Ring of Kerry is a circular route on the scenic coastline and countryside of southwestern Ireland. The route, on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions. The Ring of Kerry winds for about 112 miles (180 kilometers) through small towns and passes beaches, islands, mountains, lakes, and ancient ruins. The Ring of Kerry is called An Mhór Chuaird in Irish.
The Ring of Kerry runs through Killarney National Park. The park is home to Muckross House and Gardens, a magnificent residence built in the 1840’s. The park also contains Ladies View, a viewpoint named for the ladies-in-waiting (royal personal assistants) who admired the view from there when the United Kingdom’s Queen Victoria visited the area in 1861. Also within the park are the ruins of Ross Castle, a stone fortress built in the late 1400’s.
The Ring of Kerry passes Derrynane House, the home of Daniel O’Connell. O’Connell was an Irish statesman who helped gain political rights for Roman Catholics. The route also visits Rossbeigh and Waterville beaches. Stones inscribed with medieval Irish writing appear along the route, as do ancient sites, such as Staigue Fort in Castlecove. Killorglin, a town on the route, hosts the annual Puck Fair, one of the oldest traditional fairs in Ireland. During the August festival, a wild male goat, or puck, is crowned “king” and placed upon a raised platform.
The Ring of Kerry’s main road is narrow, and special rules help manage the tourist traffic. For example, tour buses generally drive the ring in a counterclockwise direction, starting and ending at Killarney. Accompanying the Ring of Kerry are a cycling route and the Kerry Way, a walking trail. Both of these routes pass through some of Ireland’s most isolated and dramatic countryside.
See also Kerry, County ; Killarney ; Lakes of Killarney ; O’Connell, Daniel .
