Coming into the town of Tralee – the administrative capital of County Kerry – my mind always goes back to the Rose of Tralee festival. Specifically to the early 1980s and heading down to Tralee for the craic, sleeping only when necessary and wherever possible. Funny how those memories can colour your impressions of a…

The Ring of Kerry on the Wild Atlantic Way

The thing that hit us most as we wandered into the colourful village of Sneem was the smell of turf fires! A real smell of Kerry for us. The village offered a welcome rest after the snaking road out of Killorglin and getting stuck behind a tractor or two. The other thing about Sneem are…

Looking out on the houses, hills and coastline of the beara peninsula in Ireland on the wild atlantic way.

Beara Peninsula and Kenmare on the Wild Atlantic Way

Our first stop was in the town of Castletownbere. It’s one of Ireland’s main fishing ports and is a busy little town and the commercial hub of the Beara Peninsula. We had to stop for a quick drink at the famous McCarthy’s Bar – made famous by appearing on the cover of a book by…

Sheeps Head Peninsula and Bantry on the Wild Atlantic Way

I can’t believe the weather we were having for a June weekend – hardly a cloud in the sky, only a light breeze and warming up nicely! It was early on a Saturday morning – the roads were quite empty and we stopped at the little village of Ahakista just to take in the views…

Skibbereen to Mizen Head on the Wild Atlantic Way

We pick up on our next leg of the Wild Atlantic Way – travelling from Skibbereen to Mizen Head in County Cork – after leaving Cape Clear behind us. This leg feels like “home territory” for me as I know the area well – my own family of Collins’ came from outside the village of Ballydehob.