Misery Along The Ring of Kerry

As far as tourists are concerned, the biggest rivalry in Ireland is between Dingle and Iveragh Peninsula. While Dingle is relatively well publicized, most would know the Iveragh Peninsula as the “Ring of Kerry.” This 110-mile loop around the peninsula has always enjoyed a towering reputation among travelers for generations. It was made famous by Queen Victoria’s eight-day visit to Ireland in 1861. It was the queen’s third time in Ireland, but her maiden visit was to County Kerry. Even though the royal entourage only stayed in and around Killarney, the Queen’s comments about Kerry’s natural landscape placed the entire region on the tourism map.

Over the decades, the tourism infrastructure has developed into a significant economic driver of the region. Killarney became a household name among Irish Americans, and the Ring of Kerry became a place of pilgrimage for first-time visitors to Ireland. This corner of Ireland was also purpose-built to accommodate big-bus tours. Combined with its fame, the Ring of Kerry has received mixed reviews online in recent years. This peninsula certainly did very well with tourism promotion. I remember stumbling upon a tourism booth for County Keery at the Big Eastern State Exposition (Big E). Back then, I was a little confused about why a county in Ireland would have an outsized presence at a New England state fair. Now I know why!

Given our limited time on this trip, we debated and ultimately decided to spend a few days on the Ring of Kerry. Since Brian skipped the Ring of Kerry on his two previous visits, it seems like the third time should be the charm. But the reason that motivated me about the Ring of Kerry was the chance to visit the Skellig Michael, Europe’s most evocative monastic site and one of Ireland’s only two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is the one landmark I looked forward to the most!

Kenmare

Our Ring of Kerry started in the iconic village of Kenmare. This is Rick Steve’s recommended home base for the Ring of Kerry tour. Compared to the corporate hotels in Killarney, Kenmare has a small-town ambiance that is distinct from its more famous cousin to the north. From the moment we arrived, we could understand Kenmare’s popularity. The village won the coveted Irish Tidy Towns distinction twice and was a runner-up two other years, so is this place “objectively” tidier than Kinsale?

Kenmare tidy appearance may be attributed to Cromwell’s conquest of Ireland. This corner of Kerry was given to Sir William Petty as a reward. His heir, the 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, established an idealized estate and plantation around today’s Kenmare. He laid out the village’s unique X-shaped layouts with a triangular central square in 1775. As a result, Kenmare feels more organized than a typical Irish village. Unfortunately, the village’s charm is greatly diminished by the amount of roadside parking. Kenmare felt reminiscent of a typical midwestern downtown like Madison, Indiana.

Perhaps because of Rick’s enormous influence, the cost of accommodations was through the roof in the high season. It was apparent that the town was inundated with busloads of Irish American tourists. Being at the doorstep of the Ring of Kerry, the town was always a popular stop for motorcyclists. Although we did not get to stay overnight, we took advantage of the plethora of gourmet restaurants and cafes. The French patisserie, Maison Gourmet, looked particularly enticing.

We were surprised by how busy Kenmare was.

Kenmare’s most iconic specialty was lace making. Known as Kenmare lace, this valuable craft originated here with a nun called Mary Francis Cusack. At the time, Kenmare was one of the poorest regions of Ireland, and the devastation of the Great Famine devastated the region. To raise funds for the local population, she endeavored in various projects, including prolific writing and lace-making. The nuns later trained many local girls who carried on the tradition of Kenmare lace until this day. Nowadays, visitors can admire a few pieces of Kenmare lace on display at the Kenmare Heritage Centre in the town center. Honestly, we were not a fan of laces and we could not quite appreciate them no matter how elaborate they are.

Compared to the laces, the story of Sister Mary Francis Cusack was more interesting to us. Not only was she a prolific writer of religious texts, but she was also a rebel at heart. She was not only critical of Lord of Lansdowne, the local ruler, but also of the Catholic hierarchy. She eventually established her rown eligious order: The Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. She was regarded as stubborn and somewhat of a radical, and it prompted her to convert to Protestantism later in life. A passionate Irish nationalist, she authored many books on Irish history and was a vocal supporter of republicanism and labor causes.

