44401IRE
Ring of Kerry full day scenic drive
- opening times, entrances, telephone numbers etc. listed in yellow pages.
- book meals in killarney in good time. double check with office as they are being asked to book the meals in advance.
- Several options for lunch. Work out your timings and book these ahead of time. The Thatch Cottage, just before O’Connell’s birthplace near Cahirciveen) is an option, 00353 66 947 2316, but means an early lunch. The Scariff Inn, right after the Coomakista Pass stop, has spectacular views and is the best for timings (066 947 5132). Groups queue up canteen style to order their food, but the line goes quickly. You can order and eat in the bar area with the driver. You could also stop in Waterville.
- A Sheep Dog Demonstration is an option during a day on the Ring of Kerry. There are currently two options, as of 2023. 1. Tom is at Caitins Pub at Glenbeigh/Kells, https://www.caitins.com/sheep-dog-trials/ 353 85 118 8783 or 2. Kissane Sheep Farm, www.kissanesheepfarm.com 00353 64 663 4791. It is a good idea to build your day around one of these bookings. Earliest booked the better. There is also a shop and café with toilets. He is a working farmer and not always available. This attraction is now often booked by other travel via voucher so access is becoming harder to obtain and the idea of just turning up is not feasible. The season doesn’t start until March.
- The Red Fox, (066 976 9184) after Killorglin and before Glenbeigh is a good toilet and drink stop. Adjacent is the Bog Village, entrance fee.
- Avoca Woollen Mill at Molls Gap is a good toilet stop and has a cafe, but does get busy, (064 663 4720).
- Sneem ‘tidy town’ is a good toilet and ice cream stop, but does get busy in the high season.
- Work with your driver when planning the day. Take into account the interests of the group, weather, and volume of coaches. Try to avoid the feeling that every stop is a “tourist trap”.
- If you have an outdoorsy group and extra time (and if the layby is free) you could walk them up to the Torc Waterfall in the National Park on the stretch home from Moll’s Gap. A 30 minute round trip through the wood. Not advisable in wet weather. No toilets.
- On THS a visit to Muckross House is included. This attraction might well be prebooked, but if at all possible try to book this at 0900 in the morning, and then come back into Killarney and head off round the Ring; it puts a lot of pressure on you and the driver to make it back for an afternoon booking, which is often the awkward time of 1400 (If you do chose this option and want to do the Sheep show you must depart Muckross by 11 to get to the last demonstration at 12 and you won’t be able to stop anyway prior to the show.) Muckross House is 2 ½ miles south of Killarney in the National Park. Guide House Tour takes an hour. Entrance to the house is to the rear in the old stable block where you will find a group waiting area and toilets.
Below is a Ring of Kerry General Outline not a set Itinerary.
09.00 Departure from Killarney. Take the R582 to Kilorglin then the N70 to Glenbeigh. On a fine day, take the detour to Aghadoe Heights.
09.15 Aghadoe Heights photo stop. A Lovely view of Lough Leane and Ross Castle on a clear day. You can use or ignore the photographer if he is there.
10:30 Potential photo stop by the side of the road looking across to Dingle Peninsula, Inch and Rossbeigh Strands
10:45 Arrive at sheep show. Small charge (2022, 5Euro). Pre Arrange.
11.45 Departure from sheep show. Drive on to the Craft Cottage, if this is your chosen lunch stop. Pause at the ruined Carlan Cottage (birthplace of Daniel O’Connell) on your left just before you reach the town of Caherciveen. The other side of the river is a small memorial garden to him, with a bust of his head. On the right there is a beautiful statue of Brendan the Navigator and his monks heading over the Atlantic to Newfoundland.
12.15 Potential lunch stop at Thatch Cottage, Caherciveen.
13.15 Depart after lunch. You can also make a brief stop in Waterville, traffic permitting, to see the Charlie Chaplin statue/photos and the beach. Toilets in car park. After Waterville stop at the Coomakista Pass (you can pull in on the right) for a splendid view of Ballinskelligs Bay. The Scariff Inn is shortly after this, if this is your lunch venue.
15.00 You can make a 20 minute stop in Sneem for refreshments and toilets. Toilets are located in a new building on the left before the bridge. At the Kenmare signpost, turn left on to the N71 and make a photo stop at Ladies’ View. This was the view of the Killarney lakes, which were admired by Queen Victoria’s Ladies-In-Waiting.
Drive through the Killarney National Park to return to Killarney.
16.30 Arrival time in Killarney.
Killarney Activities
Jaunting Cars through the National Park to Ross Castle. 1 hour round trip. Ring Billy/Mark Tangney – 087 2571492. A Possible idea is to do this before the Ring of Kerry.
Shops open till late – sometimes till 8pm in high season.
Various hotels have events in the high season, for example the Gleneagles Hotel brings the larger stars whilst the Killarney Avenue will have a show in the high season. Each year it can vary. You may well be approached by representatives of these shows during your stay in Killarney.
Killarney launched the Coffee Cup Project in 2023, with the ambition of becoming the first town in Ireland to be single use cup free. If you don’t have a reusable cup you pay more the first coffee you buy and then they replace it each time (and clean them).
Summer Festival (August). Ask at the hotel for pubs with music and other events.