Ireland - Killarney, Ring of Kerry & Dingle Peninsula

From Dublin we took the train to Killarney, which was to be our base for further exploring the Emerald Isle. Our main reasons for staying in Killarney were that it is on the train line and there are options available to those without a car to tour the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, which was our main reason for going to the area. Had we been traveling by car we would have stayed elsewhere, possibly Kenmare, but Killarney was the best bet for our needs.

Evening Falls Over Killarney National Park

Upon arrival we walked about 5 minutes from the train station to our hotel, the International Hotel Killarney. Staying at this hotel was a lovely experience from beginning to end. The hotel is a beautiful step back in time with many grand public rooms for guests to explore and enjoy.

Our executive room exceeded our expectations. The room was spacious with a huge bathroom. We were told it was the nicest room in the hotel, so we felt very lucky. It was nicely appointed with everything you would expect from a fine hotel. The bath had two sinks, which is rare but always nice, a large tub and a separate large shower. There was no refrigerator, but the bar was happy to provide ice and a wine cooler. We even had a little private patio with a table and two chairs.

Torc Waterfall

Breakfast in the lovely dining room was included in our rate. There was a cold buffet set up with a nice selection and a choice of hot breakfast items from a little menu. Because of our room’s location, the free WiFi did not work particularly well, but it was fine in other areas of the hotel. The location in the center of town made everything easily accessible, including walking to the Killarney National Park.

After settling in, we took off for a stroll around the pleasant, but very touristy, town. We then headed off to the National Park. There are many trails for hiking within the park, beautiful lakes, the Torc Waterfall and, sitting on the edge of the park, is the Victorian Muckross House and Farms.

Prior to our trip, I had emailed Jack Hayden of Killarney Tour and Taxi Service to see if he had availability for a Saturday and Sunday tour of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. He responded quickly, provided information on his tours and we booked, all very quick and easy.

Ring of Kerry View

On Saturday an enthusiastic Marie from Killarney Tour picked us up at our hotel. She asked what we would like to do, and we told her we wanted to explore the area but stay away from overly touristy sights. Then off we went around the Ring of Kerry. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and a good driver. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t very good, but we saw a lot, including places she had never been to herself.

The scenery, even on a dreary day, was beautiful as we traveled the wiggly roads around the ring. Every turn revealed a picture postcard view. In addition to the scenery we visited old stone structures; stopped by the Kerry Bog Village Museum to explore how the Irish lived and worked in the late 19th Century; posed for a picture with a sculpture of Charlie Chaplin in Waterville; viewed the ruins of Ballycarbery Castle, which was once one of the most impressive castles on the peninsula; and enjoyed lunch at the Moorings Guesthouse and Seafood Restaurant in the tiny town of Portmagee. Upon our return to town we stopped at the Killarney National Park to hike up the short path to the Torc Waterfall.

Ruins of Ballycarbery Castle

We toured the Dingle Peninsula on our second day with Marie. It was still overcast and dreary but pretty nonetheless. More vistas and stone structures were on our agenda including one of Ireland’s best preserved early Christian churches, the Gallarus Oratory, built about 1300 years ago, and the ruined 12th-Century Irish-Romanesque church of Kilmalkedar, which was the Norman center of worship for this part of the peninsula. For lunch we stopped at the sweet little town of Dingle.

Gallarus Oratory

Marie was not only a great tour guide, she was great company, and even though the weather wasn't the best, she made our days delightful & sunny.

We had nice meals while in Killarney, our favorite was the Cellar at the Ross. This restaurant, situated in the cellar of the Ross Hotel, was a delight. Fun decor and good food and service combined to make the evening very enjoyable.

We split an heirloom tomato salad to start. Instead of giving us one dish, they divided the salad onto two nicely presented plates. I always appreciate a restaurant doing this, they just go that extra mile and it makes a difference.

We followed that with the chicken and the fish specials as well as some nice wine. My fish was very good, and my husband said his chicken was the best meal he had in Ireland ... he loved the mix of flavors. We felt the price was reasonable for the quality and overall experience.

Town of Dingle

We also enjoyed a great evening at Bricin. Warm hospitality greets you the minute you arrive at this family-owned restaurant above the family's gift shop. After climbing the stairs the gentile owner warmly welcomes his guests then guides them to a table in one of the restaurant's cozy little nooks.

A Hazy Dingle Peninsula

We had a hard time making our selections from the menu, but settled on the pork and the duck. Both meals were delicious and generous in portions. We also had a nice bottle of wine from Montepuluciano. This is a charming restaurant; you can feel the owner's love for the place.

Treyvaud's was the third restaurant where we enjoyed dinner. This town center establishment is very busy. The night we were there they had a number of large groups, but neither our service nor our food suffered. We had excellent attention and the food was great.

I had the beef and Guinness stew and my husband had the brill. We shared a nice bottle of wine, again from Montepuluciano. I would have liked to have tried many menu items, but we were both happy with our choices. The restaurant was lively with a pleasant interior and good staff. We were lucky to have found three such nice restaurants for dinner during our Killarney visit.

We only touched a small part of what this area has to offer, there is much else to see and do, including islands to explore. A car provides more freedom, but if you don’t have one, you can still find ways to enjoy everything, like we did.

Our next and final base will be the city of Cork. From there we will visit both Cohb and Kinsale.