The most evocative site in town would probably be Kenmare Stone Circle. It is one of the largest stone circles in southwestern Ireland. Like the famous Stonehenge, these stone circles date to the Bronze Age and are believed to be aligned with the celestial environment. There are 187 documented stone circles in the Republic of Ireland, with two-thirds located within County Cork and County Kerry. Since there are so many of them in this part of Ireland, I wouldn’t call this one a must-visit. However, its proximity to the village center made this the most popular one for visitors. It is well worth the €2 admission for the convenience.

To be honest, Kenmare Stone Circle is not all that impressive.

This stone circle is comprised of fifteen heavy boulders, with a single dolman at the center. The central dolman typically denotes the location of an important burial in this part of the island. This elliptical-shaped circle is by no means the most awe-inspiring megalithic monument we ever seen. Archaeologists believe it probably took 35 men to move a dolman here, hardly a herculean task. Overall, it somewhat summarized my feeling about Kenmare: decent but not particularly impressive.

Sneem

After gassing up at Kenmare, we finally set out for our Ring of Kerry tour. Stereotypically, it was overcast and seemed about to rain any moment now. Our first stop is Snemm, a quaint village whose existence seemed made possible by the Ring of Kerry. Since we arrived in the mid-afternoon, we just missed the daily tourist rush and the place appeared all but deserted. Judging from some of the businesses around here, tourism is the main economic driver here. Aside from your typical souvenir stores, there are a few interesting shops to check out, such as the Irish music store and an Irish bookstore.

The name Sneem means “the knot” in Irish, and it refers to the unique layouts of the village. The town has two separate public squares separate by a bridge crossing the River Sneem. Under the bridge is a small rapid that is as dramatically beautiful as the Norwegian fjord. If this little vista is an indication of the beauty of the Ring of Kerry, we would be in for a treat. On the other hand, there isn’t much else to see in Sneem. I could hardly believe this place is even mentioned in Rick Steve’s guidebook.

Ironically, Sneem is now most famous for its association with former French president Charles de Gaulle. Soon after leaving office, he and his wife came to Ireland in 1969 to get away from the political turmoil back home. He chose Sneem to be his refuge and spent a total of two weeks here. His maternal great-grandmother was Irish, and his paternal grandmother wrote a biography of the Irish revolutionary Daniel O’Connell. It is safe to say that de Gaulle identified himself with O’Connell as ‘the Liberator’ of their people. On the western square is a memorial plaque commemorating his historic visit.

Staigue Stone Fort

Our next major stop on the first day was Staigue Stone Fort. Compared to other ring forts along the Ring of Kerry, this fortress dates from the late Iron Age fortress, somewhere around 2,300 years ago. It is one of the most evocative landmarks in this corner of Ireland and well worth the detour. From the main road, it was a fifteen-minute drive uphill on a one-lane track. We were both praying that there wasn’t much oncoming traffic, especially any big tour bus. Thankfully, it was late enough in the afternoon that we practically had to the whole road to ourselves most of the way.

Staigue Stone Fort, a national monument, is protected by law and managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW). Due to its remote location, OPW does not have a permanent staff presence here. In addition to a basic toilet facility, there is also a mobile cafe serving basic snacks during high season. operate a mobile toilet. Access is available 24/7 and there is a €1 access fee collected via a honesty box. To reach the fort, It was a quick hike up from the small parking lot.

I was shocked we were allowed to climb to the top of the fortress.

Located 500 feet above sea level, the ring fort is scenically located on a hillside. It offers spectacular views of Kenmare Bay and the Celtic Sea. The access to the fort is through a single six-foot-tall doorway from the east. The fort is of considerable height and is about thirteen feet thick toward the base. The entire fort is built of stone without the use of mortar. Its pristine condition made its survival all the more remarkable. Unlike the monumental stone construction of the Incas, these stones were more irregular and less meticulously fitted. The fort was constructed in stone without mortar and was surprisingly sturdy, except for the top layers.

Once inside, elaborate sets of steps brought visitors to the top rim of the fortress through two tiers. The path on top is just wide enough to placate Brian’s acrophobia. The purpose of this impressive fortress is still somewhat of a mystery. While many rightfully assume this was a defensive base for a local chiefdom, the exact functional use of the fortress is still disputed. Some suggest that it might be used to shelter their prized livestock, and others believe it might function as a temple or an astronomical observatory. I suspect we might never know.

