Pip’s US family, Janet and Bob, Jerry and Mary, visited us at the end of August for about a week. After a couple of days in Dublin we hired a minibus and went to Kerry to impress them with Ireland’s scenic beauty.
We stayed at Shayla’s AirBNB property, Sunshine House, in Killorglin which was a treat all on its own, with a vast view looking out over the McGillicuddy Reeks. The weather was not at its sunny best but thankfully we didn’t see much rain. in fact, it improved each day with a magnificent Turner-like sunset on our final evening. The photos immediately below are all taken from the grounds of Sunshine House (some with telephoto lens).
On the first day in Kerry we went to the Dingle peninsula. This part of the country has been settled in for thousands of years and we were able to stop and examine the remains of stone buildings and fences that dated back at least two millennia. A personal highlight was hearing Tommy O’Sullivan sing in his pub, The Old Courthouse. We heard him in 2008 on our first trip to Ireland and purchased his CD which is still a favourite.
The second day saw us heading out past Killarney to Blarney where of course we visited Blarney Castle, home of the Blarney Stone.
The third and final full day we spent traversing the Ring of Kerry. Highlights included Valentia Island and Bray Head, visiting the Charlie Chaplin statue in Waterville and visiting a chocolate factory in the most out-of-the-way part of the Ring via the steepest and narrowest roads we think we have ever driven on, a real challenge in a large 9-seater Opel van!
What a great week! Great company, great experiences, great landscapes, great Guinness. What more could you want?
