Ring of Kerry

The Iveragh Peninsula has been settled for thousands of years, and its landscape is dotted with stone forts, standing stones and early Christian sites. Off its western tip lies Skellig Michael, whose island monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Caherdaniel is home to Derrynane House, the ancestral home of Daniel O'Connell, the nineteenth-century campaigner for Catholic rights, and one of the best-loved stops on the route. Further east, Staigue stone fort is a well-preserved prehistoric ring fort, and near Cahersiveen, the ivy-covered ruins of Ballycarbery Castle stand above the shore. Today the route is one of the best-known sections of the Wild Atlantic Way.

Much of the Iveragh Peninsula is farming country, with sheep grazing on the hills and small family farms along the valleys, while fishing harbours such as Portmagee still shape coastal life. Irish place names are everywhere, starting with the route's own Irish name, Morchuaird Chiarrai. Towns along the Ring host summer festivals, markets and traditional music sessions, and local guides, boat operators and farm families are often the people who introduce visitors to the area.