welcome to the callenharty.com ireland trip day eight page

After spending a night in a Killarney bed & breakfast we spent day eight driving the Ring of Kerry, one of the most picturesque drives anywhere. We used the whole day for it and still didn't see everything we would have liked, but it was an enjoyable drive. The ring starts and ends at any point along it, though many start at Killarney, the largest town on it, then circle around the southern Kerry peninsula, past mountains and lakes and the ocean. We made a lot of stops along the way, including a side trip to Valentia Island, which was very nice, then we ended back in Killarney, where we stayed a second night at the B & B.

Donkey & Dog
Near the start of the ring was a man alongside the road with his donkey and dog, allowing photos to be taken for a donation.

Coastline, Ring of Kerry
The scenery kept shifting between mountains and coasts. This spot had both.

Knightstown
The main town on Valentia Island, as seen from the approaching ferry.

Cromwell Point Lighthouse
Harbor light built in the 1840's to guide ships through Valentia Harbor.

Tower Guardian
A black bird, possibly a chough, stands guard over a tower in a small hillside cemetery.

Rhododendrons, Valentia Island
These bright wildflowers brightened the countryside throughout southern Ireland.

Doulus Bay
View of Doulus Bay from a nearby hillside.

Footbridge, Valentia Island
A stone bridge over a small stream in a field.

Icon Altar
Gifts left at St. Brendan's Well on Valentia Island.

Green Hairstreak
A beautiful and delicate looking butterfly on Valentia Island.

Saint Brendan's Well
This is supposed to be the site where St. Brendan baptized a couple pagans just before they died. Brendan the Navigator is thought to have possibly travelled to America before Columbus or Leif Erickson.

Two Crosses, Valentia Island
Two crudely carved crosses in the field very near St. Brendan's well.

Peat and Wagon Wheel
Next to the workshop at a candlemaker.

Door and Window, Valentia Island
Faded paint on a shed at a candlemaker's shop.

Line of Boats
A line of boats at the pier at Knightstown.

Stray Dog Running
It seemed that every town had a stray dog that everyone knew. This one came running up to us at the pier in Knightstown.

Ocean Wanderer
At the pier in Knightstown.

Reenard Point
The site where the ferry to Valentia Island takes off and lands.

Loher Stone Fort
Old stone fort near Waterville; photo taken from Coomakesta Pass.

Large Hill, Ring of Kerry
This one was also taken from Coomakesta Pass.

Mountains and Water, Ring of Kerry
Taken from Coomakesta Pass, this is probably Derrynane Bay.

Roadside Marian Shrine
One of dozens of roadside shrines we encountered.

Tile Mosaic, Sneem
Funky art piece outside a store in Sneem.

Sheep, Ring of Kerry
We saw sheep along the road all over southern and western Ireland.

Sheep with Red Markings
Brightly colored dyes are used to mark sheep. These are marked with red, but we also saw other colors.

Upper Lake, Killarney National Park
One of the Lakes of Killarney, taken from Ladies' View.

Fishing Boats in the Reeds
Small boats in the water in front of mountains in Killarney National Park.

Page last updated 12/05/10