Driving Ireland’s Ring of Kerry Maps and Complete Guide

Driving Ireland’s Ring of Kerry Maps and Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The picturesque Ring of Kerry is a looping road on the west coast of Ireland. It meanders along the coast of County Kerry, a pristine area famous for its awe-inspiring natural beauty. Locals and travelers alike flock to the Ring of Kerry for sweeping views of mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and the North Atlantic. Along the way, you’ll see castles, abbey ruins, and stones circles dating as far back as 2,200 BC! That’s a whole lot of human history. I can confidently say that the Ring of Kerry was the most breathtaking road I’ve ever driven on in my life. To help you have the same memorable experience, I’ve compiled all the stops of interest along the Ring, along with maps to help you navigate. Read on for your complete guide to Ireland’s unforgettable Ring of Kerry! Map of the Ring of Kerry As you can see on this Ring of Kerry map, you could drive the entire loop straight through in only three and a half hours. The Ring of Kerry is a 1 mile (179 km) coastal road around Ireland’s Iveragh Peninsula. Technically, the Ring of Kerry is the horseshoe-shaped N70, but you can take a linking road, the N72, to make a full loop beginning and ending in the town of Killarney. This closed loop covers 133 miles (214 km) in total. Because of its location on the landlocked end of the peninsula, Killarney is a popular base for travelers driving the Ring of Kerry. If you were to drive directly around the Ring, you could complete the drive in just three and a half hours. Realistically, though, you should set aside at least six to seven hours to make stops along the way, if not longer. If you want to take side trips or explore all the sights along the route, then you could turn the Ring into a two or three-day road trip, staying overnight in one of the villages, like Waterville or Kenmare. In addition to pulling over to see castles, Celtic ruins, lookout points, and friendly cows and sheep, you could also go hiking, biking, or horseback riding. A popular day trip also takes you out to the Skellig Islands. The larger of the islands, Skellig Michaels, is famous for its 6th century ruins, which were featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Before getting into all the sights along the Ring of Kerry, let’s go over how to travel along the road. Should you hop on a tour bus or rent a car and drive yourself? Traveling on the Ring of Kerry: Tour Bus vs. Car There are two options for driving the Ring of Kerry: tour bus or car. Several bus companies are available for day trips, or you can easily navigate the route yourself (it is a loop, after all). Here’s what you need to know about both options. Option 1: Take a Bus Around the Ring of Kerry Most Ring of Kerry tour buses start in Killarney. If you’re starting your Ireland trip in Dublin, you can also buy packages that include a train ticket from Dublin to Killarney and next-day tour bus. The two most highly-rated companies are Deros Coach Tours and O’Connell Day Tours. A day tour costs about $25. The buses will make a few stops along the way for you to explore sights and take photographs, plus a lunch stop. All in all, a Ring of Kerry tour on a bus lasts about 6.5 hours. One important thing to note- the buses always drive counter-clockwise along the Ring. They start in Killarney and then head northwest to Killorglin. Now let’s look at the other option (and the one that I chose), driving the Ring of Kerry. Tour buses drive counter-clockwise on the Ring of Kerry. Option 2: Drive Around the Ring of Kerry Your other option is to drive. I much preferred driving, as it let my friend and I go at our own pace and pull over whenever we spotted an amazing view, which was extremely often. We had no trouble renting a car in Ireland. We rented the car online from Dooley Car Rentals and picked it up at the Dublin airport. There are also rental car companies based out of Killarney. The only unusual part of the rental agreement is that US travelers have to buy additional car insurance. If you’re renting a car in most other countries, your usual car insurance will extend to the rental. While driving lets you take your time and make stops on a whim, it does come with a significant extra challenge for US drivers: you have to adjust to driving on the left side of the road! At first, this arrangement made my brain feel like it was doing backflips, plus I kept driving too far to the left. Admittedly, my friend was the better left-side driver of the two of us, but I gradually got used to it, too. As long as you stay focused, you shouldn’t have too much trouble making the switch. As I mentioned above, buses go counter-clockwise along the Ring of Kerry. If you’re driving, should you go in the same direction as the buses or the opposite way? Remember to drive on the left side of the road! Fred Zhang/All rights reserved Which Direction Should You Drive on the Ring of Kerry? Should you drive with the buses or against them? That all depends on how confident you feel driving. If you drive in the opposite direction of the Ring of Kerry tour buses, then you may have to deal with passing them. As the road can get narrow and have steep drop-offs along the side, this might be an unwelcome extra challenge. If you don’t want to deal with passing tour buses on a narrow road, then you should go counter-clockwise. On the other hand, driving with the buses means that you might get stuck behind one of them. Staring at the back of a bus for most of your drive could mar the view a bit. If you’d rather not get stuck behind a tour bus, then you should probably choose the clockwise route! For the purposes of this guide, I’ll present the stops in the counter-clockwise direction, the same way that the buses go. If you decide to go the other way, then just scroll down and read this guide backward. Now that we’ve covered transportation, let’s go over all of the intriguing places and things you’ll pass on the drive, starting with a Ring of Kerry map. Ring of Kerry Map: All the Stops Along the Way Here’s the full Ring of Kerry map with pins for each stop. Click on each one for its full address, and scroll down to learn more about each stop! Since there are lots of points of interest, I’ll provide some suggestions for the best ones at the end of this guide. You can also plan your trip around your personal interests, whether you want to spend all your time photographing castles, hiking up mountains, or shopping in all the villages along the way. Whatever you choose, you really can’t go wrong. The drive itself is one of the best highlights of all! Since most of the Ring is remote, I’d suggest using