Page 44 - The Driver's Guide to the Wild Atlantic

The Driver's Guide
wild boar and hid beneath the cliffs from where the waterfall flows.
Angry when someone discovered him, the man disappeared into a cave beneath the cliffs and the water burst to create the waterfall to hide the cavern. After passing through the woodlands, the 19th century Victorian House, Muckross House, is another free tourist attraction that is a must-see. The beautiful gardens were built in 1915 after the original owners sold the house to Lord Ardilaun, who then sold it to the Bowers-Bourn family. When they handed it down to their daughter as a wedding present, a lavish amount was spent on refurbishing and improving the house. Once the daughter passed-away, her husband donated the house to the Irish nation in 1932.
Skellig Michael
TOP HIGHLIGHT
SKELLIG MICHAEL
FERRY FROM PORTMAGEE boat tour details online
A UNESCO world heritage site, Skellig Michael is one of the most spectacular sites you could ever hope to visit. The first monks came to the remote and jagged rock in the 7th Century and it remained a monastery for the next five centuries, with the monks eking out a sparse living on the slopes of the rock through ingenuity and dedication to living a pure life. The beehive huts which form the monastery are an amazing tribute to the fortitude and resilience of the world that the monks built. The trips are strictly regulated in terms of number and are also weather- dependent, based on sea conditions.
Although Skellig Michael has become known as a site of some of the Star Wars movies, it remains primarily a place of historical and spiritual pilgrimage. Visitors can also get a peek at Skellig Michael, and the neighbouring nature reserve on the Little Skellig, from the Kerry Cliffs at
Portmagee. These cliffs are actually taller than the Cliffs of Moher and are much less visited.
KENMARE
N71 TO TOWN CENTRE
Kenmare is a small town in County Kerry, filled with restaurants, shops, hotels, and attractions. From golf courses, horseback riding, to seafaris, there is plenty to do in and around Kenmare. The Seafari is a family-run seal and eagle watching tour in the Kenmare Bay where visitors can see Ireland’s largest seal colony. Kenmare links the Ring of Kerry with the Ring of Beara, lying as it does in the middle of the route. The Ring of Kerry forms the coastline of the Iveragh peninsula and has breathtaking views of the Atlantic coast. Although very popular with tourists, it is so with good reason, as it is one of the most beautiful designated driving routes in the world.
URAGH STONE CIRCLE
A beautiful and unique sight in Kerry to see is the Uragh Stone Circle, a neolithic grouping of stones set against
44 WILD ATLANTIC
IRISH CULTURE
THROUGH THE ARTS FOR OVER
Fadó Fadó
5 AUTHENTIC CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS • IRISH DANCE AND SONG WORKSHOPS may-september SHOWSNIGHTLYAT8.30PM
Siamsa Tíre, Town Park, Tralee • Box Office: (066) 7123055 • www.siamsatire.com
Step back in time and enjoy the Story of Ireland through Music, Song and Dance