13 Best Sights in The Ring of Kerry, The Southwest

The Ring of Kerry has very few historic country houses, so many visitors here enjoy making a special excursion to Derrynane House. Famed as the home of Daniel O'Connell ("The Liberator," 1775–1847), the man who fought for liberal reform and easing of the often cruel penal laws imposed by England on Roman Catholics and those involved in the slave "industry" (his surname appears on major street names in most of Ireland's cities). He campaigned for Catholic Emancipation (the granting of full rights of citizenship to Catholics), which became a reality in 1829. The house's south and east wings—which O'Connell himself remodeled—are decorated with original furniture and fittings. Take a self-guided tour: every piece has a genuine connection to O'Connell. The 300-acre estate of Derrynane House is freely accessible and has trails (including a woodland fairy trail) running through mature woodland, bordering on rocky outcrops that lead to wide sandy beaches and dunes. At low tide, you can walk to Abbey Island offshore. Look out for the chariot built by his supporters to draw him through Dublin streets upon his release from jail in 1844 for his efforts to repeal the union with England.

Signposting is poor.

The masterpiece of the Skellig Islands is the phenomenal UNESCO World Heritage site of Skellig Michael, with its amazing remains of a 7th- to 12th-century village of monastic beehive dwellings that were home to early Christian monks. In spite of a thousand years of battering by Atlantic storms, the church, oratory, and living cells are surprisingly well preserved. The site is reached by climbing more than 600 increasingly precipitous steps, offering vertigo-inducing views. The Skelligs boat trip includes 1½ hours on Skellig Michael. Despite the publicity following the island's pivotal appearance in the two most recent Star Wars movies, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, access to this fragile site is still limited to 180 visitors a day, so book in advance (booking opens in early spring) and hope for good weather. Because of the choppy seas, stiff climb, and lack of facilities, the trip is not recommended for small children or those with mobility issues.

Along the perimeter of the Iveragh Peninsula, the dramatic coastal road from Kenmare to Killorglin known as the Ring of Kerry is probably Ireland's single most popular tourist route. Stunning mountain and coastal views are around almost every turn. The only drawback: on a sunny day, it seems like half the nation's visitors are traveling along this two-lane road, driving, packed into buses, riding bikes, or backpacking. The route is narrow and curvy, and the local sheep think nothing of using it for a nap; take it slowly. Tour buses tend to start in Killarney and ply the Ring counterclockwise, so consider jumping ahead and starting in Killorglin or following the route clockwise, starting in Kenmare (although this means you risk meeting tour buses head-on on narrow roads). Either way, bear in mind that most of the buses leave Killarney between 9 and 10 am. The trip covers 179 km (111 miles) on N70 (and briefly R562 and N71) if you start and finish in Killarney. The journey will be 40 km (25 miles) shorter if you only venture between Kenmare and Killorglin. Because rain blocks views across the water to the Beara Peninsula in the east and the Dingle Peninsula in the west, hope for sunshine. It makes all the difference.

This large, elaborate, neo-Gothic structure dominates the main street. It was built in 1888 of Newry granite and black limestone to honor local hero Daniel O'Connell—the only church in Ireland named after a layman.

A signpost to the right outside Glenbeigh points to Caragh Lake, a tempting excursion south to a beautiful expanse of water set among gorse- and heather-covered hills and majestic mountains. The road hugs the shoreline much of the way.

West of Waterville and 1 km (½ mile) before the Irish-speaking village of Ballinskelligs is the Cill Rialaig Arts Centre. This is the best place in Kerry to see Irish and international art, along with fine crafts and gifts. Its attractive, thatched, beehive-shape roof is hard to miss. There's also a café with wholesome homemade food and a wood-burning pizza oven.

The subtropical gardens teeming with ferns and exotic plants date from 1838, and have been fully restored and greatly improved by the present owners, Billy and Penn Alexander. The Skywalk rope bridge is the longest in Ireland and takes half an hour to walk. The front-gate waterfall and the giant Chilean wine palm compete for your attention with carved wooden dinosaurs and giant Dicksonia antarctica (Tasmanian fern trees) dating from the 1890s, so allow at least an hour for the rest of the garden. Penn, a former chef, has opened a Thai restaurant that is very popular locally and opens for lunch, dinner, and takeaway. Do not let the rain put you off visiting: Kells receives more than 60 inches of rain annually, and it actually enhances the plants and the waterfall. But do wear sensible shoes as it is usually damp underfoot.

Come to this center in the tourist office to learn about the town's history. They can outline a walking route to Kenmare's places of interest.

Each Wednesday a small group of outdoor vendors offer local organic produce and a few exotic imports to an appreciative local clientele. Look out for Olivier's On the Wild Side's handmade charcuterie and smoked trout from Killorglin, local organic veggies, homemade pâtés, preserves from Caherdaniel, and wonderful duck and quail eggs.

Worth a quick look, this museum, between Glenbeigh and Killorglin on the Ring of Kerry, is a cluster of reconstructed, fully furnished cottages that vividly portray the daily life of the region's agricultural laborers in the early 1800s. The adjacent Red Fox Bar is famous for its Irish coffee.

On the coast, Rossbeigh consists of a tombolo (sand spit) of about 3 km (2 miles) backed by high dunes. It faces Inch Strand, a similar formation across the water on the Dingle Peninsula. Popular with families for its safe swimming, it also attracts walkers. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee). Best for: swimming; walking.

Take a 4-km (2½-mile) detour off the N70 Ring of Kerry road to visit Staigue Fort. Approximately 2,500 years old, the mortar-free stone fort is almost circular and about 75 feet in diameter, with a single south-side entrance. From the Iron Age (from 500 BC to the 5th century AD) and early Christian times (6th century AD), such "forts" were, in fact, fortified homesteads for several families of one clan and their cattle. The walls at Staigue Fort are almost 13 feet thick at the base and 7 feet thick at the top; they still stand 18 feet high on the north and west sides. Within them, stairs lead to narrow platforms on which the lookouts stood.

Private land must be crossed to reach the fort, and a "compensation for trespass" of €1 is often requested by the landowner.

The site has free parking and is freely accessible, but it has no facilities.

Perhaps the town's most notable historic sight is this 3,000-year-old monument that dates from the early Bronze Age. Sometimes called the Druid Circle, it is within five minutes' walk of the village square (head down Market Street in front of the tourist office). It consists of 15 large stones arranged in a circle around a huge central boulder, which marks a rare Bronze Age burial site.