Ireland - Day 6

We are still in the Killarney area - having a rare moment where we stayed two nights in the same city.  By the way - we are staying at a Bed and Breakfast here - the first time we have done that.  We absoluately love it, and we need to do that more often.  The one we chose was called Kilaran House and it was magnificent.

Today we traveled the famous Ring of Kerry and Skellig Ring (we liked Skellig much more!). The views were beautiful. We drove all over today - stopping to take in various cliffs, seaside, ruins, and scenery. We moved along roads that were only big enough for one car at a time. We saw an enormous amount of sheep. 

The driving has not gotten easier.  I still feel like I am tense and having to be on high alert at all times.  These one car roads are not for the faint of heart, but we joke that they are just like the movies.  Animal crossings, and having to bargain with an oncoming car to let you pass.  But the Irish are crazy drivers - taking these back roads at high speeds without breaking a sweat.  It is wild.  

What we have also noticed about the Irish is that they are NICE.  From people walking by us to cars passing, we always get a wave.  People even stop to help and give us some direction or warning of an upcoming barrier (there was a very large puddle in the one road, and the driver coming through it guided us and eased our worry about driving through it).  They are a great group of people.

We took a lot of pictures today because it was beautiful country side - couldn't help ourselves.

 This is Cahergall Stone Fort.  It was built around 600 AD.  

 This is Leacanabuaile Stone Fort.  This is from around 900-1000 AD, there is a map that shows how the houses inside the fort were laid out.  There are still stones where the houses once stood.  

 Castle in the distance we could see from the fort.

 We had to cross an active sheep farm to get to the fort. They paid us no mind.

 You cannot get to this castle because it is on private property.  I would love to own this!  The name of the castle is Ballycarbery

 Cliff on the Skelligs Ring. They were enormous. And gorgeous

 In the distance you can see islands - there one of the Star Wars movies was filmed.

 Mat and I said this looked like a giant finger came down and indented the cliff.

 I had to keep this pictures because it was funny.  The wind was incredible.  It took your breath away

 People bike these cliffs!

 Beach along the Irish Coast

 We passed this on our drive - a Skelligs Chocolate making plant.  We stopped, went in and did a taste test and bought some yummy chocolate

 The sun finally showed up!

 This is called Ballinskelligs Abbey. They are actually still burying people here, even though the abbey is in ruins.

 Imagine living in that house

 Drove through Waterville, Ireland.  Charlie Chaplin used to visit this town a lot, and when he died they errected a statue in his honor.

Found this just as we were driving along. No idea what it is, but this kind of find is very common here. Just ruins everywhere.

 Driving on the Ring of Kerry - it was really beautiful

 This is the childhood home of the Liberator of Ireland - Daniel O'Connell. The grounds were gorgous - he lived right on the ocean.