Ireland - Ring of Kerry

Cliffd of Moher

On Day 5 we travelled from Connemara to the Ring of Kerry. We stopped at the legendary Cliffs of Moher which are the highest sea cliffs in Ireland.  They are beautiful but we should probably have signed up for the cruises from Doolin to get a fuller sense of the cliffs. There are stone slabs about a meter from the cliff edge to prevent visitors from falling over.  I can understand why they need to be there especially in windy Ireland, but it makes you feel like you might as well be 5 meters away. For the same reason, it is unlikely for visitors to spot puffins here.

Kenmare

We rented a big, clean and comfortable house in Kenmare. The kids ran up and down the stairs and between rooms when they got there. They spotted what they thought was a large moth in one of the rooms but wasn't sure where it went. After a short rest, we went to town for dinner at

Mulcahys which had great food and one of the best tart tartin I've ever had. And I ordered a pint of Guinness, my first ever.  We went back to the house right after that because most shops were already closed. After shower, I was reading in my room when I saw something flying around. The moth that the kids saw earlier turned out to be a bat. It caused quite a bit of excitement until we finally managed to get it out of the house. The poor bat must have been so frightened by all the noise we made.

Torc Waterfall

On Day 6, I came across The Rose Garden on my morning run and brought the family there for breakfast later. A cosy place and just along the Ring of Kerry (ROK)  which made it a perfect starting point for our drive around the Ring. I read several articles and watched some videos on the ROK but could not fully appreciate how beautiful the drive is until we experienced it first hand.

Gap of Dunloe

Ladies' View offered a panoramic view of the Killarney National Park. Torc Waterfall is the greenest place I have ever been to.  During the drive we saw vintage cars driving the other direction. We detoured to the Gap of Dunloe. Don't miss this, it feels like the scene in the beginning of the Lord of the Rings movie where Gandalf rides

Sala Thai, Kells Beach

into the Shire on his horse-carriage.  We should have hired one of those.  

We stopped for lunch at Sala Thai Restaurant in Kells Beach. The rest of the drive around the ROK offered stunning views of the sea.  We made a number of stops for photos. Would have loved to go to the Skellig Islands but it's  not suitable for the younger kids. 

Ring of Kerry

We ended the day with dinner at the Boathouse Bistro back in Kenmare. It is on the Dromquinna Manor Estate about 2km from where we were staying. It too had great food and a beautiful view of the sea. And we spotted rabbits on the estate, although they were too quick for photos.

On Day 7, I made a last minute decision to go to the

Puffins, Saltee Islands

Saltee Islands in hope of seeing puffins. We didn't book the boat in advance, but thank God that a boat was willing to drop us off at the island for an hour as it picks up some of their passengers. We had to transfer from the boat to a dingy when we got closer to the island due to the rocky shores. And for the last 20 metres or so, we literally  had to crawl on all fours over the rocks that were covered in slippery seaweed. That alone took us 15 minutes, which meant that we had 30 minutes to find the puffins and get back to shore and do another 15 minutes crawl back to the dingy.  But puffins we found. What beautiful creatures.

Wicklow National Park

Satisfied, we drove to Avoca where our Airbnb was. We bougth Wexford strawberries along the way. The place we rented had a beautiful garden with flowers in full bloom and was next to the woods. We spotted rabbits again. We had dinner at the Wicklow Brewery. I have to say that the food in Ireland throughout our trip did not disappoint. The next morning, we visited the Avoca Mill, which is the oldest wool mill in Ireland. We had breakfast there before we set off for Dublin Airport. We drove through the Wicklow National Park on our way to the airport.

It does seem like there is a lot more to do in Ireland. Definitely worth another visit or two. God has blessed this place with incredible natural beauty and blessed us with the opportunity to see so much. When we seek out the natural wonders of this world, we catch a glimpse of God himself. He placed the foundations of the Earth and everything in it. He set everything in motion, and gave life to every living thing. Everything has His fingerprints and reflects His wisdom.

We are one of His creations, the ones who bear His image. As much as we seek out the natural wonders of this world, he seeks us out. He is amused by us, loves us, and does not take His eyes off us. Should we not praise Him like the roaring seas, the howling winds, the beautiful flowers of summer, the soaring birds, and the trees of the forest?

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” Psalm 150:6