cable car, the only one in all of Ireland and the only cable car in Europe that travels over open water. There are no restaurants, pubs or shops on the

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island so the biggest draw is landscape, hiking and bird watching - none of these were a priority for us.

Stone Circles + Stone Forts: We had seen a few of these during our day on the Ring of Kerry so they weren't musts for us during our time on the Ring of Beara. For anyone interested in these sites, here's a link to some key places that may pique your interest. Also note that from our experience on the Ring of Kerry, a sign pointing to a Stone Circle or a Stone Fort doesn't mean that it's going to be right around the corner; it could be miles down narrow roads to be reached.

There were other scenic drives we missed out on, towns we didn't get to see, and other little islands (e.g. Bere Island) that we completely bypassed. After our day of exploring, here are some general thoughts from our experience that I hope will help for anyone that's planning a trip of their own: o

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Give yourself ample time. It's technically not a long drive but there are many, many things to see along the peninsula and there's absolutely no way you'll be able to see everything. Start early, say 8AM, and plan to grab breakfast or a snack along the way. Either opt out of dinner reservations or make late dinner reservations (around 9PM) to give yourself a nice full day to explore.

Prioritize. I said this when I talked about Dingle and I think this is absolutely relevant with every scenic drive. To piggyback off of my last point, even with ample time you won't see everything you want to see so make a list of what you're most excited about, perhaps 3 or 4 stops along the way, and try to enlist your time management skills (to an extent) to make sure you hit those spots. In a group like ours with somewhat differing interests, perhaps have everyone pick at least one thing that is an absolute must for them to make sure everyone leaves feeling like they had the experience they came for.

Plan but allow flexibility. We stumbled upon Dunboy Castle; it wasn't initially on our radar, but it ended up being an absolute fun highlight for us, perhaps in part because it was unplanned. Give yourself enough of a buffer during the drive - during all of these types of drives - to simply explore. The beauty of this experience is being able to pull over at any given time and uncovering the gems that lie around every corner. You won't know until your there what piques your interest and what looks most captivating. On the flip side, something you plan on doing or seeing may end up seeming ill fitting in that moment.

I think we may have actually been a bit too flexible (ahh, this never happens!) in that we didn't have a good grasp of our priorities during this drive which allowed us to squander a bit of time and miss a few key drives. Lesson learned though!

For anyone interested, here's a map with some points of interest that I initially put together for our trip! Feel free to poke around: After having experienced the Ring of Beara and the Ring of Kerry, I can see why locals tout the unspoken and unspoiled beauty of the Ring of Beara. We weren't fighting tourists very much in general, but we hardly came across another car during our day on the Ring of Beara. For the most part, it felt like us and the world. A gorgeous, untouched, vibrant world. The scenery is equally stunning, if not more so, than what we saw on the Ring of Kerry, and the roads are equally well kept. We felt worlds away driving along the Beara Peninsula and it's a drive I would recommend to anyone in the area. Ideally, you'd have more than a day to really delve into the natural beauty that this area holds, but even with a single day it's worth the drive and the time. You won't be disappointed, just start early!