a GPS, pre-loading your directions into Google Maps, and/or downloading a navigational app that works offline, like Here WeGo. You’ll have to download Ring of Kerry maps before you depart, but then you should be able to plug in directions offline. Any place you stay will probably also give you directions the old-fashioned way- with a paper map of the Ring of Kerry and circles around the places of interest. If all else fails, just keep driving. The Ring of Kerry is a ring, after all. Driving the Ring of Kerry: Full Guide Most people start and end their Ring of Kerry journey in the town of Killarney, so let’s start there. There are lots of Kerry hotels in Killarney, plus other hotels in Kerry villages along the way. Below is the full list of stops along the Ring of Kerry. Click on a stop to go to it directly, or just read on to learn all about the spectacular stops you'll encounter driving counter-clockwise on the Ring. Killarney Gap of Dunloe Kate Kearney's Cottage Beaufort Kerry Woolen Mills Killorglin Kerry Bog Village Museum Glenbeigh Cahirciveen Ballycarbery Castle Portmagee Skellig Islands: Skellig Michaels and Little Skellig Valentia Island St. Finian's Bay Balinskelligs Waterville Eightercua Stones Loher Stone Fort Derrynane Caherdaniel Castlecove Beach Staigue Fort Sneem Dunkerron Castle Kenmare Moll's Gap Killarney National Park Ladies View Torc Waterfall Muckross House Muckross Abbey Blue Pool Nature Reserve Ross Castle Innisfallen Island Now let's take a closer look at all the stops along the Ring of Kerry, starting with the most popular starting point, the town of Killarney. #1: Killarney Killarney is a colorful small town that looks like it was plucked out of the 19th century. As a popular destination, it actively maintains its historic charm. In fact, the Killarney town council banned plastic store signs in the 1980s so that the town would retain its pretty, old-fashioned look. While there are several great Ring of Kerry sights within a ten to thirty minute drive of Killarney- like Ross Castle, Muckross House, and Muckross Abbey- the town itself shouldn’t be overlooked. Killarney might not blow your mind like the Ring of Kerry landscape, but it has lots of enjoyable restaurants, pubs, shops, and galleries. Restaurants in Killarney You’ll find a variety of restaurants, from traditional Irish pubs to Thai and Mexican food. Some of the top restaurants in town are Rozzer’s, Bricin, Mareena’s Simply Food, Quinlans Seafood, Hannigan’s, and the Yew Tree. Before I visited Ireland, I’d heard mostly negative reviews of its cuisine. I found the exact opposite to be true, with lots of modern restaurants and delicious food from all over the world. Pubs in Killarney While I heard negative things about Ireland’s cuisine, I heard stellar reviews of its beer. That reputation was totally accurate; both the beer and cider are high-quality and easy to find. Some great pubs in Killarney are O’Connor’s Traditional Irish Pub, Jarvey’s Rest, The Danny Mann, Tatler Jack, and Dan Linehan’s Bar. Take a seat, order a Guinness, and, ideally, stumble upon an Irish â€Å"session† of local musicians playing the fiddle and accordion. Ireland is famous for its high-quality wool sweaters and blankets. Killarney Shopping Killarney’s shops are centralized in its downtown area. You’ll find the famously high quality wool sweaters from Ireland’s Aran Islands, jewelry, glass crafts, candles, souvenirs, art galleries, and old-fashioned candy shops. You can also shop at some name brand stores at the Killarney Outlet Centre. Historic Churches in Killarney Killarney has a couple 19th-century churches that are worth a visit if you like historic architecture. St. Mary’s Cathedral is a 19th-century Gothic Revival Church, and the 1879 Franciscan Friary is a simple stone structure. Killarney is a charming town that’s fun to explore or at least enjoy dinner the night before you depart on the Ring of Kerry. If you’re pressed for time, though, you might skip the town and concentrate on the drive instead, as the Ring of Kerry is the most memorable part of the trip! #2: Gap of Dunloe Daniel Dudek-Corrigan/Flickr You don’t have to wait long before the Ring of Kerry plunges you into Ireland’s unparalleled natural beauty. Just ten minutes or so from Killarney you’ll enter the part of N70 called Gap Road, or the Gap of Dunloe. The Gap of Dunloe is a 7 mile ( km) mountain pass between Purple Mountain and a range called MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. It passes five lakes: Coosaun Lough, Black Lake, Cushnavally Lake, Auger Lake, and Black Lough. Between Coosaun and Black Lake is a wishing bridge. You can stop here, make a wish on the bridge, and, according to local legend, your wish is destined to come true. Since the Gap of Dunloe is such a scenic route, it’s a popular spot for biking, hiking, horse-drawn carriages, and horseback riding. If you’re driving, go slow and expect that other people and vehicles will be sharing the road. #3: Kate Kearney’s Cottage Larry Koester/Flickr Kate Kearney’s Cottage is a 150-year-old restaurant and pub along the Gap of Dunloe. You’ll pass fields filled with flowers and horses before pulling into the parking lot of this charming, ivy-covered cottage. In the front of Kate Kearney’s sits a shop that sells local crafts and produce. In cooler months, you can sit by the open fire and enjoy pub food and dark beers. Every so often, the cottage holds a traditional Irish dinner with live music and costumed dancers. I stopped at Kate Kearney’s for lunch and especially enjoyed the fried brie with jam and homemade banoffee pie (toffee pudding pie with banana slices and fresh whipped cream). If you’re hungry, then stop here to get fortified for the trip ahead. If not, don’t worry- there are plenty of villages with pubs and restaurants along the way. #4: Beaufort Beaufort is a small village at the base of Carrantuohill, Ireland’s tallest mountain. By small village, I mean small; Beaufort has a population of only 160. The town center has a few pubs and guesthouses, so you could stay here as an alternative to Killarney. If you’re looking to stay somewhere remote, then Beaufort’s a good option. Otherwise, you probably would put this town lower on your list of Ring of Kerry priorities. One intriguing site near Beaufort involves an early written language. Outside of the town sit the Ogham Stones. These stones feature Ogham, the earliest system of writing to appear in Ireland. In Ogham, letters are represented by short horizontal lines etched across a long vertical line. You might see souvenirs of common names written in Ogham or jewelry featuring the ancient writing. #5: Kerry Woollen Mills These 17th century mills have been creating fabrics and yarn from