Derrynane House

The most important historic site along the Ring of Kerry is Derrynane House, the stately estate of Irish statesman Daniel O'Connell. He was the prominent political leader of Ireland’s Roman Catholic majority of his time and rallied the Irish Catholics across social classes to the cause of religious equality. Thanks to his political skills and determination, he secured the ultimate Catholic emancipation in 1829, ensuring the tentative equality of Irish Catholics within the British Empire. A man of Enlightenment, O’Connell became the vanguard of progressive reform in Ireland; he was even elected as one of the first Irish Catholic members of parliament.

Like the United States' founding fathers, O'Connell grew up in an economically well-off household. His grandfather first purchased the Derrynane Estate. At the time, the penal laws prohibited Catholics from owning real estate, so the family had to put the property under a protestant trust. During Daniel O’Connell’s lifetime, he had his home expanded to create somewhat of a shrine to his legacy and Catholic emancipation. Over the centuries, foreign dignitaries would pilgrimage here to Derrynane House to pay tribute to O’Connell’s life work. Together with its gardens and a nearby abbey, the 300-acre estate is now a national historical park and monument.

Like America’s founding fathers, Daniel O’Connell came from a family of elites.

O’Connell’s most important legacy is his advocacy for political revolution through political means and peaceful demonstrations. The first step in O’Connell’s goal of Catholic emancipation was to be elected as a member of parliament from County Clare in Westminster. He used his position to advocate for liberal reform and to create sympathy for Irish Catholics. His protestant critics, however, saw the mass mobilization of Irish Catholics as a form of political intimidation. He was very successful, so much so King George IV once referred to O’Connell as the "King of Ireland” and himself merely as the “Dean of Windsor.”

As a skilled politician working within the existing political system, O’Connell did not openly speak out against the British monarchy and remained diplomatic toward the royal family, even as he advocated for the dissolution of the political union between England and Ireland. Ironically, his brand of moderate politics was later supplanted by the later generations of Irish revolutionaries, such as Michael Dwyer and Thomas Davis. It was not surprising that history books are more interested in battle and bloodshed than clever political maneuvering.

For most Americans, O’Connell is most famous for his unapologetic abolitionist stance. He famously refused to shake the hand of American Ambassador Andrew Stephenson, a noted slaveholder from Virginia. He similarly denounced George Washington for holding slaves. By calling Stephenson a “slave breeder,” O’Connell was challenged with a duel. Although the duel never materialized, it caused a major diplomatic shuffle between the United Kingdom and America. The English establishment bemoaned O’Donnel as a trouble maker and American politicians accused him of meddling in the domestic slavery question.

Daniel O'Connell was the most famous and outspoken abolitionist on both sides of the Atlantic by the 1840s. His stirring speech against slavery was widely reported in English and American press. He connected Catholic emancipation to the plights of enslaved African Americans. He was unapologetic in calling for the immediate abolishment of slavery. One of his famous admirers is American abolitionist Frederick Douglass. They two attended one of O’Connell’s lectures, and it left a lasting influence on young Douglass, who later wrote that his time in Ireland was among the happiest periods of his life.

Because of ongoing renovation, a large section of the house and the exhibit were off-limit during our visit. Only a few rooms were opened, such as the stately dining room and private library. Among a few personal artifacts on display were O’Connell’s deathbed and ceremonial sword. However, the absolute highlight for me was an enormous ceremonial carriage. Housed in a modest stable beside the cafe, this ornate carriage seemingly came out of a Disney animation and was an object of propaganda. When Daniel O’Connell’s prison sentence was overturned in September 1844, they paraded through the streets of Dublin on this grandiose carriage. Decked out with blue velvet, shamrocks, and Irish harps, this was a vehicle fit for an “uncrowned” King of Ireland.

Because of the inclement weather, we did not explore much of Derrynane House's bucolic grounds. We saw only a fraction of what this place had to offer. Based on the pictures online and the maps, many scenic viewpoints and rustic hiking trails warrant at least half a day of visit. I also wished I had learned more about O'Connell's life before our visit. As it turned out, Derrynane House may be our favorite stop on the Ring of Kerry.

