The Wild Atlantic Way Preview

Charles Fort is located in Summercove, overlooking Kinsale County Cork, a star-shaped fort of the late seventeenth century. William Robinson, architect of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin, is credited with designing it. The Fort is extremely large with some of the outer defences standing 16 metres high.

The view from the ramparts looking out over Kinsale Harbour is spectacular.

As one of the country’s largest military installations, Charles Fort has been part of some of the most momentous events of Irish history. During the Williamite Wars, for example, it withstood a 13-day siege before it fell. Later, in the Civil War of the early 1920s, anti-Treaty forces on the retreat burned it out.

Kinsale is a beautiful seaside town perched overlooking the picturesque Kinsale Harbor. It is commonly known as the "Gourmet Capital" of Ireland owing to its internationally renowned restaurants. Your map pin is located at the central car park behind the Tourist Office. After parking your vehicle you could enjoy a stroll along the promenade overlooking the marina and explore the quaint backstreets where you can sample some of the many famous cafes, restaurants, and bars.

The Kinsale Garden of Remembrance was established by a Kinsale lady, Kathleen Cait Murphy who worked as a nurse for over 30 years in New York City. During that time she came to admire the work of the fireman and was shocked at the deaths of 343 of their number who died in 9/11. As a result, she decided to provide a memorial in Ireland, on her land at Ringfinnan, Kinsale, with a tree for each of the firemen who died as well as one for their chaplain Father Michael Judge who was a personal friend of hers. Since the garden was planted many relatives and friends of the dead have come to visit and leave prayers, photographs, and flowers there.

The 10th anniversary of the Twin Towers disaster was recalled on Saturday, 10th September, 2011, by civil and religious ceremonies with representatives from the Irish Government as well as the town and county authorities attending a mass in memory of 9/11. Unfortunately Kathleen was not there, as she died in March, but family and friends honoured her work with a tree planting ceremony to recall the life of the lady who has helped preserve the story of these New York firemen who died so tragically.

The Old Head Signal Tower is just over 200 years old. It was built during the Napoleonic wars in response to the threat of a French invasion. There were 81 such towers with line-of-sight visibility from one to the next. The Tower serves as a 360° panoramic viewing point with access to the roof platform, this gives breathtaking land and sea vistas. It is an ideal point from which to view the protected bird colonies on the western cliffs.

The tower also hosts the Lusitania Museum. The Lusitania Museum tells the story of the RMS Lusitania, which was torpedoed during WW1 by a German U-boat on May 7th, 1915 resulting in immense loss of life.

Mizen Head is Ireland's most south-westerly point and contains a visitor center, cafe, and maritime museum. It is located on high cliffs with the swirling Atlantic Ocean below. The view, offshore, of the Fastnet Rock and Lighthouse (known as Ireland's Teardrop, as it was the last bit of Ireland seen by many Irish emigrants en route to America.) makes it an amazing visit! The route via the towns of Clonakilty and Skibbereen will take a few minutes longer, but will keep you hugging the coast!

Bantry House and Garden is a stately home overlooking Bantry Bay in the southwest of Ireland. The House has been home to the White Family since 1739 and was opened to the public in 1946. As well as having an important private collection of furniture and art. The Estate hosts a wonderful formal garden and tea rooms. Click the "Learn More" button at the bottom of the page for a link to the website where you can see more information, on opening times, ticket sales etc.

Glengarriff is a beautiful little town nestled below the Caha Mountains, at the mouth of the Beara Peninsula, on an off-shoot of Bantry bay. Probably the best way to enjoy this area is to take the short boat ride to the nearby Garinish Island and experience the beautiful gardens there. The map pin is located near the pier where the "Harbour Queen" ferry operates from. Click the "Learn More" button at the bottom of the page for the ferry website.

Kenmare is a picturesque market town nestled on the shores of Kenmare Bay, It is a wonderful base to start a Ring Of Kerry tour as there is a great selection of places to eat, sleep and shop. One of the quirky facts about Kenmare is that it is one of the few places in Ireland where you can buy locally made lace! The local Heritage center has an upstairs shop where visitors can learn about the process of lace making.

