Places to Visit

While in the Dingle area be sure to visit the Dingle Music School. It specialises in the easy and accessible learning of traditional Irish music. In particular, it specialises in the two most accessible Irish instruments i.e. the tin whistle and the bodhrán (that’s bough-ron to you, the round Irish drum played with the stick!). During the season the popular beginner workshops for the bodhrán, with all bodhráns supplied, take place on Saturdays 11am – 1pm or try the short session on Wednesdays from 12 to 1pm. Tin whistle workshops take place every Monday half day 11am – 1pm or full day 11am – 4pm with an hour for lunch. Also individual lessons and small groups catered for at all times by appointment.

The Bog Village is situated half way between Killorglin and Glenbeigh on the main Ring of Kerry route. It is a must for you to stop off and enjoy a step back in time to the early 18th century to recapture the way life would have been at that time. Peat,or turf as it is usually called in Ireland, is harvested from bogs and is still used as domestic fuel. The village is here to preserve the past for your enjoyment. This is a most worthwhile and historic visit to see the real Kerry life as it was, in the heart of Kerry's bogland. The Bog Village is adjacent to the Red Fox Inn Bar and Restaurant, which is open seven days a week.

Come visit the only glassworks of its kind in Ireland, see the glassblower mould and blow each individual piece of glass using traditional tools. Dating back thousands of years, all the glass is made using 100% recycled glass. Children are amazed to feel the heat and to get so close to the hot glass. A warm welcome awaits you at Kerry Glass. Shop on site.

Muckross House is a magnificent Victorian mansion and one of Ireland’s leading stately homes. It is beautifully situated amidst the spectacular scenery of Killarney National Park, Ireland’s premier National Park. The elegantly furnished rooms portray the lifestyles of the landed gentry, while downstairs in the basement one can experience the working conditions of the servants employed in the House. Muckross House is also home to a number of skilled craftworkers who can be seen using skills in the crafts of weaving, pottery and bookbindiing.

Kerry County Museum explores the archaeology and history of the county, with each object on display telling its own story, whether it is a beautiful sunflower pin worn by the fashion-conscious in the Bronze Age or duelling pistols used by the Liberator, Daniel O’Connell, in the early 19th century. Stroll through the streets of Tralee in 1450 AD in the Medieval Experience and experience the sights, sounds and smells of a bustling medieval community. The award-winning Antarctica Exhibition tells the story of the heroic Annascaul man Tom Crean, one of the many colourful characters brought to life at Kerry County Museum.

It is hard to believe that, until recently, this cottage had been home to a number of visitors to the area. Some came here seeking a return to a simpler lifestyle, others such as photographers and writers seeking inspiration from this house and its surroundings. Now it lies empty, keeper of the untold secrets of its past, and a testament to the skill of the men who built it.
On a beautiful summers day, when the sun shines, one can feel the heartbreak the Kavanagh family must have felt when leaving this idyllic spot, heading for the Emigration Ships.