County Kerry

Killarney's name comes from "Chill Airne" meaning "church of the sloe" and it lies adjacent to the boundary of Killarney National Park , which offers three magnificent lakes and the spectacular MacGillycuddy Reeks mountain range. Killarney offers the sporting enthusiast a wonderful base for angling and water sports, golf, riding, orienteering, hiking, cycling, and canoeing.

The town itself is quite small but full of charm as you will soon see as you walk down the brick footpaths and pass curious old-style shop fronts. Killarney is well known for its excellent shops, restaurants and cosmopolitan appeal. There are shops and stores to suit everybody's needs. You could spend a good portion of your day wandering in and out of the many shops in the town centre.

Killarney is renowned for its evening entertainment and you will no doubt be delighted by its many singing pubs, cabarets, dancing venues, and banquets.

The main attraction of the park is its lakes, Lough Leane (the Lower Lake or Lake of Learning), Muckross Lake and Upper Lake which are nestled between the rugged Torc, Mangerton, Shehy, and Purple Mountains . The Gap of Dunloe road through the MacGillycuddy Reeks ( Ireland 's highest mountains) is wonderfully scenic but can only be traveled by foot, bicycle, or jaunting car - no motor vehicles allowed.

The remote geography of the park makes it home to some unusual species of flora, such as Yew woodland and Oakwoods, and fauna, including Red deer, Northern Emerald dragonfly and Greenland white-fronted geese. Popular sports include trout fishing in the three lakes, boating at Ross Castle, walking and cycling.

Muckross House, a Victorian mansion completed in 1843, was once the home of Lord Ardilaun, a member of the famous Guinness family, and is now the National Park Visitor Center.

There is also a working farm and beautiful landscaped gardens at Muckross House open to the public. There is an information point at Torc Waterfall open from June to mid September that provides information on all aspects of the park.

Other attractions within the grounds of the park include the 15th-century Muckross Abbey and the ruined seventh-century monastery at Inisfallen Island on Lough Leane, where the 'Annals of Inisfallen', detailing Ireland's early history, were written by the monks.

Tralee is an interesting and attractive town, the commercial capital and largest town in North Kerry. Its setting is lovely, surrounded by mountains, and looking out over a sheltered bay. At any time of year, you could easily spend a few days here and be kept happily occupied.

Every August the town hosts an international festival, The Rose of Tralee, which was inspired by the song of the same title. Tralee is the home of the Kerry County Museum , which mounts fascinating temporary exhibitions as well as having a lively and interactive permanent display on local history and culture. There’s a lovely Town Park beside it, and nearby is the attractive modern building housing the Siamsa Tíre Theatre a nd company, which is the National Folk Theatre of Ireland.

If you want to see a show that truly reflects the wealth of Irish culture, then go to one at Siamsa Tíre Theatre. You don’t have to speak or understand Irish to appreciate the magic they create on stage. I don’t, and I love what they do. Every time I’ve watched them, at least half the audience hasn’t been able to speak English either! It really does show that sometimes you don’t need words to communicate. Music, dance, mime and movement work just as well. One of their productions is about the Blasket Islands , off the Dingle Peninsula , and how the people living there lost their distinct culture when, in 1953, they left to live on the mainland.

If you leave Tralee and head west, following the coast of Tralee Bay, you’re on your way to one of the most spectacularly beautiful areas on the island. Follow the signs for Conor Pass. You’ll have difficulty keeping your eyes on the road ahead if you’re driving, and you’d better not suffer from vertigo!

As you climb, the road winds round and round, and laid out below is a panorama you won’t forget. There’s a space to stop at the top and get your breath back.

You descend on the other side into Dingle, the main town on the peninsula. Even if there’s hardly a tourist to be seen anywhere else in Ireland , there will be visitors here, most of them from Europe .

A major attraction is Fungie, who came to live here in 1983. He is a wild bottle-nosed dolphin, and he loves swimming with humans. He got the name from a fisherman, who was trying to grow a beard – and it looked like fungus.

Dingle has brightly painted buildings clustered round its natural harbor, where fishing is carried out as it has been for centuries. No wonder the town is renowned for excellent seafood. It’s also the home of An Café Liteartha, a great bookshop with café, and lots of interesting craft shops.

Carry on through Dingle, following signs this time for Slea Head. The road winds along, and is very narrow in places, but here at least you are not climbing as well. Eventually, you come to Dunquin and the Blasket Centre, which faces the Blasket Islands . It is one of the most interesting centres I’ve ever visited, and its location is wonderful. It traces the history and culture of the people who lived on the islands just off the coast from here, until they were abandoned in the 1950s. If the weather is clear, you can sit outside and see boats taking visitors out to the Blasket Islands.

About 17 miles north of Tralee on the N69 is Listowel, a charming market town, full of traditional shopfronts and interesting pubs, especially the one belonging to the family of the late playwright and author John B. Keane.

The Kerry Literary and Cultural Centre and St John’s Arts Centre run regular programs of events, including plays, readings and exhibitions.

The town is famous throughout Ireland and among those interested in writing for its highly enjoyable annual festival, Listowel Writers’ Week, which is held in late May/early June. Well known and aspiring writers mix in the town, with readings, book launches, a series of workshops, exhibitions, and lively debates.

In September Listowel buzzes with life again when thousands descend on the town to watch the horses at the annual Listowel Races.

Nearby is the pleasant seaside resort of Ballybunion, just five miles from Listowel, which came to international attention when then-President Bill Clinton played a round of golf on its links course.