wool for over 300 years! When they began, they used water from the adjacent River Gweestin to power machinery and wash and dye wool. Today, you can check out the mills and shop for high-quality wool sweaters, capes, scarves, blankets, and rugs. These mills are worth a stop if you’d like to buy wool clothing or a blanket. If you’re not looking to shop or don’t care for wool products, then you might skip these mills and save your shopping for other places further down the Ring! Sheep are a-plenty in Ireland, and so are wool sweaters! #6: Killorglin Killorglin’s another village along the Ring of Kerry. It’s a bit bigger than Beaufort with a population of 2,100. This town along the River Laune has a number of hostels, inns, pubs, restaurants, outdoor activities, and yearly festivals. Killorglin is definitely worth a stop if you want to go on an outdoor excursion. Because it’s on a river and close to the Atlantic, it has a lot of opportunities to kayak, canoe, and sail. You can also go climbing, hiking, orienteering, or camp overnight. Killorglin is also a good stop if you’re feeling hungry. The town has a variety of pubs and restaurants, and it makes its own beer, the Crafty Divils King Puck. You’ll see a bunch of references to King Puck beyond this pale ale, like the King Puck statue, a large, crown-wearing bronze goat perched atop a rock. According to legend, a goat helped save the people of Killorglin long ago when raiders were pillaging the countryside. The â€Å"puck† broke away from its herd and appeared in the village, alerting the people to the danger. This story is such a big part of Killorglin that the town has been hosting a 3-day Puck Fair every August for the past 400 years! If you’re driving the Ring in August, check to see if the Puck Fair is going on. You might also be interested in the K-Fest Musics and the Arts cultural festival in June or the Flavour of Killorglin food festival in September. Once you’ve had your fill of food and festivals in Killorglin, keep on driving southwest toward the Kerry Bog Museum. Order King Puck, a pale beer made in Killorglin! #7: Kerry Bog Village Museum With its glacier-carved mountains and cliffs and ancient stone ruins, the Ring of Kerry takes you back in time. The Kerry Bog Village Museum transports you to the 19th century, showing you the tough existence that people carved out for themselves in a peat bog. The Kerry Bog Village Museum features six dwellings with thatched roofs that have been restored to their original 1800s conditions. You can see how the blacksmith, thatcher, and laborers lived, as well as meet the native Kerry bog ponies and huge Irish wolfhounds native to the area. Irish wolfhounds may be all different colors, but all of them share one trait in common: they're huge. #8: Glenbeigh This area is called the Jewel in the Ring of Kerry. Here, you’ll see all the natural beauty that makes the Ring of Kerry great in one place: hills, mountains, rivers, beaches, and the wild Atlantic. It’s a popular place for hiking, nature tours, and horseback riding. I went horseback riding in Glenbeigh with Burke’s Beach Riding. We looped around Curra Mountain, descended into Horseshoe Valley, and rode along the sandy Rossbeigh Beach. The views over the sheep-filled fields and outstretched Dingle peninsula were spectacular, and horseback riding along the trails and beach was an unforgettable way to take everything in. Trail rides are available for both beginners and more experienced riders. I highly recommend doing one. #9: Cahirciveen Cahirciveen is a colorful small town with a population of around 1,300. Its main attractions are the Cahergal and Leacanabuaile forts, the remains of stone forts built around 600 AD that suggest the existence of an early Christian farming community. You could also visit the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church, one of the only churches in Ireland named after a layperson, and old army barracks that have been turned into a heritage center. Cahirciveen is proud of its history as the spot where the first shots of the 1867 Fenian Rising were fired, a rebellion against British rule. Cahirciveen is worth a stop for the old stone forts, but if you're pressed for time or staying on the eastern part of the ring, then you could opt to see Staigue Fort instead. #10: Ballycarbery Castle Cord Cardinal/Flickr After Caherciveen, the next place you could stop is Ballycarbery Castle. This once proud 16th century castle on a hill now stands in ivy and moss-covered ruins. As a huge fan of evocative ivy-covered ruins, I’d put this castle high on the list of must-sees. It’s a quick stop, but it’s a quintessential Ring of Kerry sight. Check it out! Note about the next few stops on the list: The next four stops are actually located on Skelligs Ring, an offshoot of N70, which is the technical Ring of Kerry. You can visit the villages of Portmagee and Valentia Island, take a boat to the Skellig’s Islands, or drive along St. Finian’s Bay. If you don’t have time or interest to venture off the Ring, then feel free to skip down to #15 on this list, Waterville! #: Portmagee This village, located 10 minutes off of N70, has some restaurants and accommodations, so you can stop here for lunch or to stay overnight. It’s most notable as the gateway to the Skelligs Islands, though, as well as the town you pass through to take the bridge to Valentia Islands. #12: Skellig Islands: Skellig Michael and Little Skellig Arian Zwegers/Flickr These islands lie just off the coast of Portmagee. Both are protected as bird sanctuaries, and they contain bustling populations of puffins, gannets, Arctic terns, guillemots, herring gulls, razorbill, fulmars, manx shearwaters, and cormorants. You can take a boat around Little Skellig, and you can actually land on and explore Skellig Michael. When you get to Skellig Michael, you’ll see the other-worldly remains of a 6th century Christian monastery. Monks lived a remote existence in beehive-shaped stone formations. Everyday, they descended 670 steps to catch fish for their meals. The ruins are now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and they’ll look mighty familiar if you’ve seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens. At the risk of spoiling the ending for anyone, I’ll just give you a two-word reminder of the scene: Luke Skywalker. To tour the Skellig Islands, you can sign up for a boat tour from Portmagee, Valentia Island, or Waterville. As protected areas, the number of visitors each day is limited, so sign up early! #13: Valentia Island You can reach Valentia Island, one of the most western points of Ireland, by bridge from Portmagee. Valentia played an important role in history- it was one of the stops of the first ever