Coomakista Pass & Waterville

The stretch of road between Derrynane and Waterville is probably the most scenic section of the Ring of Kerry. The winding road has plenty of scenic lookouts along the cliff. However, we wouldn’t know it as the conditions continued to worsen. Thanksfully, the traffic was sparse, and we did not encounter too many tour buses. A helpful piece of advice from the guidebook was that it is best to drive clockwise along the ring. Local regulations dictate that all tour buses must travel in the counterclockwise direction. Driving opposite the buses prevents getting stuck behind them.

The most iconic viewpoints along the ring are along Coomakista Pass. After lingering for half an hour, we could hardly make out the landscape. The wind was howling, and being out and about wasn't very pleasant. Honestly, even the photos online are not impressive or unique. I much prefer Big Sur's scenery over the Ring of Kerry. It remembered a conversation among Americans earlier in Kenmare about how overrated Ring of Kerry is. I am sad to say that I wholeheartedly agree with such an assessment.

As mentioned earlier, our primary motivation for doing the Ring of Kerry was visiting Skellig Michael. This enigmatic island houses the most remote European monastery and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since Kenmare and Killarney are quite a drive away from the ferry dock in Portmagee, we decided to spend a night in Waterville, one of the larger towns in this part of the peninsula. It is a sleepy community with a few tourist-class hotels, a golf course, and a public beach. It may be a convenient home base, but I struggled to figure out what else to see besides bronze statues of Gaelic footballer Mick O'Dwyer and American comedian Charlie Chaplin.

We stayed at The Smuggler’s Inn for the night. The 15-room hotel sits on the waterfront; the heavy fog obscures the ocean views. That said, this is a comfortable refuge with a surprisingly upscale restaurant. Given the stormy weather, we used the opportunity to do laundry at a nearby gas station. We could only hope the weather could calm down for our trip to the island the following day.

Portmagee & Valentia Island

Due to its size and fragility, the Department of Public Works strictly regulates access to Skellig Michael. Up to 180 visitors are allowed to land on the island per day. It is one of the most famous landmarks for Irish and foreign tourists, so advanced booking with one of the fifteen authorized tour operators is always required. We were fortunate to get a reservation with Skellig Michael Boat Trips about a month out. After all, a trip to Skellig Micahel is the primary reason for us to be on the Ring of Kerry, and I was convinced this would be the highlight of this trip.

The evening before, the tour operator sent an e-mail notifying that the initially scheduled 9 a.m. departure would be subject to an advisory from OPW. Although Irish weather is notoriously unpredictable and fast-changing, I wasn’t optimistic based on the official weather forecast. The following morning, we got an e-mail telling us to stand by as the government was still conducting safety assessments. While waiting for further updates, we headed to The Skellig Experience Visitor Centre. This small museum is just a few minutes from the boat dock of Portmagee, so we could mobilize quickly as soon as we received the go-ahead.

Compared to the famous Blasket Island Centre in the Dingle Peninsula, the Skellig Experience is a private, for-profit museum that resembles a tourist trap. Even though it has some decent artifacts and dioramas, more square footage is devoted to the gift shop and cafe than the exhibit. Considering the fame and popularity of Skellig Michael, I was shocked OPW did not operate a world-class museum of its own. Funnily enough, the most memorable part of the exhibit is the OPW safety video. It suddenly dawned on us that Skellig Michale is not for the faint-hearted. While it is not a strenuous hike, visitors are prone to falls and vertigo. I also realized I certainly did not have the right footwear.

Predictably, we were notified around eleven o’clock that OPW officially canceled all landings on Skellig Michael. According to the center staff, the reason for the cancellation that day was not the rough sea but the slipper conditions on the island. Several visitors had died on the island in the last decade from the slip and fall. On average, roughly half of the tours were canceled during the few months the island is open. Those who get to visit the island should consider themselves super lucky. I can’t help but wonder whether we should give it another try the next time we are in Ireland.

Ticketing booth for the Skillig Michael boat tour.

Of course, the tour operator refunded us upon the tour cancellation. Due to the popularity of Skellig Michael and the unpredictable weather, it is impossible to plan your trip to guarantee a successful landing. It is not uncommon for tours to be canceled several days in a row. Unless you are committed to prepaying several reservations ahead of time, you can only hope for the best. At €120 per person, the 90-minute roundtrip boat ride was not cheap. I read the cost of the same tour was only €35 just a few years ago. Aside from the expected monetary inflation, many speculate the dramatic price increase was due to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. You could find sporadic Star Wars references all across this corner of Ireland.

