Southwest Ireland - Trip 2 with the Rents

After the 4 of us got back from our trip to Northern Ireland, we relaxed in Dublin for a rainy day. Then, taking advantage of my housewife status yet again, I joined my parents on a 4 day trip to the southwest of Ireland. B and I had been down that way before for our mini moon, but it was a different kind of special the second time around.

We left the Green Machine at home to avoid the added stress of driving stick on the other side of the road, and hired a car (car hire vs. car rental) for the trip. The first day, we drove down to Blarney Castle, just northwest of Cork. It was my parents' third trip to Ireland, but first time in Blarney. Not surprisingly, my parents opted out of kissing the Blarney Stone (Dad is just a bit of a germ-a-phobe!), but enjoyed climbing to the top and walking the extensive castle grounds.

Blarney Castle

After Blarney, we drove through Cork down to stay the night at a B&B in one of my favorites, Kinsale. We had a great seafood dinner (some of the best scallops I've had) at the White Lady Hotel, then meandered through the quiet, narrow streets and followed the melodic sounds of live Irish music to a cozy pub for a pint.

Great pic!

More Guinness for Mom

The next morning was beautiful and sunny, and we took the opportunity to explore Charles Fort, a 12-acre star-shaped fort, built in the 1600s on the edge of Kinsale Harbor. IT happened to be the weekend of the World Sailing Championships, so we watched hundreds of sailboats pouring out of the harbor to the sea. Very cool!

Charles Fort - Kinsale

Charles Fort

Next, we drove straight to Killarney and, after stopping for a nice lunch at the Hotel Europe (gorgeous views from the terrace), took a carriage ride through Killarney National Park and saw Muckross House, Muckross Abbey, Torc Waterfall, and couple of the lakes. This was my first carriage ride, and definitely the right place for it. It was a fairytale -- at least until my irrepressible horse allergy brought on the sneezing and itchy, bloodshot eyes. Still worth it!

On the carriage in front of Muckross House

Lakes of Killarney on drive to Kenmare
One of my absolute favorite shots in Ireland to date

After Killarney National Park, we drove to Kenmare for the evening. In the morning, we started the Ring of Kerry bright and early and made it out to the Dingle Peninsula by afternoon. It was all as stunning as the images in my memory and reminded me why Dingle/Slea Head is my favorite place in Ireland.

We ended the day in the coastal town Ballybunion, a new stop for me. Known for great golfing and 14th century castle ruins, it was the perfect stop for the evening. We strolled along the beach in the morning and visited the castle (all that remains is a wall along the cliffs) before starting our last day of travel.

Our last stop was Adare, a quaint village just southwest of Limerick, filled with charming, thatched roof cottages and shops. We saw an old Abbey and the Adare Castle, did a little souvenir shopping, and had lunch before traveling back to Dublin for my parents' final weekend in Ireland.

It was a special trip that I'll always cherish. Not only was I able to see more of the country, but I was able to do so with my parents. I feel very fortunate for the experience and only hope I'm able to do the same with my family some day.