A Winter Visit to Kerry

My husband and I have visited Killarney in February several times. I love the smell of burning peat (called turf in Ireland) in the air, and though the trees are bare, the grass is green, and tropical plants blessed by the warming Gulf Stream flourish outdoors. We’d always seen pots of pansies hanging on the poles throughout the town.

Not this year. One pub owner told us the snow on the mountains was only designer snow. Another said Ireland had endured its worst winter in sixty years. But the atypical chill in the air didn’t hinder our touring plans, and I’m happy to report that the rain-to-snow forecasts for each day of our visit were wrong.

We armed Gertrude, our trusty GPS, with Irish maps to help us explore. She did her best to navigate our first daytrip, which took us south through Killarney National Park. Fog and showers obscured the views, but we were still adjusting to the five-hour time change and didn’t mind. Our twisty, narrow-laned drive brought us to the town of Kenmare, a colorful 19th century market town. Its Irish name, Neidin, means “little nest, ” as the town is nestled between the mountains of Kerry and Cork. We spent an enjoyable few hours browsing through shops, and I acquired several new CDs to feed my addiction to traditional Irish music. The weather had improved by the time we caught an Irish highway back to Killarney, seeing more than one rainbow along the way.

Above and Below - Scenery Along the Dingle Peninsula

Gertrude received a more vigorous workout the next day. A pleasant mix of clouds and sunny skies shone over our first visit to the Dingle Peninsula, the northernmost arm of Kerry stretching out into the Atlantic. I’d been researching ring forts for a writing project and didn’t realize I was about to see the prehistoric remains of more than one. The famous Beehive Huts and ancient Dunbeg Fort overlooking Dingle Bay would set anyone’s imagination awhirl. We drove out to the breathtakingly beautiful Slea Head, viewed the Blasket Islands, and drove on to see the Gallarus Oratory. On our way back to Killarney, we stopped in hilly Dingle Town for a stroll and a pub lunch.

Above - Ring Forts and Beehive Huts

Below - The Gallarus Oratory and the View From Its Door

Part two of our winter break will feature the Beara Peninsula and Killarney Town. Stay tuned!