Sneem is thought by many to be one of the prettiest villages in Ireland. Here you can learn of the county’s local geology at the Kerry Geopark and experience the sensory garden, riverside wildlife trail, and rare coral beach. Check out the local farmer's market for delicious treats.

Coomakista Pass is an elevated mountain pass located between Portmagee and Caherdaniel on the Ring of Kerry and is one of the best photo-stops in Ireland. There are panoramic photo opportunities from both sides of the car park here. From one side, you can get a fantastic view of Waterville, Ballinaskelligs Bay, and an Iron Age Round Fort. From the other side, you get the wonderful Caherdaniel Bay and, on a clear day, a spectacular view of the World Famous Skellig Islands!

Waterville is a beautiful little seaside town overlooking Ballinaskelligs Bay. There is an interesting link between the town and the famous Hollywood actor Charlie Chaplin as he and his family visited there for 10 years on summer vacations from 1959. There is a life-size statue in his honor on the seafront promenade. Waterville is a good place to stop for lunch on the Ring Of Kerry and there are a number of very nice cafes, bars, and restaurants to choose from.

Fogher Cliffs, on Geokaun Mountain, are one of the most spectacular photo stops in Ireland! Walk or drive to the top of the Mountain which is one of the most westerly parts of Ireland and indeed Europe.

Derrynane House was the home of the famous "Catholic Emancipator" Daniel O' Connel. There is something here for all tastes. There are tours available of the house, there are lovely walking trails through the gardens and walking trails to the local beaches.

In the center of Cahersiveen, you will find the Daniel O’Connel memorial church. Built between 1888 – 1902 this church is the most dominant feature/landmark in the town. It is one of the few catholic churches in the world dedicated to a lay person (Daniel O’ Connel) . It is constructed of Northern Irish granite (Co. Down) and built in a combination of Gothic revivalist and medieval-style architecture. The laying of a marble slab which serves as the cornerstone took place in 1888. This marble block is very special as it was a gift from Pope Leo XIII sourced from the catacombs in Rome.

The Old Barracks serves as a Heritage Centre for the Iveragh Peninsula. It is home to various exhibitions that relate to the local area, including The Great Southern and Western Railway, The Life and Times of Daniel O’Connell, The Fenian Rising of 1867, The 1916 Rising, and Monsignor Hugh O’ Flaherty (The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican).

The Kerry Bog Village explores Ireland’s rural history, heritage, and lifestyle. Visitors will experience the culture, customs, and living conditions of our great ancestors, through the famine years, and late 19th century. The village has period thatched cottages, fully furnished with authentic antiques, complete with sound effects and figurines. Outdoors, they display a fabulous array of rural farm equipment, used by turf cutters and farmers of the time period. In the village, you will also see the once almost-extinct, ‘Kerry Bog Pony’, and the world’s tallest dog, the ‘Irish Wolfhound’.

The adjacent "Red Fox Inn" is an ideal location for tea, Coffee, or lunch, or even a nice Irish Coffee if you're in the mood!

Inch beach is a 5 kilometer long, white sandy beach, located about 7 kilometers East of Annascaul in County Kerry. The beach is famous for all types of water sports including surfing, kayaking, windsurfing, and kite surfing. "Sammy's" is a bar and restaurant located right on the beach at Inch, and is an ideal stop for lunch when travelling to Dingle from Killarney. Inch Beach was used as the beach filming location for the movie "Ryan's Daughter".

Dingle Crystal is a family-owned business in the town of Dingle and was started by Sean Daly, A Master Craftsman, who learned his trade in the world-famous Waterford Crystal and opened his own business over 20 years ago in Dingle. The Daly family run the shop on Green Street and the factory on the outskirts of the town. Visitors are welcome at the factory where demonstrations of the amazing skills of crystal cutting are available. Pre-booking is advised to ensure that the factory is opened when you arrive. Click on "Learn More" below for the Dingle Crystal Website and contact details.

One of the most iconic and popular photo stops along the Slea Head Drive, has been marked with the erection of a white cross. There is a pull-in space for 4 or 5 vehicles along, what is otherwise, one of the most narrow sections of the road to navigate. The views of the Blasket Islands and the ocean from this clifftop are simply breathtaking!