successful transatlantic cable. You should come to Valentia if you want to go hiking or see the majestic sea cliffs. You can hike the Geukaun Mountain and walk along the 600-foot cliffs. You can also walk out to tetrapod tracks, prints preserved from an animal for the past 385 million years. If I didn’t emphasize it enough already, the Ring of Kerry will blow your mind with the extent of its far-reaching natural and human history. #14: St. Finian’s Bay St. Finian’s Bay, known locally as the Glen, kicks up the natural beauty into hyperdrive with rolling mountains on one side and views across the Altantic, Skellig Islands, and Puffin Island on the other. Because of its big waves, St. Finian’s Bay is especially popular with divers and surfers. Another draw is Skellig’s Chocolate, a small, family-run chocolate factory and cafe with beautiful views over the bay. #15: Balinskelligs Balinskelligs is a coastal village of about 350, and one of the few remaining places in Ireland where people still speak Irish! You can find some pubs, cafes, and restaurants here, as well as accommodations to stay overnight. The best stops are Balinskelligs Beach, locally known as Ladies Beach, and the nearby ruins of McCarthy Mà ³r Castle. If you do stay overnight, you can take a â€Å"dark sky tour.† Since the area’s so free of pollution and light, you can see the stars and planets in the night sky as our ancient ancestors did. Go star-gazing in Balinskelligs with one of their "dark sky" tours! #16: Waterville This tiny village has a population of only 540, but it has plenty of restaurants, cafes, pubs, and hotels if you’re looking for a meal or to stay overnight. Like Beaufort, it’s one of the stops where the first transatlantic cable was laid in 1865. In 1866, a ship left from Waterville and laid cable from Ireland to Newfoundland, thereby linking Europe to North America. Waterville has a bunch of outdoor activities, including cycling, fishing, surfing, horseback riding, golf, beaches, and nature tours. Every August it holds a Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival. Why? Waterville was a favorite vacation spot for Charlie Chaplin back in the day. #17: Eightercua Stones Robert Linsdell/Flickr Ready for some more old stone structures? The Eightercua Stones is an important stop on most Ring of Kerry maps because the standing stones date all the way back to 1700 BC! This east-west row of stones is thought to be a Megalithic tomb and possibly the burial place of Scà ©ine, the wife of a Milesian leader. The Milesians were a group of people that conquered Ireland. The tallest stone is nine feet, and the entire tomb stretches 25 feet. It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re a person who gets excited by ancient stone formations. And, honestly, who doesn’t get excited by ancient stone formations? #18: Loher Stone Fort Fast forward from the builders of Eightercua 2,500 years and you’ve got early Christians building a farm house inside a defensive wall. This 9th century stone fort overlooks Balinskelligs Bay. Again, it’s an intriguing and relatively quick stop if you’re interested in ancient ruins. #19: Derrynane This small village on the sea has beautiful sandy beaches and historical sites. The Derrynane Beach is a long, sandy beach sheltered by mountains. Nearby, you can tour the mysterious Derrynane Abbey, a 6th century abbey surrounded by graveyard that now sits in ruins overrun with plants. You can also check out Derrynane House, which was home to Daniel O’Connell, also known as the Liberator. O’Connell campaigned for independence from Britain in the 19th century. You can take a 30-minute guided tour of the house, learn about O’Connell and his family, and tour the surrounding 320-acre national park. Make time to see at least one beach along the Ring of Kerry, on foot or on horseback! #20: Caherdaniel This small village is most notable for the Caherdaniel Fort, a stone fort dating back to 600 AD. You can also find restaurants and hotels here, as well as beautiful views over Derrynane Bay. #21: Castlecove Beach This sandy beach is popular with locals and families. It has a good restaurant next to it, the Beach Side Restaurant and Bar. If you haven’t checked out a beach already, stop here at Castlecove. If you’re all beached out, then you can leave this one off your trip. #22: Staigue Fort Stefan Jurgenson/Flickr Staigue Fort is one of the most popular stops on the Ring of Kerry map when it comes to stone ruins. It’s a circular stone fort built as a stronghold for a lord or king sometime between 300 and 400 AD. This fort is especially impressive to historians because of its sophisticated engineering and stone masonry for the time. It’s a quick stop, but worth it to see what a 4th century fort looks like. #23: Sneem This charming small village on the River Sneem (population 600) is home to several artists and craftspeople, making it a good stop for shopping at galleries and craft stores. You might also enjoy Riney’s Bar and its traditional Irish pub food and atmosphere. Since it’s on the coast, you can find a few nearby beaches: White Strand Beach, Castle Cove, and O’Carroll’s Cove. #24: Dunkerron Castle This castle was built in the late 00s and converted into the Tudor-style around 1596. There’s only one standing wall left today. The rest is in ruins. Dunkerron can be tough to find, and you’ll have to off-road it a bit to get there. I wouldn’t highly recommend it unless you’re a diehard fan of ivy-covered castle ruins. Mary Sullivan/All rights reserved #25: Kenmare Of all the towns along the Ring of Kerry, Kenmare (population 2200) probably has the most to see and do. It has a range of hotels, BBs, hostels, guesthouses, and campsites, as well as a bunch of restaurants and pubs. Some of the best restaurants in Kenmare are The Mews Kenmare, Mulcahy’s Wild Garlic Restaurant, Packy’s, Number 35, PF McCarthy’s, and The Coachman’s. One fun Kenmare attraction is its annual October festival for needlepoint lace. During the Great Famine in the 1800s, sisters of the Poor Clare convent taught women and girls this skill to help them support themselves. Outside of the festival, you can buy lace, go to workshops, and watch demonstrations year-round. Two important historical sites in Kenmare are the Old Kenmare Cemetery and the Kenmare Stone Circle. The cemetery dates back to the 7th century, and it became a place of mass burials during the Great Famine. The Stone Circle was built between 2200 and 500 BC, likely for ceremonial purposes. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, then you might also remember the town’s name from the Quidditch World Cup. Kenmare was said to be home to the professional Quidditch team, the Kenmare Kestrels. #26: Moll’s Gap Tom Fahy/Flickr You’ll drive through Moll’s Gap on your way back toward Killarney, and you can pull over for a panoramic view of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range. Moll’s Gap is a popular stop for tour buses, and there’s an epic lookout point, as well as a souvenir shop and coffee shop. #27: Killarney National Park Once you’ve made it this far, you’re starting to get close to Killarney again. South of the town is the 25,000 acre Killarney National Park, the first national park in Ireland. About a quarter of it is made up by Lower Lake, Middle Lake, and Upper Lake. It’s the most extensive native forest in the country and has the only remaining herd of wild deer. The park is open year-round for hikers and bird-watchers. The next two stops, Ladies View and Torc Waterfall, are located in Killarney National Park. #28: Ladies View Ladies View is another popular stopping point for travelers on the Ring of Kerry. This viewpoint gives you sweeping views of the three lakes and mountains of Killarney National Park. Even though it can get crowded, it’s worth the stop for the National Geographic-worthy photographs. #29: Torc Waterfall Simon Caulton/Flickr This 70-foot high waterfall is just a five-minute walk off the road through pretty woodlands. It can get crowded, as the waterfall is a popular stop on the bus routes. For more gorgeous views over the lakes of Killarney National Park, you can climb 100 steps or so on the left side of the waterfall. #30: Muckross House This well-preserved Victorian mansion gives you guided tours of its furnished period rooms. Even if you don’t take a tour inside the house, you'll enjoy walking around the expansive grounds. Beyond the green lawns lie stone gardens, greenhouses, and working farms with sheep-shearing demonstrations. #31: Muckross Abbey Fred Zhang/All rights reserved This 15th-century abbey is surprisingly well-preserved, apart from the fact that it doesn’t have a roof. It was founded by Franciscan monks in 1448. The prettiest part of the abbey is the courtyard with a large yew tree in the center and a vaulted cloister. #32: Blue Pool Nature Reserve The nature reserve is a nice spot for walking through the woods, perhaps getting some glimpses of birds, deer, and other wildlife. The Cloghereen Blue Pool Walk takes you to the Blue Pool. Because of the limestone in the bottom, the pool can look bright turquoise. #33: Ross Castle Fred Zhang/All rights reserved Unlike some of the crumbling ruins along the Ring of Kerry, the Ross Castle is fully intact. You can tour the inside or just admire its stone exterior and the adjacent lake. Legend has it that its original owner, O’Donoghue, leaped into the lake with his horse, table, and library. He now lives in a palace at the bottom of a lake, watching over his castle and everything that goes on around it. You can rent boats and go out on the lake, as long as you’re careful not to disturb any 15th-century underwater ghosts. #34: Innisfallen Island Sandy Raidy/Flickr Across the lake sits Innisfallen Island and the ruins of Innisfallen Abbey. Monks lived here for 950 years until Queen Elizabeth I took it from them in 1594. Not cool, Elizabeth. On the island, monks wrote about the history of Ireland in the Annals of Innisfallen. Because of these records and the education offered here to monks and Irish kings, the lake got its name of Lough Leane, or the â€Å"lake of learning.† Once you’ve made your way through Killarney National Park and the stops along the way, you’ll end up right back where you started your journey, in Killarney! Whether you spent a few hours or a few days, you’ll see the stunning mountains, lakes, rivers, fields, and sea that make the Ring of Kerry one of the most beautiful drives in the world. With 34 stops (and then some, if you include all the spots of interest within each town), how can you choose which ones to include on your trip? While everyone's interests vary, here are my top picks for the best stops along the Ring of Kerry. Fred Zhang/All rights reserved Stops on the Ring of Kerry: Top Picks There are tons of places you could stop on the Ring of Kerry, but most of us don’t have days and days to explore. Unless you’re turning the Ring into a full-fledged, multi-day road trip, you probably want to know which stops are the best ones along the Ring. Here are my picks for the top Ring of Kerry attractions. Best Stone Forts: Staigue, Cahergal, and Leacanabuaile forts Best Beaches: Glenbeigh Beach and Derrynane Beach Best Castles: Ballycarbery Castle (for ivy-covered ruins) and Ross Castle (for a preserved castle that you can go inside) Best Historical House: Muckross House Best Lookout Point: Ladies View in Killarney National Park Best Town: Kenmare Best Day Trips: Skellig Islands and Horseback Riding If you don’t have time to drive the full ring, you might also choose just the west or east side and check out the top spots along the way. One common day trip from Killarney takes you to Muckross House, Muckross Abbey, Torc Waterfall, and Ladies View. Then you can drive back through Killarney and get dinner at Kate Kearney’s Cottage. Exploring the Ring of Kerry: Final Tips The Ring of Kerry is a special place, with breathtaking vistas, roaming animals, and ancient stone formations that give you glimpses into thousands of years of human civilization. Because there are picturesque villages filled with pubs and inns along the way, you can take as much time driving the Ring as you like. The best way to decide where you want to go and how long long you want to spend is to familiarize yourself with the stops along the way and decide which ones interest you most. If you’re excited to horseback ride and take a boat to the Skellig Islands, then you might plan a three-day Ring of Kerry trip. If you’d like to make just five to six stops, perhaps a castle, some stone ruins, a lookout point, Torc waterfall, and Muckross House or Abbey, then you could fit everything into one full day. Based on how beautiful the Ring of Kerry is, I’d advise overestimating the amount of time you’ll need to take your trip. That way, you can make unexpected stops and take your time on one of the planet’s prettiest drives. When you're driving the Ring, you might find that the fickle weather changes quickly and often from sun to rain and back again. While this unpredictable weather could mean you’ll get wet along your hikes or horseback rides, it has a silver lining- it creates prime conditions for rainbows. I saw some of the longest and brightest rainbows I’ve ever seen on my trip to Ireland. Standing beside the ivy-strewn ruins of a thousand-year-old castle beneath a rainbow, you’ll truly be in awe of the magic that dances across the rivers and mountains of County Kerry.

