The Beara, which reaches 30 miles into the Atlantic, won’t disappoint anyone looking for quintessential Ireland. It abounds with castle ruins, rolling green meadows dotted with white puffs of sheep, friendly locals, rugged mountains, and windswept coastlines. But it also captivates by delivering the unexpected: palm trees and tropical gardens, seclud ed coves with Caribbean blue waters, and brightly painted villages seemingly plucked from the Mediterranean.
We based ourselves in the village of Kenmare on the northeast corner of the Ring of Beara, an 85-mile scenic drive that traces the peninsula’s outline. The Gaelic name for Kenmare translates to “little nest,’’ and the town is indeed a cozy roost from which to explore both the peninsula and the Ring of Kerry, which also runs through town.
Despite its small-town vibe, Kenmare has enough going on to satisfy the most cosmopolitan of tastes. Rows of bookstores, craft shops, and woolen markets are perfect for a casual stroll, and Kenmare is quickly gaining a reputation as a foodie haven. At night, traditional Irish music lures all within earshot into the town’s dozen pubs.
History buffs should visit the Kenmare Heritage Centre, which recounts its evolution from ancient times (the largest prehistoric stone circle in southwest Ireland is here) to the present day. The center displays samples of Kenmare’s world-renowned Irish lace, which was highly prized by Victorian society, and tells of the devastating wrath of the Great Famine, which reduced the town’s population by nearly 30 percent through death and emigration.
At the famine’s height, the dawn of each day brought with it the grim sight of another four or five bodies on Kenmare’s streets. Many of the town’s 5,000 victims were buried in a mass grave inside the town cemetery. The picturesque location of the plot, marked by a simple white monument topped by a Celtic cross, on a hillside overlooking Kenmare Bay, stands in stark contrast to the horror it commemorates.