The South Pole Inn in Annascaul, County Kerry was once owned by the famous Antarctic explorer Tom Crean, who took part in 3 Antarctic expeditions under both Scott and Shackleton. The bar serves hot food and snacks.

The Fahan Beehive Huts, thought by some to date to the 6th century, comprises 19 souterrain and 18 standing clochans (beehive huts). There are also inscribed stones, sculptured crosses, and earthen ring forts, all located on the Dingle Peninsula’s Slea Head Road in County Kerry.

The fascinating beehive huts are characteristic of the area and owe their shape to the ancient method of construction known as drystone corbelling.

The Blasket Centre at Dunquin on the Dingle Peninsula, tells the story of island life, subsistence fishing, and farming, traditional life including modes of work and transport, home life, housing, and entertainment. The Centre details the community’s struggle for existence, their language and culture, and the extraordinary literary legacy they left behind. Their story is told using a variety of means – exhibitions, interactive displays, artefacts, audio visual presentations and artworks. Visible from the Centre is Great Blasket Island.

Louis Mulcahy Pottery at Clogher on the Dingle Peninsula is the workshop and shop of the world famous potter - Louis Mulcahy.

Gallarus Oratory, in Ballydavid County Kerry, is one of the best-preserved early Christian buildings in Ireland. It is believed to have been built between the seventh and eighth centuries and It represents one of the best examples of dry-stone corbelling, using techniques first developed by Neolithic tomb makers. The stones were laid at a slight angle, lower on the outside than the inside to allow water to run off.

This Early Christian and later Medieval site is spread over a large area of around 10 acres. Although the history of this site is associated with St Brendan it is thought to have been founded by St Maolcethair, a local saint. At the center of this area is the 12th century Hiberno-Romanesque Church. There are some unique features to see in the graveyard outside the Church. Amongst them, the Alphabet Stone, a holed ogham stone, a sun dial,

The Cliffs Of Moher are the second most visited site in Ireland and at over 700 feet above sea level, are one of the best photo opportunities in the country.

Doolin is a quaint little village, just a few short kilometers northeast of the Cliffs Of Moher. It is famous as a home of traditional Irish music, and with its many bars and cafes, would make an ideal location for a lunch stop.

Fanore is a beautiful sandy beach located near Ballyvaughan in County Clare. It is definitely worth a photostop and, weather permitting, a stroll on the beach.

The view over Galway bay as you take the turn by Black Head Lighthouse is simply spectacular! In the distance, if the weather permits, there will be wonderful views of Connemara and "The Twelve Pins" mountain range.

Dunguaire Castle has stood proudly, in various forms, on the site of the 7th-century stronghold of Guaire, the King of Connaught, for centuries. This majestic castle bridges 13 centuries of Irish history, from skirmishes, battles, and sieges, through to the literary revival of the early 20th century. The map pin for this stop directs you to the nearby car park as the road at the Castle is quite narrow.

Salthill is a seaside resort on the northern shore of Galway Bay. Its beach consists of a series of small rocky or sandy stretches. Salthill Promenade offers views of the nearby harbor city of Galway, Galway Bay, and the beautiful mountains of The Burren.

The map icon is at a car park where you can park your car and, weather permitting, walk along the promenade. There are numerous bars and cafes in this region to enjoy a coffee or a light meal.

Padraicin's Bar is an ideal photo opportunity of the beautiful, sandy, Furbo beach with panoramic views of Galway Bay. Padraicin's is also renowned for its fresh seafood.

Roundstone is a pretty little fishing village in Connemara. The quaint little harbor is a picture-postcard and would be a great addition to your photo album! There are numerous bars and cafes if you fancy a quick coffee before hitting the road!

This is a wonderful photo stop on the way to Clifden. Weather permitting, you could walk along, what looks like a white sandy beach, only to discover that it is mainly coral!