Homelessness Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homelessness - Case Study Example This was the only nice item of clothing she had and she was glad that her sister had outgrown it fast. Other wise she would be cold in her now threadbare pullover, the only other thing that she could say was really hers that she was given many Christmases back by some stranger who found her crying on the junction of Elm and Mel Street. Last week, that boy Curtis in her class had made fun of her look, again! He said it was jaded and unkempt. Well, he didn't know the half of it. At least she was able to shower today. She couldn't remember the last time she had a decent shower. She just used a wash cloth to wipe herself in the school bathroom so that she would at least not smell like the old torn upholstery that she always slept on. Her hair was clean today too. Normally, it was all oily and tangled. No wonder she had such few friends. Other girls at school were always clean, looking all prim and proper in their cute clothes compared to her. No wonder she couldn't get a boy to like her, she thought to herself quietly. Last night her mother was able to get them space at the Open shelter. She and her sister had been overjoyed. She got a hot bowl of soup and some steaming vegetables for supper and this morning, a mug of tea. But she thought the best part of all was that she got a bed all to herself that she did not have to share with either her mother or her sister. She had slept soundly for the first time in many weeks not worried about the cold or the mean looking strangers in the next carton house. She hadn't really eaten to her fill and she thought it hadn't been enough having had nothing to eat for two straight days. But it sure had tasted so good. She couldn't remember the last time she had anything hot, and clean, to eat. Most of the time she and her sister just rummaged through the bins outside restaurants. Two day old croissants weren't all that bad when washed down with some water. She then remembered that she might have to sleep in the carton house today and she frowned. Her mother might not be so lucky to get space in the Open shelter again today. It was by luck that she had managed to do so yesterday anyway. She would be sleeping hungry again today; there would be no hot bowl of soup like yesterday. Well, maybe not because something good just might happen. Like the Salvation Army would come by handing out packed food like they sometimes do. She thought about Curtis again and promised herself that one of these fine days she would punch him squarely on the jaw. She smiled at the thought of him just squirming. Soon, she started picking the small balls of lint from her frock, and for that moment she completely forgot about Curtis. Someday she would have all the nicest frocks and in different colors too. Pink was her favorite color. It was early morning and a lady going for her morning jog stopped by the bench to stretch for a bit. As she did so she took out one of those delicious looking power candy bars. As she watched the woman strip the cover off the bar, Sue could already feel the far off rumble in her stomach. The mug of tea she took in the

Personal portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal portfolio - Essay Example Moreover, research has it that job related stress have dire impacts on an employee’s social and psychological aspects of life (Dewe, P et al, 2010). For example, it may result to psychological breakdown in serious cases. Individuals have also reported to have broken social ties with family and friends as a result. It is therefore important to develop the ability to cope with work related stress and sustain pressure emanating from work. When working as an employee, I have to face several situations that are challenging and stressful. Such difficult situations are for example, having too much work to do within a very limited timeline, bulling by mean superiors and exaggerated expectations from employers just to mention but a few. However, I was required to stay steady and focused on work and deliver quality and reliable services despite the difficulties that I faced. This necessitated the need to be able to work under pressure. Employees experience pressure from different directions, and this certainly affects their productivity at work in a negative manner. It is therefore vital that they learn best how to articulate there work amidst the mounting pressure. The skill is a combination of other desirable skills and attributes of an individual that builds up to an adaptive personality. Such desirable skills are for example, patience, humility, resilience, confidence, humility et cetera. Being humble has certainly enabled me to take unpleasant comments, disapprovals and rebuke from my colleagues and superiors at work places. It also took me confidence in myself to overcome difficult and stressful situations, enabling me to deliver efficiently deliver my duties without having to succumb to the effects of pressure. Believing that things will eventually turn out positively, enabled me to withstand the adverse pressure that came with work. My

Media Studies Help Essay Example for Free

Media Studies Help Essay

Mythical American Dream Challenged in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesm

Mythical American Dream Challenged in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman      Ã‚   Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman challenges the American dream. Before the Depression, an optimistic America offered the alluring promise of success and riches. Willy Loman suffers from his disenchantment with the American dream, for it fails him and his son. In some ways, Willy and Biff seem trapped in a transitional period of American history. Willy, now sixty-three, carried out a large part of his career during the Depression and World War II. The promise of success that entranced him in the optimistic 1920's was broken by the harsh economic realities of the 1930's. The unprecedented prosperity of the 1950's remained far in the future. Willy Loman represents a uniquely American figure: the traveling salesman. Every week, he takes a journey to stake his bid for success. It would be difficult to miss the survival of the American frontier mentality in the figure of the traveling salesman. The idea of the American dream was heavily influenced by the rush for gold and land in the nineteenth-century American West. It is no coincidence that in the 1950's, the decade most preoccupied with the mythical American dream, America experienced an unprecedented love affair with Westerns. Willy and Linda try to build their own version of the American dream with their family. In high school, Biff was the all-American boy as the captain of the football team. True to the myth of the all-American boy, girls and admiring friends surrounded him. Willy and Linda's lives are full of monthly payments on possessions that symbolize that dream: a car, a home, and household appliances. The proliferation of monthly payments allowed families with modest incomes to h... ...une promised by the American dream. He cannot admit doubt or insecurity because a good salesman always remains confident, and the American dream promises success to the confident, eager individual. Death of a Salesman addresses Willy's struggle to maintain his identity in the face of narrowing hopes that he or his sons will ever fulfill his dreams. Works Cited Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   4th ed.   New York: Norton, 1994. Corrigan, Robert W., ed. Arthur Miller.   Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1969. Florio, Thomas A., ed. â€Å"Miller’s Tales.† The New Yorker.   70 (1994): 35-36. Miller, Arthur.   The Archbishop’s Ceiling/The American Clock. New York: Grove Press, 1989. ---.   Death of a Salesman.   New York: Viking, 1965. ---.   Eight Plays.   New York:   Nelson Doubleday, 1981.

