Breathtakingly beautiful, largely un-spoilt, quiet (away from the many tourist honey-pots), and seeped in history and legend, virtually everything I ask for in a holiday destination.
All this and Irish hospitality as well, what more could you want?
It says a lot about the hated Royal Irish Constabulary that their buildings are called barracks rather than police stations.
The Barracks in Cahersiveen is an imposing building designed to emphasise English dominance over the Irish, in much the same way as Edward I did over the Welsh with castles such as Caernafon.
There is a delightful story that the building was originally intended to be built in India, but that there was a mix-up in the plans. I'm not so sure about that; the architecture looks more Scottish Baronial than Indian to me.
It's now a very interesting little heritage museum, and well worth a visit.
Well after the delightful surprise of the Gortgower Grotto, following the signs to St Brendan's Well marked on the map as 'Crosses and Holy Well' seemed like a good idea.
So we trekked across what seemed like about half-a-mile of peat bog, to find two small very badly weathered crosses and a small pool (well more of a puddle) with a statuette of the BVM and a tin cup on a chain. The kids were unimpressed, needless to say.
To cap all, after taking a photo of the better of the two crosses, I discovered I had run out of film.
A sort jaunting car ride away from Muckross House is the 18 metre (60 feet) high Torc Waterfall. Not the most spectacular or beautiful waterfall in the world, but 'useful in its area' as they used to say about not very good restaurants.
What I found amazing was that, long before you could see the waterfall, you could spot the plume of spray rising out of the surrounding trees like wood smoke.
Comments
kiely
i thought torc waterfall was quiet breath-taking the way the water flows in such a beautiful way and the surprising thing its in such a small place like kerry..
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