Part of M and my’s trip was a two day trip to Kerry with our friends. One of our goals of the trip was to get out of Dublin some- while we were going to school we mostly stayed in the general Dublin area. There is so much to do, I feel like we can’t be blamed. It was also fantastic to spend that much time with Eoin, Kate, and Rob, as well as meeting Roel and Hannelore! It was only two days, but we fit a lot of adventuring in!
On Friday morning, we woke up, cabbed to Eoin’s place, dropped off our bags, and headed on our way (after stopping to pick up snacks, obviously)! We made our way through the country to Kerry, with our first stop being the Rock of Cashel. This was my second time getting to see the Rock- I can assure you, it gets better with time. For those who don’t know, the Rock of Cashel was a fortress of the Kings of Munster until the twelfth century when it was donated to the church. That is a quick summary, but it is a goldmine for anyone who studies medieval Ireland. It is also incredibly picturesque.
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After the Rock of Cashel, we were onto Ross Castle in Killarney! It is on the beautiful Lough Leane, and is an amazing example of a late medieval castle in Ireland. Built in the late fourteenth century, it is famous for being one of the last castles to surrender to Oliver Cromwell. It is not a massive castle, but that does not make it any less fascinating! We went through three different rooms, plus the garderobe (aka toilet bench room deal). The guide was fantastic and along with knowing the Castle, he was clearly passionate about it.
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The Gap of Dunloe is an absolutely stunning mountain pass, and if you ever find yourself in Ireland, you must venture into it! I love travelling but my breath isn’t taken away very often- as soon as I stepped out of the car, I was shocked. There is something wild and beautiful about it that I haven’t experienced anywhere else. Sure, it was rainy, but that is Ireland!
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We were off to spend the evening in Dingle, on the Dingle Peninsula (where were you thinking it was??). Dingle is an adorable village, small and colourful and smells like a touch like fish. Fishing is a mainstay, so I wasn’t like, “Whaaaaat?”. I’m really glad to have had the chance to stay in Dingle. M found the hotel for us, the Dingle Harbour Lodge. It was actually a fantastic hotel- the rooms were spacious, the breakfast was inexpensive and delicious, and we had a view of the harbour from our room. I could not have asked for anything more. I would have to say it is one of the nicer hotels I have stayed at, and the rates make it even better 🙂 We found a restaurant for dinner that didn’t serve primarily seafood and dug in. I am proud to say, I branched out and had a white wine spritzer. That’s right, I had a glass of wine. (Someday I will appreciate it.)
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Once we were on our way again on Saturday morning, we were able to stop and see the Blasket Islands. They are a grouping of small islands off the coast of Kerry, and were inhabited until the mid 1950s- again, just stunning. I think I prefer overcast, rainy, windy Ireland- it is what I moved there for!
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My favourite picture of the trip?
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The fog was fairly thick, so the Ring of Kerry was more like the Ring of Fog. However, I still loved the adventure! My head and stomach were a touch worse for wear- for the first time in my life, I experienced car sickness. Nothing crazy, but enough to make me appreciate fresh air and stretching my legs when we stopped! It was worth it for the next two stops, though. First? An ogham stone. Ogham is a primitive form of writing found in Ireland, the UK, and some parts of Europe. It consists mostly of lines, and can be matched up with the Latin alphabet. You can see the lines on the bottom right side of this face:
The final stop was Staigue Fort. Built before Christianity came to Ireland (early AD), this is one of the largest stone forts on the island. One interesting feature is that although it is is six metres high and the walls are four metres deep, no mortar was used!
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After that, we were going to stop at Daniel O’Connell’s house, but it was pouring rain and we were all tired. It is just another reason to go back now! It was a fantastic trip, and everyone was so much fun. I am incredibly thankful we were able to spend this time with them!
Until tomorrow,
The Historian!
Ah! LOVED all the pictures!! Awesome post. Makes me want to be back in Ireland!
Great post. Lovely pictures!