Day of relaxing and rest…short coastal drive around the Skilleg peninsula…stopping at their famous chocolate factory…and admiring the beauty of the southern tip of the Ring of Kerry. Nice cozy dinner at the “house with a view” we leased, and early to bed so we could drive north to our next lodging …Inn at Dromoland where we planned to stay 2 nights.

One of our favorite days so far, driving the the Killarney National forest and walking up the mountain to see a stunning waterfall before arriving at Muckross House. This astonishing Victorian mansion sits on the side of an enormous lake providing some of the best views in Ireland. It was built in 1843 by Henry Herbert, but upon his family bankruptcy in 1899, a member of the Guinness family purchased it and leased it out for hunting, fishing and shooting. The antique gun collection is awesome to admire, along with trophy wildlife, including the Great Irish elk which long ago became extinct. In 1911, it was purchased by William Bourn, a wealthy Amerucan who presented it as a wedding gift to his daughter who lived in it with her Irish husband and 2 children (and 22 servants) until her accidental death in 1929 while on holiday in Egypt. The family then donated the estate and acreage to the Irish government… and it became The 1st National Park in Ireland in 1933. It’s VERY impressive and full of treasures dating back to the 17th century.

Moving on to Dromoland… a castle hotel that is beyond your imagination but way above our budget🥴. So we laid our heads down at the Inn of Dromoland and went to visit the castle the next day. They were so courteous to us and let us explore the common rooms…even taking our picture on the steps and detailing an agenda for us to see the surrounding countryside. And, that turned out to make for a perfect day!

We took the one lane narrow country roads to find Quin Abbey, built in 1403….it incorporates the romanic ruins of a Norman Castle and allowed us to learn more about the Franciscan order and their burial practices. The ruins have no roof, but are very well preserved.

With this new found knowledge, we moseyed across the street to the Abbey Tavern to consume some Irish brew and chow. Moving on again, we did an experience that involved LOTS of walking…😫 Craggaunowen Castle and grounds, designed to bring the Bronze Age and Celtic cultures to life. It’s a recreation of a prehistoric site completed by John Hunt in the 1960s and the castle houses some of his archaeological treasures. There are people in costume at spinning wheels, etc. interesting, but lots of walking on wetlands thru the forest…so be prepared😜

Nice dinner at the Castle country club, and relaxing to move on to see the Cliffs of Maher tomorrow as we drive further north on the coast roads.