Saturday 8 July

We left Crowley's B&B after another enormous breakfast (it is absolutely no use saying "Just a little") and headed back up the peninsula in the rain.

We paid 50 Irish Pounds for dinner, bed and breakfast. Overnight, Mary had washed and dried our wet clothes which was unexpected but much appreciated.

Church Ruins near Crowley's B&B

'Staigne' stone fort on The Ring of Kerry

As we headed back up the peninsula in the rain scenery was barely visible. The next peninsula was the Ring of Kerry, said to be the most beautiful of them all but we didn't see enough to appreciate it.

After that we moved on Killarney City. After putting in 3 rolls of film for processing we found an Internet café where they made us coffee and sandwiches while we wrote home.

We then proceeded to Ross castle and joined a guided tour. It turns out there once were 2,500 castles and fortifications around Ireland so its little wonder we are seeing them everywhere. Much restoration has been completed at Ross Castle...another one that 'McCarthy Mor' once owned for a short time, before he went broke. He defended the castle with the Royalist forces against General Ludlow in 1652. The castle dates from the 14th century. Another very interesting tour with excellent guides.

A cold wet day at Ross Castle

Believing Muckross House stayed open until 7PM we proceeded up the road but were not allowed entry as they were closing an hour early that night for a special event.

So back we went into the teeming rain to our B&B 'Clonkilla' with hostess Ann Horrigan. A stone, 2-story semi detached, only built in the 1950s but with a very 'Old World' feeling. Hand made lace antimacassars, tapestries etc. We were wet and cold and appreciated that the heating had been turned on, though as was usual every other night in Ireland, we overheated later in the night. There is very little difference in day and night temperatures here and we certainly aren't used to the incredible thick doonas on all the beds! 

'Clonkilla'

Ann Horrigan

Muckross Road, Killarney

Ph 064 31218 E-mail: ky7@familyhomes.ie

 

NEXT:

HOME