Contae Chiarraí! (County Kerry!)

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit County Kerry with IES. It is hands down the most beautiful part of Ireland I have ever seen. We started in Killarney and took jaunting carts, horse and buggies, through some gorgeous mountains and through the Gap of Dunloe. Despite the bouncy ride, I managed to get some amazing photographs! We were blessed with sunshine for both days of our trip, and it wasn’t very cold either. After the horse and buggy ride, we stopped for lunch and then took a boat ride through a few connecting lakes. All around us were mountains and trees and blue skies. The boat ride took us to Muckross House that had some beautiful grounds to walk around. Then, we visited Torc Waterfall that my parents got to see when they visited Killarney last month. Everything surrounding the waterfall was green, and it was absolutely beautiful!

Our next stop was Dingle where we would be staying for the next two nights. The town center was so small and adorable, with so many shops, art galleries, and cafes. On Saturday, we got to visit a beach where a part of the classic Irish movie “Ryan’s Daughter” was filmed. I had never been so bundled up on the beach—thick sweater, hat, and scarf—but it was well worth it because the sun was out and the view was incredible! I loved being on the coast and seeing the cliffs. We also stopped to see some beehive huts, where monks would live to store valuables, and we made pottery as well! I can’t wait to see how my vase turns out; it’ll be shipped home in the next few weeks. Also, we could not get enough of the sheep! There were lambs everywhere you turned, and they were so cute!

The Blasket Islands were our last stop of the day. We didn’t get to visit the islands due to the unpredictability of the weather and sea, but thanks to the sun we got some great pictures from a giant cliff we roamed around on. The houses on the islands are the most Western houses of Europe, and it’s the closest to home any of us have been in the last few months. I took a lovely nap in the sun on the cliff and soaked up the beauty of Ireland. I will forever have those images imprinted on my mind.

It’s sad to think that I’ll be leaving here in 12 short days. There’s so much more I wish I could do and see, but I am so happy I’ve had the experiences that I’ve had. These next couple of days are going to be busy ones because I am wrapping up final papers and assignments, but I am visiting the west again this weekend! My friend and I are going back to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher, and we’ll also see the Aran Islands, Cong, and Connemara! It’s a beautiful national park, and I can’t wait! I am going to make these last days memorable; I can’t believe I have to leave soon. I can’t wait to share stories about this coming weekend with you!