Kerry Ireland

Kerry Ireland

The tour focuses on two key areas rich in tradition: North Kerry Ireland and the Burren. It also gives you the opportunity to visit one of the Aran Islands on a day excursion. The influence of music, song, dance and the customs that have lived on in these two very different regions combine to make this a wonderful and very different holiday.

Kerry Ireland

North Kerry Ireland , being less mountainous than the rest of the county, is good agricultural land. It is rich in historical sites such as the castles of Ballyheigue, Rahoneen, Carrigafoyle) and the abbeys of Ardfert, Rattoo, Lislaughtin). Historically the most important site is Ardfert, a missionary centre found by St. Erc in the 5th century. St. Brendan was educated here and also established a monastery here. It has a 13th century cathedral, along with several other ecclesiastical buildings, and remained a diocesan centre until 1660. The cliff scenery around Kerry Ireland Head, near Ballyheigue, rivals anything that Dingle has to offer, but is much less frequented.

Kerry Ireland

Nearby is Tobar na Súl (‘well of the eyes’), one of the finest holy wells which abound in the area.

‘Burren’ is derived from the Irish word boireann meaning ‘place of stone’, and the name could not be more apt. There is no part of Ireland where rock so obviously dominates the landscape as it does in the north-west corner of County Clare. The Burren covers an area of some 260 square kilometres and is famous for its bare limestone pavements dissected by deep crevices and traversed by countless stone walls.

Almost devoid of trees and surface water, it has been described as ‘lunar’ in its appearance, an ancient limestone plateau beneath which is a labyrinth of pot-holes, caves, streams and lakes. Surprisingly, this bizarre and apparently hostile environment is a botanist’s paradise as around ¾ of Ireland’s plant species are found in the Burren (more than any other region). Doolin, where you will be staying, is the cradle of traditional Irish music.