Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [264]
The Ballybunion Bachelor Festival takes place in June. The event sees 15 tuxedo-clad bachelors from across Ireland vying to impress the judges, while the town enjoys a long weekend of street entertainment and celebrations.
One bus (two in summer) runs from Listowel to Ballybunion Monday to Saturday (€3.50, 25 minutes).
Carrigafoyle Castle
A lonely location on the Shannon Estuary adds to the romantic drama of this late-medieval castle ( 068-43304; 9am-6pm May-Sep). Its name comes from Carragain Phoill (Rock of the Hole); it’s built in a channel between the mainland and Carrig Island. Built by the O’Connors, who ruled most of northern Kerry, the castle was besieged by the English in 1580, retaken by O’Connor, and finally destroyed by Cromwell’s forces in 1649. You can climb the spiral staircase to the top for a good view of the estuary.
The castle is 2km west of the village of Ballylongford (Bea Atha Longphuirb).
Tarbert
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Tarbert is 16km north of Listowel on the N69. Shannon Ferry Limited ( 068-905 3124; www.shannonferries.com; one way/return bicycle & foot passengers €5/7, motorcycles €9/14, cars €18/28; 9am-9pm Jun-Aug, to 7pm Sep-May) runs a half-hourly ferry between Tarbert and Killimer in County Clare, a salvation if you want to avoid congested Limerick city. The ferry dock is 2.2km west of Tarbert and clearly signposted. If you must go through Limerick from here, the N69 is pretty (see the boxed text, Click here) and Foyne is a diverting town.
If you have some time before you catch your ferry, you should visit the renovated Tarbert Bridewell Jail & Courthouse ( 068-36500; adult/child €6/3; 10am-5pm Apr-Oct), which has exhibits (including stoic mannequins) on the rough social and political conditions of the 19th century. From the jail, the 3.8km John F Leslie Woodland Walk runs along Tarbert Bay towards the mouth of the Shannon.
There are buses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Friday night to Tralee (one hour) and Sunday afternoon to Limerick (1¼ hours).
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DINGLE PENINSULA
The northernmost promontory in Kerry and Cork’s proud collection, the Dingle Peninsula is first among stiff competition. Its ever-varied and multihued landscape is one of green hills and golden sands, and culminates in Europe’s westernmost point, gazing across the sound at the ghost town on Great Blasket Island. Mt Brandon, the Connor Pass and other high areas add drama, but it’s where the land meets the ocean – either in conflict at whitewater-pounded rocks or in little coves where it just dissolves away – that Dingle’s beauty is unforgettable.
Centred on charming Dingle town, the peninsula has a high concentration of ring forts and other ancient ruins. Activities on offer range from diving to playing the bodhrán. There’s an alternative way of life here, lived by the artisans and idiosyncratic characters and found at trad sessions and folkloric festivals across Dingle’s tiny settlements.
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DINGLE WAY
This 168km walk in County Kerry loops round one of the most beautiful peninsulas in the country (see above). It takes eight days to complete, beginning and ending in Tralee, with an average daily distance of 21km. The first three days offer the easiest walk but the first day, from Tralee to Camp, is the least interesting; it could be skipped by taking the bus to Camp and starting from there. Ordnance Survey Discovery Series map 70 covers the peninsula. Go Ireland (www.govisitireland.com) offers a seven-day self-guided walk from €640.
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The classic loop drive around the peninsula from Dingle town is 50km. Base yourself in Dingle for two nights (at least) and take a day to do the drive.
Tours
A number of Killarney companies run daily day trips by bus around the Dingle Peninsula (Click here). Alternatively, Dingle-based companies operate guided minibus tours of the peninsula daily from May to September.
O’Connor’s Slea Head Tours ( 087 248 0008; tour €20; 11am & 2pm daily) Departs from Dingle pier.
Sciúird ( 066-915 1606; tour €20; 10.30am