After our tour cancellation, we decided to visit Portmagee anyway. Named after a famous smuggler, Captain Theobald Magee. I suspect he is also the namesake of the hotel we stayed at. By all indications, Portmagee is a sleepy town catered exclusively to Skellig Michael. Although we had the opportunity to take the boat tour around the island, we didn’t see the point, given the inclement weather. Instead, we spend just a few minutes walking through the village’s main drag. Sadly, there isn’t much to see. We popped into their local community center, which happened to host a local flea market. It was pretty depressing, to be honest.

Portmagee is the primary hub for Skellig Michael.

As the day went on, the weather continued to worsen. Soon afterward, the heavy fog descended on the landscape, and we could hardly see more than twenty feet before us. Visiting nearby viewpoints and natural landmarks like the famous Kerry Cliffs seemed silly. Most of us eventually ended up at the factory and cafe of Skelligs Chocolate, one of the few indoor attractions around this area. The open factory floor and free tasting of some of their most popular chocolate flavors make this a pleasant stop along the Ring of Kerry. The company proudly calls itself the most scenic chocolate factory in the world! Their chocolates were indeed superb, but the prices still took me aback a bit.

In my opinion, Skelligs Chocolates are high-quality but still overpriced.

The transatlantic cable memorial at Valentia Island.

Before moving on, we stopped by Valentia Island to see where the first transatlantic cable landed in 1857. Laid by the Anglo-American Cable Company, this island is just across from Portmageen and was once a central hub of transatlantic communication. In its heydays, a community sprang up here, anchored by forty telegraphers and a large contingent of support staff and their families. My interest in this site stemmed from our 2021 visit to Seyðisfjörður, which had the first transatlantic cable link between Europe and Iceland. Since 2016, the Valentia Transatlantic Cable Foundation has been working to nominate these heritage sites as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Let’s wish them good luck!

Cahergal Stone Fort & Leacanabuaile Ring Fort

After a few hours of downpours and heavy fog, we felt defeated. Since so much of the Ring of Kerry was to appreciate the natural scenery and expansive vistas, we decided to slowly drive toward Killarney, the terminus of our Ring of Kerry tour. We just had enough motivation to check out two other ring forts on the ring. Just a few minutes from Cahersiveen, the twin forts are situated among small farming estates and residences. At first glance, they look similar to the Staigue Stone Fort, which we visited earlier.

The first stop is Leacanabuaile Ring Fort, roughly a ten-minute stroll from the small roadside parking lot. In Irish, Leacanabuaile means “the flagstones of the enclosure.” It was first excavated in 1939 and has a relatively irregular shape because of the rocky hilltop it sits on. Inside are four smaller stone houses, three of which were built at the time of the stone fort’s initial construction. The most intriguing features are two “mural chambers” built within the fort's perimeter walls, accessible through underground tunnels. Archaeologists speculate that a wealthy local landowner built the fort, and it provided the necessary shelters for valuable livestock during the time of turmoil. The maze-like passage here made it my favorite ring fort on this trip.

Our final stop is Cahergal Stone Fort. It is accessible through a straight path from the parking area. Dated to the seventh century, Cahergal is well regarded for the quality of its fine stonework. Compared to Leacanabuaile, this fort has been renovated to appear almost constructed anew. There are three steps to ascend to the top rim of the fortress. At the center are the ruins of a singular roundhouse, which is also perfectly circular. The stone debris suggests it might have had a corbel roof in its days. If that is the case, it might be one of Ireland's most significant medieval stone roofs. Interestingly, archaeologists unearthed relatively few artifacts here, prompting people to speculate whether this could be a seldomly used royal castle.

From here, it was just over an hour's drive to Killarney, the final stop of our Ring of Kerry adventure. Even though we only saw a fraction of the sites we planned for, I was mentally and physically exhausted. Even though the two-day adventure was a massive letdown, it could be attributed mainly to the unfavorable weather. I suspect we would be back soon, not for the Ring of Kerry but for another attempt to visit Skellig Michael.

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