Inter-Professional Working Essay

The intention of this essay is to explore inter professional working and the impact it has on the quality of health care delivered within a mental health setting. For this purpose I have reflected on a previous placement where I worked in an acute mental health treatment ward and on the formative assessment assigned to me within this module. Inter professional working in a health care setting involves different health care professionals working together in a collaborative fashion, this ensures the highest quality of care is delivered to service users (Day, J 2005). It is suggested that the collaborative nature of inter professional working will lead to information and knowledge being shared amongst professionals within a team, which will ultimately lead to improved judgement when providing care and creating a higher bench mark for quality care (DOH 2007). In the NHS, it is stated that quality is defined by doing the right thing in the right way at the right time in the right place with the right result (NHS 2012). Lord Darzi’s High Quality Care for all (2008) states that delivering quality healthcare includes providing patients and the public with effective safety, cleanliness, delivery of care as well as a good patient experience and the consideration of patient dignity and respect . To assure that quality care is being provided, quality is externally and internally measured and evaluated. Within a healthcare setting it is measured at three levels. The national level includes audits, staff surveys, patient surveys and mortality and morbidity rates. The strategic level includes clinical governance, benchmarking and meetings amongst high level staff. The clinical level includes protocols, care pathways, complaints made by patients and infection control (CQC 2011). Within the NHS another element in the provision of quality, is the implementation of national service frameworks. These are implemented to make sure clear quality requirements are set and that the most up to date evidence based practice is working effectively in a given setting (DOH 2011). Following exploration of the literature for interprofessional working, three key issues identified are communication, culture and knowledge of professional roles (Pollard, K et al 2005). In regards to communication with in the team, to be able to provide holism in regards to a patients care all professionals within the team must engage in clear and open communication (Ellis. R et al 2003). It is essential that all of the professionals’ views and perspectives are heard and taken into consideration when implementing care. Although there are clear advantages to open communication there are often barriers that inhibit this practice. Lack of knowledge or the stereotyping of other professions can lead to ideas, recommendations and perspectives of an individual not being heard or taken into consideration. This can ultimately affect the quality of care delivered to a service user (Barret,G et al 2005). In order to overcome such barriers, trust and respect of fellow professionals must be present. If the environment is lacking in trust and respect, it may result in professionals protecting their roles and justifying actions. This can then result in a closed working environment, where professionals do not learn from shared experiences and constructive criticism is not welcomed. Collectively this can impede on the holistic and collaborative nature required in the delivery of healthcare (Day, J 2005). In order to approach care holistically, each member of the interprofessional team must have awareness and knowledge of the different professional roles within the team. This is due to the fact that conducting a holistic assessment is beyond the scope of any individual professional. Lack of knowledge of the roles of other professions and the boundaries of an individual’s role can lead to specific areas of care not being delivered to its highest quality (Wilcock, M et al. 2009). Professional culture can affect the delivery of quality care as the norms and values of different professional groups maybe in contrast with one another. This can lead to a disagreement or conflict when discussing and planning the approach when devising a plan to deliver patient care. However these differences between professional s can have a positive effect on the formulation and direction of service delivery (Day, J 2005). Taking into account the different ideals and perspectives can lead to a comprehensive and thorough assessment of a service user needs thus optimizing the quality of care provided. Within professional cultures there is often the use of unique jargon. Amongst an interprofessional team this can lead to barriers to effective communication which could ultimately lead to a lesser quality of care delivered. In order to overcome this obstacle members within the interprofessional team need to be self-aware of the language they are using to avoid causing confusion amongst professionals (Ellis. R et al .2003). On consideration of my placement in an acute psychiatric ward, I reflected on the interactions amongst the members of the interprofessional team. The role of the acute psychiatric ward was to provide treatment to service users aged eighteen to fifty five with conditions ranging from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective, depression, mania, eating disorders and borderline personality disorders. Due to the wide range of disorders and the complex care that is often required to treat service users holistically there were often more than one professional within the interprofessional team that was involved in a service users care (NICE 2011). The professionals that were involved in this wards care whilst I was on placement were Nurses, Occupational therapists, Psychiatrists, Pharmacists, Social workers, Dietitians and Psychologists. Due to the differing nature of each of these professions, unique perspectives of the service user and their needs are assessed and an adequate and holistic care plan could be implemented. Key information was often passed on, an example I observed was in regards to eating plans from the Dietitan passed on to the nursing staff for eating disorder patients. From my perspective as a student mental health nurse whilst on the ward it became apparent that professional culture and ideologies of the professions often came in conflict with each other. I observed this when decisions needed to be made, there was often a professional that had to compromise their views. Interprofessional working at times also had a negative effect on the service users. In one instance a patient was on continuous observations by two staff due to recent multiple suicide attempts, it was agreed amongst nursing staff that the service user only had essential items and was not allowed anything that could be potentially harmful to herself. Although this was agreed amongst nursing staff the policy did not state any specifics that were not allowed, it did however state that it would be at the discretion of the professional at the time that is carrying out the continuous observation. This ultimately led to conflict when the occupational therapist allowed the service user to use paints, pencils, and paint brushes. On reflection this was not conducive to the recovery or mental state of the service user due to lack of consistency from staff that were looking after her. Barrett, G et al (2005) states that the power share amongst the interprofessional team is an important issue as an unequal power share amongst the team could lead to professions oppressed and unable to have a significant input. However it is also argued that without strong leadership and direction there is no true direction to the care being delivered and professionals within the team will rely on others to take charge (DOH 2007). On the acute ward as a student nurse I found that on the surface level there was an equal power share with all the professionals having equal input. However at times it became apparent