Driving Tours

The Ring of Kerry

Undoubtedly Ireland's most popular scenic drive, the Ring of Kerry is the name for the small highway that skirts the edges of the Iveragh Peninsula, passing along the way a panorama of rugged coastline, tall mountains, and pristine lakes. What you won't find, at least in the summertime, is much in the way of peace. Bicyclists avoid the route because of the scores of tour buses thundering down it from early morning until late in the day. Most people traveling the route start and finish at its largest hub, Killarney, but the town of Kenmare makes for a more charming (and certainly more quiet) base. Tip: You can go either way, but we recommend a counterclockwise route for the most spectacular views.

Originally called Neidin (pronounced Nay-deen, meaning "little nest" in Irish), Kenmare is indeed a little nest of verdant foliage and colorful buildings nestled between the River Roughty and Kenmare Bay. It's an enchanting little place with flower boxes at every window, sparkling clean sidewalks, and lots of restaurants and plenty of places to stay.

From Kenmare to busy Killarney, the Ring road takes you through a scenic mountain stretch known as Moll's Gap. Killarney is best known for its glorious surroundings, in particular the spectacular landscapes of Killarney National Park, which includes the Killarney Lakes and the scenic Gap of Dunloe. The town itself, though, while colorful and bustling, is a victim of its own success. Tourism is more in-your-face here than perhaps anywhere else in Kerry, with generic leprechaun-laden souvenir shops and overpriced restaurants on every corner. So, to avoid becoming jaded, head out of town and get back on the road as quickly as possible. Along the way, you'll pass the lovely seaside town of Portmagee, which is connected by a bridge to leafy Valentia Island.

Departing Killarney, follow the signs for Killorglin, a small-ish town that lights up in mid-August when it has a traditional horse, sheep, and cattle fair. It's officially called the Puck Fair, because local residents capture a wild goat (symbolizing the puka or puki, a mischievous sprite in Celtic legend) from the mountains and enthrone it in the center of town as a sign of unrestricted merrymaking. There's a whimsical statue of a goat by the river in honor of this town's love of the puka.

Continue on the N70, and glimpses of Dingle Bay will soon appear on your right. Carrantuohill, at 1,041m (3,414 ft.) Ireland's tallest mountain, is to your left, and bleak views of open bog land constantly come into view.

The Ring winds around cliffs and the edges of mountains, with nothing but the sea below -- another reason you will probably average only 48kmph (30 mph), at best. As you go along, you'll notice the remnants of many stone cottages dotting the fields along the way. Most date from the mid-19th-century Great Famine, when millions of people starved to death or were forced to emigrate. This area was hard hit, and the peninsula alone lost three-fourths of its population.

Glenbeigh is next on the Ring, and it's a sweet little seafront town with streets lined with palm trees and a sandy beach. It makes a good spot for a break, or you could continue along the sea's edge to Cahersiveen, where you can zip across to the little island of Valentia. In the 18th century, the Valentia harbor was notorious as a refuge for smugglers and privateers; it's said that John Paul Jones, the Scottish-born American naval officer in the War of Independence, also anchored here quite often.

From Valentia you can hop a ferry to arguably the most magical site of the Ring of Kerry, an island just off its shore: Skellig Michael, a rocky pinnacle towering over the sea, where medieval monks built a monastery in exquisite isolation. Today, the ruins of their church, reached by way of rambling stone staircases up the sides of cliffs at the edge of the cobalt sea, still convey a sense of deep spirituality. Seabirds nest here in abundance, and more than 20,000 pairs of gannets inhabit neighboring Little Skellig during the summer nesting season. The crossing to the island can be rough, so you'll want to visit on as clear and calm a day as possible.

Head next for Waterville, an idyllic beach resort between Lough Currane and Ballinskelligs Bay. For years it was a favorite retreat of Charlie Chaplin, and there's a statue of him near the beach.

If you follow the sea road north of town to the Irish-speaking village of Ballinskelligs, you'll see where the medieval monastery is slowly rotting away. There's a sandy Blue Flag beach just past the post office by Ballinskelligs Bay, and at the end of the beach are the remnants of a 16th-century castle.

Continuing on the N70, the next point of interest is Derrynane, at Caherdaniel. Derrynane is the former seat of the O'Connell clan and erstwhile home to Daniel O'Connell ("the Liberator" who freed Irish Catholics from the last of the English Penal Laws in the 19th c.).

From there, watch for signs to Staigue Fort, about 3km (2 miles) off the main road. This well-preserved ancient stone fort is constructed of rough stones without mortar of any kind. The walls are 4m (13 ft.) thick at the base. Historians are not certain what purpose it served -- it may have been a fortress, or just a kind of prehistoric community center -- but experts think it probably dates from around 1000 B.C.

Sneem, the next village on the circuit, is a colorful little hamlet, where houses are painted in vibrant shades. The colors -- blue, pink, yellow, and orange -- burst out on a rainy day, like a little touch of the Mediterranean.

From here, you're no distance at all from your starting point, and you've made your way around the Ring.