May 9, 2024 The Ring of Kerry

There was no need to put out the luggage this morning. The temperature was 11°C, high cloud and a light breeze. The group met at 8:15 a.m. for a short walk to where the jaunting cars were waiting for us near Killarney National Park. Just 32 of our group of 42 elected to travel to Ross Castle in a jaunting car. Each horse drawn buggy took eight passengers plus the driver on a five kilometre, 30 minute jaunt in the Killarney National Park. The jaunting cars share the paved path with pedestrians and cyclists.

The park is 10,289 hectares (about 25,000 acres) made up of land from estates donated to the government since the 1930s. There are several former estates that are part of the land; sites include Muckross House and Gardens, Killarney House and Gardens, Ross Castle, Copper Mines, Knockreer, Innisfallen, Muckross Abbey, the Briceen and Old Weir Bridges. There are also the town lands of Glena, Ullauns and Poilagower within the park. The park was declared a Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Program in 1982. The park also includes the mountain peaks of Mangerton, Torc, Shehy and Purple mountains. Just outside the park, the highest mountain in Ireland, the McGillycuddy’s Reeks, can be seen if there is no cloud hanging on the peaks. Today was just hazy, the peaks were visible. The gate house where the jaunting cars entered was built in 1834. We saw a small herd of Japanese Sika deer grazing. Sika deer were imported over 150 years ago for hunting on the O’Donough estate.

Ross Castle is located on Lough Leane (pronounced leen). The original tower house with a banquet hall was built in the early 1400s by Irish Chieftain, O'Donoghue Mór (Ross), as a Clan stronghold. The castle was the last place in Munster to hold out against Oliver Cromwell in the summer of 1649. It was destroyed. In the late 1700s it became a garrison for the England troops.

The coach arrived with the ten group members who did not participate in the jaunting car drive to the castle. We had a relief driver, Kieran, today since Norman’s weekly limit of hours was met yesterday and he needed to take a day off. We will have him as our driver again tomorrow. Today we drove around the southwestern Iveragh Peninsula on the scenic 179 kilometre Ring of Kerry. We saw at least nine other tour coaches. Leaving Ross Castle we passed St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral and Corrán Tuathail came into view at 1,038 metres. Corrán Tuathail is the highest mountain in Ireland. Peter told us about the origin of Puc. In the village of Kilorglin, from ancient times, the Puc Festival has been held at harvest time. Currently where ever August 10th to 12th falls during the week those are the festival days, since Pagan times. Traditionally a strong wild male goat is captured, crowned by the “Queen of Puck” and put in a small cage on a high stand for three days. On the third day of the fair, he is brought down to be led back to the mountains. Until 200 years ago Puc was slaughtered and eaten. Up until about 50 years ago the fair was a time for showing and buying horses. It was at an Irish horse fair that Napoleon Bonaparte’s Irish Charger was brought, probably raised in the Cork area.

There were a few photo stops along the route. We stopped at the Red Fox Inn and visited their Kerry Bog Village museum. There are replicas of thatched village buildings from the late 19th century, a gift shop, a pair of once almost extinct ‘Kerry Bog Pony’ and a pair of the world’s tallest dogs the Irish Wolfhound. Irish Wolfhounds measure 71 to 90 cm at the shoulder and weigh between 40 and 69 Kg. Inside the Inn is a bar, restaurant and gift shop. The bar was doing great sales of Irish coffee or Bailey’s Coffee to the several bus loads of people. We enjoyed plain coffees while talking to a couple from the Ottawa area who were on another coach.

Back on the road, we crossed the Carraugh River on the way through Waterville. The Butler Arms Hotel in Waterville was a summer retreat for the Swiss Charlie Chaplin family in the 1960s. In 1998 a life sized statue of Charlie Chaplin, dressed as the Tramp, was erected. Chaplin loved fishing in the area. The next photo stop was Com an Chiste Pass which overlooks Waterville village and the coastline. The pass is over 700 feet above sea level with views of Abbey Island, Deenish Island and Scariff Island.

Our lunch stop was at the Scarriff Inn cafeteria style restaurant with hot and cold choices ready to pick up. There was one more short photo stop during the hour long drive back to the hotel by mid afternoon.

The rest of the day was on our own. We opted to walk over to Killarney House and Gardens entrance, near where the jaunting cars wait for customers. After a misdirection we followed the 45 minute walk directions and stopped at the Deenagh Lodge for ice cream. It is close to St. Mary’s Cathedral that we passed this morning. We walked past Knockreer House and saw several Sita deer laying in the long grass under a shade tree, just watching us. Once we finished the walk, we took the exit near St. Mary’s Cathedral. It was consecrated in 1855, but the spire and nave were completed in 1907. We followed New Inch Street into the city centre and decided to have dinner at Quinlan’s Seafood Bar. We enjoyed excellent fish and chips - much better by far than what we had in Dublin last week. The Killarney Brewing Company had several beers, The Killarney Brewing Company Golden Spear Blond Ale was chosen. Steps 14,663