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 Beara, Sheep’s Head and Uíbh Ráthach (Iveragh, Kerry) Peninsulas The Bays of Kenmare and Bantry are known to geographers as drowned valleys, drawing the warm Atlantic Gulf Stream waters deep into the south west of Ireland. Around the peninsulas of Uíbh Ráthach (Iveragh), Beara and the Sheep’s Head, long spiny ridges of rugged mountains form the backbones of these wild places — named for powerful land goddesses. The natural history is matched only by the incredible stories of human habitation here. Our tour traces a magnificent journey through place and time, delving into the awesome presence of these land and seascapes, rich in spirituality, folklore, myth, history, archaeology, politics, culture and more. The Ring of Kerry & Uíbh Ráthach Peninsula (Suitable to bases in Bantry, Killarney, Sneem, Kenmare or Dingle) The drive simply known as “The Ring” is Ireland’s most famous. It circles the largest of the five peninsulas of the south west, taking in the Atlantic coastlines and bays of Dingle and Kenmare, along with the lush valleys of Killarney and the McGillycuddy Reeks. Our tour is designed to delve deeper into this place by examining the region’s most remote corners. Touching on the thousands of years of history etched on the landscapes here, spend a day intermingling with the powerful cannons of folklore and myth in this area. Corca Dhuibhne / Dingle Peninsula (Suitable to bases in Dingle, Killarney and Tralee) In Gaelic, this place is fittingly named for the powerful land goddess of our pagan ancestors, Dovinia (Duibhne). The fame of the beauty of this hallowed place is relatively recent, and owes much to movies such as Ryan’s Daughter, and to the words of the National Geographic Traveller that exclaimed, “The Dingle Peninsula is probably the most beautiful place on Earth!” The patchwork landscape here of deep emerald fields softly falling into the Atlantic hold within their folds the world’s largest concentration of archaeological sites. Stone forts, early Christian beehive huts, monastic settlements, stone roofed oratories and rows perfectly aligned to interplay with the sun are but a few examples. Join us as we trace the turbulent and fascinating human story here. From the first Stone Age settlement of huntergatherers in Ireland at Ferriter’s Cove through to the chaos of the 19th century famine, to the present, sprinkled with rich archaeological and historical evidence and topped with Druidic lore. There will be time to visit the colourful fishing village of Dingle with its many galleries and shops. |
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