DAY 4 / SUNDAY / MARCH 11
TRALEE AND KILLARNEY
ADARE
OVERNIGHT IN KILLARNEY
Stepping off the Motorcoach in Adare
Kathleen and John Leyden
with Michael Moran - Driver, Irish Historian and Racconteur Extraordinaire
March 12, 2006
Set amid lush countryside beside the River Maigue,
Adare is a model
estate village lined with ornate thatched cottages, colorful walled gardens,
distinctive Tudor-style stone buildings and historic abbey ruins.
It is cheery and slow-paced, with hardly a trace of the 21st century
marring the village's image.
The city of Tralee lies on the scenic southwest coast of Ireland
at the gateway to the Dingle Peninsula. It is the capital of County
Kerry, an area of spectacular beauty.
Almost 800 years old, Tralee served during the Middle Ages as
headquarters of the powerful Desmond Geraldines.
Killarney ~ Ireland's Camelot
Killarney is Ireland's Camelot, a place of rare natural beauty.
It conjures up images of glistening lakes, cascading waterfalls,
majestic mountains, legendarary islands, ancient trees, lush foliage,
rare birds and wildlife and endless romantic trails.
The Lakes of Killarney are a scenic network of Upper, Middle and Lower
Lakes that lie to the west of Killarney town. Each lake has several
streams flowing into it, and the River Laune connects them all to the Atlantic.
Their waters reflect birch, oak and mountain ash, and towering above them
all are the peaks of some of Ireland's finest mountains, including
Carrantuohill, the country's highest at 3,414 feet. "'Tis a grand sight,
one of God's blessings."
DAY 5 / MONDAY / MARCH 12
THE RING OF KERRY
OVERNIGHT IN KILLARNEY
Scenic Lookout on the Ring of Kerry
Carol Perkins (Sarasota, Florida), Cindy Benge (Fort Gratiot, Michigan),and Jaye Gosselin (Ocoee, Florida)
March 12, 2008
The Ring of Kerry, the long established route around the Iveragh Peninsula,
is one of the most beautiful coastal routes in the world. The total distance
is 180 kilometers, or 112 miles.
The Ring starts with the glistening waters of the Lakes of Killarney
and continues past boglands and beaches to the splashing surf of the Atlantic.
It also includes the profiles of Ireland's four highest mountains -
Carrantuohill (3,414 feet),
Beenkeragh (3,314 feet), Caher (3,200 feet) and
an unnamed peak (3,141 feet).
The village of
Sneem, on the estuary of the Ardsheelaun River, is one
of the prettiest in Ireland.
Brightly colored cottages line the streets
of this charming town, which also has a quaint village green.
Cutting through bleak bogland and high mountainous terrain, Moll's Gap offers
some stunning views.
Irish Sheep
Visit
Muckross House, a splendid 20-room Victorian
mansion built in 1843. The house, overlooking the shores of Muckross Lake,
is adorned with elaborate architecture, form mullioned and stepped windows
to 62 chimneys. Rooms are decorated with locally-made period furniture
and needlework, as well as imported treasures.
