Blogs from Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland, Europe

Be began our 460 kilometer travel journey today in the town of Kenmare, filled with adorable shops and charming streets. We spent most of the day driving the Ring of Kerry filled with beautiful views and winding narrow roads. It was a bit foggy at the top of the cliffs but the views we were able to see were gorgeous. We attempted to make it to Dingle Town, but ran out of daylight so we headed back to Adare. We had dinner at 1828 Adare which was delicious. The restaurant is in a thatched roof house built in 1828, what a unique local experience in this adorable town.... read more

Let me start by saying today was a very long day. Along with that, today was the best day I've had yet on this trip. I began my drive of the Ring of Kerry this morning without a real itinerary, just a list of potential landmarks I could stop at if I felt like it. url=http://www.all-ireland.com/attractions/munster/kerry/gapofdunloe.htmhttp:/www.all-ireland.com/attractions/munster/kerry/gapofdunloe.htmGap of Dunloe wasn't on the list, but I turned off the highway when I saw the sign anyway, and made my way into the most beautiful and majestic place in the world, the Purple Mountains, MacGillyduccy's Reeks, and the Black Valley. After I stopped to photograph the Gap, my GPS said it was barely over an hour to the next city if I wanted to continue on the route I was currently on. So, instead of turning back the way ... read more

Thursday, Oct. 14: Packed our bags and checked out of our B&B, The Anchorage, after breakfast. Our hostesses, Ann and Mary, were terrific. We took one last stroll around Kinsale on another sunny October morning in Ireland before leaving for our day-long road trip to Kenmare. This was our most scenic drive yet. It included coastal views, mountain vistas, Irish countryside along pleasant routes again with rock walls, tree overhangs…you get the point…it was a beautiful drive. Our first was Clonakilty where we had a pint at an sugan. Our witty bartender, Denis, filled us in on the correct way to serve whiskey with a water jug, advising us to “never water another man’s whiskey”—words to live by. Ed really wants a ceramic Jameson’s water jug. We’ll have to look for one. We strolled around the ... read more

Geo: 51.8768, -9.58479July 25, 2009Ring of KerryLast night, we walked the village of Kenmare and took in a number of local sites. This place is a perfect little Irish village at the base of the Kerry Peninsula. We explored the local church, dating to 1864, and then ventured up and down the streets heading out from the town center. One feature was a stone circle, one of over 100 of such formations to be found in Ireland. Perhaps they were inspired along the same ideas that led to Stonehenge. Whether they were for ceremonial purposes or just a crop calendar we do not know, but it definitely would have been a major production for the druids to move these massive stones a considerable distance from their origin in order to construct this formation. We had dinner ... read more

I'm actually in Sneem, but Kenmare is the closest village/town that is listed. We toured the Southwest of Ireland on Saturday. I got to sleep in today... wonderful. I'm going to go get ready for church, an Irish Catholic service. I'm also going on a mountain hike today in the Kerry Mountains. I'll blog tonight. Ishmael- I bought another suitcase because I've bought so much cool stuff here. I 3 the fashion here. Also, I bought some souvenirs for family and such. You should try REAL Irish coffee. (There's no actual coffee in it. Haha.)... read more