Ring of Kerry

Muckross House

Muckross House is a beautiful victorian home in Killarney National Park. Located overlooking Muckross Lake. The grounds are beautifully maintained with a wonderful garden close to the house.

This house is the best preserved victorian house that we have visited. The draperies in the house are the original.

The house was used as a hunting lodge and therefore the grounds were protected from being logged. Some of the trees are very large.

Tree in the park

While at Muckross House you can also visit the Muckross Farm. This area shows farm life in a small, medium and large farm. Irish soda bread is baked over a fire either is a pot using peat or on a griddle over an open fire. In one area you can see the Irish Wolfhounds.

Care for a ride

Large Farm House

Irish Wolfhound

While driving the Ring of Kerry there are wonderful views.

The weather was cloudy and misty so it was difficult to see the Skelket Island where the monks lived and the site of The Last Jedi filming took place. We did see the island better from he Dingle Penisula.  Ireland has had several movies and shows filmed in various locations throughout the island and there are frequent references to the sites.

One of the many lakes in the area.

On Valentia Island, we stopped at the site where the transatlantic cable came to from Newfoundland in 1858 on August 5th.  The cable connected Canada to Europe.

Telegraph Field

Monument identifying where the cable came ashore from Canada.

There are also some fossilized prints from the tetrapod trackway which is believed to be created by one of the first animals that walked on land. The tracks are believed to be 385 million years old.

Footprints

New Ross Ireland

New Ross was the main port where many Irish Emigrants left. This included the families who left on the famine ships. The ship on display is a reconstruction.

Dunbrody Famine Ship transported families to Quebec which took 50 days.

We visited the Dunbrody Famine Ship to learn more about what was happening in Ireland during the potato famine. Many landowners paid the passage fair to get the peasants off their land so that they would not have to feed them when the potato crop was failing due to the fungus brought to Ireland from the bird dropping imported from South America to make ammunition.

Families of 5 to 7 shared on birth and had to remain below deck except for one person who could do on deck once each day to prepare food for the family as long as it was not storming. Cooking was on a wood fire held in an iron grate. 

First-class passengers shared a small cabin but had access to the deck and regular meals.

The Irish National Heritage Park

The heritage park is 35 acres of recreated Irish history starting from the hunter and gathers who came to Ireland across a land bridge as the Glaciers receded. Gradually the land bridge disappeared as the water level rose and separated Ireland from the rest of Europe. The park is an interesting way to learn about the history of Ireland.

Middle Stone Age Campsite

New Stone Age Farmstead

Ogham is an early form of writing invented in Ireland and is done on stone. The ogham stones are the first evidence of the Celtic language.

Stone Circle believed to worship the heavens.

Early Medieval Ringfort

Building in the ring fort.

Early Christian Monastery

Celtic Cross was carved and painted.

Norman Castle

 As we travel around Ireland we will see the evidence of some of these historical remains.

Glendalough Monastic Settlement

South of Dublin is Glendalough and this site can be done as a day trip from Dublin. If you are driving be sure to pay the toll fee at a gas station within the 24 hours or the rental car company will charge you an additional fee.

Glendalough is the most impressive monastic settlement. Founded in the 6th century by St Kevin it flourished until England destroyed it in 1398.

Tower with Celtic Cross

The tower was used as a bell tower, storage, beacons for pilgrims and refuge from Viking invaders. The door is located high above ground level with a pull-up ladder.

Glendalough means valley of two lakes. This is a wonderful wooded area that you can walk around.

This deer was taking shelter in the trees during the rain. Even with numerous tourists taking pictures the deer did not appear to be disturbed by all the attention.

Ireland Dublin

Clayton Ballsbridge

We stayed at the Clayton Ballsbridge in south Dublin. The hotel was converted from an all-girls school and was a lovely hotel with a great breakfast buffet.  The Ballsbridge community is where the Embassies are located. Each day we walked by the United States of America Embassy. It was a good 40 min. walk into the centre of town. The bus service was frequent but the disadvantage is you pay every time you get on a different bus, there is no transfer. We spent the time in Dublin getting used to the time difference and seeing the sights before picking up the car at the airport. We used Aircoach to get to and from the airport and this was very convenient and economical.

In Dublin, we saw Trinity College, St Stephens Green, Merron Square, browsed along Grafton Street, and saw the GPO Witness History exhibit as well as the National Museum of Archaeology. One evening we went to a Celtic show at the Arlington Hotel. The first evening we had dinner at the Hairy Lemon Pub which was recommended by our travel book. The Pub was packed and expensive. Everything in Dublin is expensive so be prepared to spend a little more.

We took the tour of the Kilmainham Gaol (jail) which was very interesting. Check out the height of the wall compared to Bill. He was not sure how anyone could ever escape. We heard on the tour that the only prisoners too escape had help from a guard. Prisoners were held here before being shipped to the penal colony in Australia. 

Inside Goal, this has been used in movies.

Front Gate for Kilmainham Goal