that if a decision was made that certain professions did not like, the former hierarchy system came to fruition and the grievance was taken directly to the consultant and their decision would be final. On placement I believe that professional culture was a boundary to effective communication and collaboration amongst staff. Although all patient notes were stored on RIO which is readily available to any staff involved with patient care information was never discussed openly, formally or informally between professions unless something of significance happened. The driving factor for the interprofessional team to congregate was at that point to discuss blame instead of collaborative working. Professional identity also contributed to the quality and the effectiveness of the care given in the placement setting. The very nature of the training of each professional automatically assigns a skill set, codes of practice and standards from their governing body for example the NMC (2012) or HPC (2012). Thus meaning the very nature of this governing body can often conflict with collaborative nature of an interprofessional team. My personal suggestions for my acute mental health placement would be that there are clear guidelines and policies that need to be implemented in order for seamless clinical care to be delivered amongst the professionals. This could set clear boundaries to the remit of staff’s responsibilities. I would also suggest that time for interprofessional education be available for staff so there is a sound knowledge between the professions which can lead to a greater appreciation of the care that is delivered. On reflection of my formative group assessment it became apparent that the interpretation of the task at hand was different between each of the four members of the group, this could have been due to the fact that amongst the group there were different specialities of nurses. Once this was realised the group had to meet in order for each member to be fully aware of what was expected of them. Once there was clarity in the roles of each of the members a co-ordinator was appointed for the work to be collected and arranged appropriately for the presentation. It was agreed amongst the group the order of speakers and this translated seamlessly to the presentation. It became evident after the assessment had ended that if we had not of congregated beforehand the presentation would have not been as organised and coherent as it was (appendix). In conclusion it is clear that interprofessional working plays a vital part in the effectiveness and quality of care delivered to a service user. The literature has stated that in able for quality care to be delivered there must be willing and open participation form all members of the interprofessional team to work collaboratively. Although there are many barriers to effective interprofessional working, regulating bodies such as the NMC and organisations such as NICE have initiatives and guidelines for guidance in overcoming differences and conflicts. Clearly defined roles is an importance for professionals to be able to deliver high quality care, however he very nature of interprofessional working can sometimes hinder this as the views and perspectives of a situation between different professionals conflict with each other thus potentially leading to lack of clarity when delivering care (Wilcock, M et al. 2009). These factors were often present in my own experience in the above mentioned clinical setting. It became apparent that although there was an interprofessional approach to delivering quality healthcare, there was no clear structure to the composition of the team thus leading to conflict occurring more often than effective collaboration. Reference list: Barret, g et al . (2005). The process required for effective interprofessional working. In: Barret,g et al Interprofessional working in health and social care . Hampshire: Palgrave. P8-18. CQC (2010). Mental Health five year action plan. London Day, J (2005). Being Interprofessional . UK: Nelson thornes . P1-161. DOH (2007). Creating an Interprofessional workforce. UK: London. 1-72. DOH (2008) High quality care for all. NHS next stage review final report. London DOH (2011) The NHS Performance framework: implementation guidence. London Ellis. R et al . (2003). Improving communication . In: Ellis. R et al Interpersonal communication in nursing . 2nd ed. Hampshire: Elsevier. HPC. (2012). Your duties as registarnts . Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10001BFBSCPEs-cfw.pdf. Last accessed 9th Apr 2012 NHS. (2012). Quality. Available: http://www.clinicalgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/section2/definition.asp. Last accessed 7th Apr 2012. NHS. (2012). Quality. Available: http://www.clinicalgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/section2/definition.asp. Last accessed 7th Apr 2012. NMC. (2012). The Code. Available: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Nurses-and-midwives/The-code/. Last accessed 07th Apr 2012 Pollard, K et al . (2005). The need for interprofessional working. In: Barret,g et al Interprofessional working in health and social care . Hampshire: Palgrave. P5-7. Wilcock, M et al. (2009). Health care improvement and continuing interprofessional education . Journal of continuing education in the health professions . 29 (2), p84-90

Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier - 720 Words

During the years 1800 to 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte was preparing a large army. His goal was to spread the idea of the French Revolution and ultimately expanded Frances bountiful pride and glory. The way this was going to happen, according to Napoleon, was through expanding French territory. In order to do this he would need a large army, so that involved enlisting men by conscription. The army was filled with French men, as well as men from Germany and other surrounding areas. The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier looks first hand look at the life of an average soldier at the time, Jakob Walter. He was a nineteen year old german boy enlisted by conscription and assigned to regiment Romig, later known as Franquemont Regiment. In somewhat of†¦show more content†¦He did supply the men with clothing, but not the kind of clothing they needed for the Russian winter, because Napoleon was not expecting for the expansion to take as much time as it did. The men were not always lacking in food, clothes, and shelter, in some places they were treated well and given plenty of alcohol and food to keep them occupied. Some areas the men passed through they would exploit the common people to get ahold of the necessities they needed. From the beginning Walter was relentless in getting the things that he knew he would need. When he had to requisition food from a village he found a Jewish man, he had to chase after him and finally caught up to him in an attic of a house in which there were many women and children. In Walters own words he said, I took him, dragged him down the two flights of stairs, and had to hold him by the coat and kick him forward for two hours, threatening him if he should fail to lead me the right village (pg. 6). This was just one example of how poorly the common people were treated and this continued throughout every campaign, but was soon returned to them when they entered into Russia. The soldiers were faced with attacks from the Cossacks in Russia andShow MoreRelated Napoleons Russian Campaign Essay2887 Words   |  12 PagesSmolensk, Barclay’s army was anxiously guarding the city’s right side. Napoleon though swung around to the Russians left side, crossed the Dnieper River and attacked the city from the south. A courageous rearguard action by a group of 9,500 Russian soldiers under General Neverovsky gained enough time for the First and Second Western Armies to unite in the city and hear Barclay’s command. Bargation and most of the generals were determined to make a stand but Barclay disagreed with them. He recognized