This monument is dedicated to the famous first transatlantic flight, which was achieved in 1919 with the arrival of a Vickers-Vimy biplane behind the Marconi wireless station at Derrigimlagh, 4 kilometers south of Clifden. On-board were two British airmen, Captain John Alcock (pilot), and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown (navigator). The airplane had taken off from Lester’s Field in St John’s, Newfoundland at 4:12 p.m. GMT the previous day and arrived at Derrigimlagh, Clifden, County Galway at 8:40 a.m. GMT on Sunday 15th June. The distance covered was a little less than 1,900 miles. The flight time was 16 hours 28 minutes.

There are beautiful views of Mannin bay on one side of the monument, and Clifden bay on the other.

Clifden is a coastal, market town in Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara" There are many pubs, cafes, and restaurants in the town so you'll be spoilt for choice for a lunch stop.

The Sky Road in Clifden is one of the most picturesque areas in the Connemara region. The circular route is 16km long and is part of the Wild Atlantic Way driving route.

Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden was originally built as a Castle in 1867 by Mitchell Henry as a romantic gift for his wife Margeret.

In 1920 the castle became home to the Benedictine order of nuns after their Abbey in Ypres in Belgium was destroyed in the early part of world war one. The nuns opened an international boarding school for girls and a day school for local girls there.

Although the school closed in 2010, the Benedictine nuns live there to this day.

Keem Bay, is a beautiful, fine sandy beach, bordered on two sides by cliffs, at the western end of Achill Island. It is one of the most picturesque bays in Ireland, and is accessible by road over a twisting clifftop route.

Downpatrick Head is located near Ballycastle village in County Mayo. It is said that Saint Patrick founded a church here, whose ruins can be seen today. There is also a statue of Saint Patrick erected in the early 1980s, which replaced a previous one erected in 1912, and a small stone building, used as a lookout post during the Second World War with its stone aerial markers: EIRE 64.

From Downpatrick Head, the most fantastic view is of 'Dun Briste'. Dun Briste, (in English 'The Broken Fort'), is a sea stack close to the edge of the cliffs, which is 45 metres high and 228 metres from shore. In 1393 it was separated from the coast as a result of high seas and violent stormy weather.

Mullaghmore is a pretty little fishing village located just off the main road at Cliffony between Sligo And Donegal. There are great views of Classiebawn Castle along the road towards Mullaghmore, but the best photo opportunity is at the map pin where you can photo the Castle with the stunning coastline in the foreground, and Benbulben mountain in the background.

Donegal Castle sits in the very heart of the Donegal town, towering over the River Eske. The Irish Chieftan. "Red" Hugh O’Donnell built the castle as his personal fortress in the fifteenth century. Basil Brooke became the castle’s new owner in 1616. As part of a massive program of improvements, Brooke built a handsome manor house beside the tower.

Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) are some of the best, and highest accessible sea cliff views in Europe.

The Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) cliffs are truly breathtaking, the cliff face of Bunglas rises over 600m above the raging ocean. Only experienced walkers should venture beyond the viewing point. The map pin for this location is set at the visitor center where tickets can be purchased.

Boat tours are available from the nearby Teelin pier with Sliabh Liag Boat Tours to view the cliffs from the sea.

The Folk Village Museum is a cluster of several small cottages, called a ‘clachan’, perched on a hillside overlooking the sandy curve of Glen Bay Beach in the Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area) of South West Donegal. Designed, built and maintained by the local people, the Folk Village is one of Ireland's best living-history museums. Each cottage is an exact replica of a dwelling used by the local people in each of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and is equipped with the furniture, artifacts and utensils of its particular period. A reconstructed schoolhouse, fisherman’s dwelling and tiny pub-grocer offer additional insights into rural Irish life in one of the most remote corners of the country.

Fanad Lighthouse is one of the most beautiful coastal photo stops in the country. It was built after the sinking of the British frigate "Saldana" with the loss of all hands. The Lighthouse was built in 1817 to protect the mouth of Lough Swilly, with the first light lit on St Patrick's Day, 17th of March that year.

Malin Head is located at the tip of the Inishowen Peninsula, and is the Northernmost point of the Island of Ireland and officially marks one end of the famous "Wild Atlantic Way" tourist drive.