Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

This evening, I am posting information on key sites which will be encountered in course of a Ring of Kerry driving tour.

First, close to the town of  Killarney is Muckross House and Gardens. This is an imposing mansion built in 1843 in Elizabethan style. Queen Victoria was a guest.

Muckross House, Killarney, Ireland

At Muckross it is possible to take a Irish Jaunty Car  ride (horse drawn buggy). This lasts about one hour and takes in the grounds and  lake .

Irish Jaunty Car, Muckross, Ireland

 Close to Muckross is Torc Falls which is deserving of a visit.

Next proceed on the Ring of Kerry route with a stop at the famous  Ladies View  (and Lakes of Killarney). Named after Queen Victoria’s ladies in waiting who were enamoured with the vista.

Ladies View, Ring of Kerry, Ireland

Next stop is Sneem, a village comprised of brightly painted houses and a quaint village green. Here take a stroll  around the village taking in the falls, Murphy’s Bar and some shopping..

Sneem Village, Ring of Kerry, Ireland

Falls, Sneem, Ireland

Murphy's Bar, Sneem, Ireland

After Sneem move on and admire the scenic views of the coastline including the stunning Derrynane Bay and a prehistoric stone circle (or burial cairn).

Derrynane Bay, Ring of Kerry, Ireland

Prehistoric Standing Stones, Iveragh Peninsula, Ireland

From time to time sheep will be encountered wandering along the road, not unusual in this part of the world.

Other sites include :

• Cahersiveen. the main town on the peninsula.
•  Killorglin, a pretty village sitting on the slopes above a river and famous for its Puck Fair. A good stop for refreshment after a long day touring.

Battle of Boyne Site, Oldbridge, Ireland

This evening, I am focusing on the site  of the Battle of the Boyne. This was probably the famous military encounter in Irish history. It took place on July 1st 1690, a battle betwee the armies of rival kings- James II and William III -and entailed aggregate forces of some 60,000 men. Some key facts:

• Key driver was attempt by the deposed King James II of England to regain the throne which he lost in 1688 to his Dutch son-in-law, William of Orange.
• James was deposed because of his Catholicism at a time when his people were largely Protestant.
• In the background King Louis XIV of France was supporting King James.
• The Jacobite army (King James) was some 25,000 strong. Mainly Irish but including 6,500 French infantry.
• William’s army was about 36,000 strong and including a mix of Dutch, English, Danish, Huguenots and Ulster Protestants. On balance this was a well equipped, professional and seasoned fighting force..
• Both armies had similar equipment and majority of troops were infantry.About one quarter of each army were mounted, cavalry and dragoons.
• The River Boyne flows east and west. Jacobites on south bank and Williamites on north bank.
• Williamites held the initiative and implemented a sound strategy. James’s vacillations resulted in unclear planning.
• On the morning of battle the Williamite infantry crossed the river on a broad front followed later by 2000 infantry. A senior Williamite general, Schomberg, was killed in action.
• In course of the battle there were engagements at Donore, Platin, Rossnaree, Roughgrange and Duleek Bridge.
• William’s forces eventually prevailed. Total casualties were about 1500 killed or badly wounded of which two thirds were Jacobites.

This battle had a decisive influence on Irish politics the ramifications of which continue today.

At the site there is a visitor centre with re-enactments.

Kylemore Abbey, Kylemore Lough, West of Ireland

This evening, the focus of my post is Kylemore Abbey, on the shores of Kylemore Lough, Connemara in the West of Ireland.

This Gothic Revival fantasy mansion was built by a wealthy Manchester (England) business tycoon, Mitchell Henry (1826-1911) as a present for his wife. In association with the building project, the Henrys undertook considerable work on the local landscape entailing draining boggy hillsides and planting thousands of trees as windbreaks.

Upon the sudden death of both Mrs Henry and his daughter, Mitchell Henry lost interest in the property and sold it. Later, it became a refuge for nuns fleeing Ypres in Belgium during WW1 and subsequently an abbey. The building is now home to a girls boarding and day school run by nuns.

Visitors have partial access comprising:

• Grounds
• Restaurant
• Craft Shop which features earthenware pottery with a distinctive fuschia motif.
• Victorian Walled Garden which includes double herbaceous borders, a nuttery and stream-side walk.

This site is worthy of inclusion in a tour of Ireland.