1 The drive from Cork along N22 toward Killarney (Cill Airne in Gaelic).
2 This is the town of Macroom. The "highways" narrrow and slow down when travelling through towns. Not like the US where the interstates have numbered exits.
3 Nice plantings at a public bus stop in Macroom.
4 Everyone lives so close-together in the towns of Ireland.
5 Just a pretty village atmoshphere.
6 Still on N22, but getting close to the Ring of Kerry, on the southwest coast of Ireland.
7 Another town that the "highway" goes through...
8 A sixty mile drive can take two hours, with all the slow-downs.
9 Lots of stone walls and tiled roofs along the way.
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11 Getting closer to the Ring of Kerry...
12 Now we're off the "highway" and onto the local road, heading west to the Ring of Kerry.
13 R 569 toward the Derrynasaggart Mountains.
14 Ross-A-Croo-Na-Loo is a re-forestation effort, financed by the huge bank HSBC.
15 There are nature trails to hike along the newly replanted forests and meadows.
16 And some of the flora are left to their wild nature.
17 But there's also services that rent four-wheelers on the trails. Terry heard some across the road, and had to check it out!
18 This may be Kilgarvan, but all the towns begin to look like one another...
19 Another nice example of a stone wall. The picture doesn't show exactly how long it was.
20 Unlike England, there are cattle farms all over Ireland.
21 And fields as far as the eye can see.
22 A charming house. Notice the green room on the left side... very common in Ireland.
23 A country lane leading from the main road. Surprised to see palm trees.
24 This house had a For Sale sign. Didn't stop to find out how much, though.
25 Everywhere you look there are huge farms and open pasture.
26 I just loved the country side.
27 Natural beauty everywhere you look...
28 I think this is the town of Kenmare, on the way to the Ring of Kerry.
29 Here's an old church, turned into a pub. Can you imagine what it must have been like 400 years ago....
30 A view of the Kenmare River, looking north.
31 Another shot of Kenmare River.
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35 The beginning of the road that follows the Ring of Kerry, which is a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean.
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38 We had just passed through the town called Sneem, when we saw a sheep on the side of the road. (He wasn't the only one grazing loose.)
39 Closer to the coast the terrain becomes very rocky...
40 ...and it even turns mountainous.
41 A beautiful shot of Macgillycuddy's Reeks.
42 How majestic! We had been traveling the Ring of Kerry for more than three hours, and realized it's time to get back to town....
43 But first we need to stop and check out the mountains. Amazing how they crop out of nowhere.
44 Reminds me of an animated movie, but the mountains and crevasses are real!
45 Craggy hillsides all around us. Terry stretches his legs for the final leg of the journey.
46 Finally we arrive in Killarney. Not too sure we'll find a hotel room without a reservation....
47 ...especially since the town is hosting the annual festival...
48 ...where street vendors and performers entertain the crowds...
49 He drew enough attention so that we could find a couple empty stools at the pub next door!
50 The church of Saint Mary in Killarney sits at a major intersection of the town. Very Gothic Beauty.
51 And here's the back side of St. Mary's. This is the side that houses the convent.
52 And here's the majestic side entrance to St. Mary's.
53 Hannigan's Pub was next door to the hotel.
54 The carriage driver said his horses were done for the day, so we didn't get a ride...
55 We stayed at the International Hotel, a Best Western Inn. Most elegant and lowest-priced of anywhere we stayed.
56 We found a Unimog on the road between Kilarney and Limerick.
