By popular consent, Ireland is a romantic place, extravagantly emotional, rich in music and poetry, obsessed by folklore and divided by bitter history. The nation’s dramatic mindset is reflected in its geography, arguably at its most potent in Co Kerry, where the Atlantic crashes on to a jagged coastline with unrelenting force. Place names such as Valencia Island recall the Spanish Armada, which left ships on the rocks and sailors in the taverns, a genetic heritage that persists today.
It is not perhaps the most obvious of places to visit, but its beautiful beaches and scenery can provide a refreshing change for a family break.
Kerry stretches from the mouth of the Shannon in the north to the Beara Peninsula in the south. In between are the Dingle Peninsula, named for its fishing port — the most westerly town in Ireland — and the Iveragh Peninsula, famous for the Ring of Kerry tourist trail.
The main town, Killarney, which grew up at the dawn of Irish tourism from 1750 onwards, has a magnificent lakeside setting and a picture postcard ambience. Jaunting car drivers compete to transport visitors to the Gap of Dunloe, a gateway to Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, a mountain range that includes Carrantuohill, Ireland’s highest peak at 1,041m (3,415ft).
Killarney’s cultural attractions are headed by St Mary’s Cathedral, built in the English style circa 1840, and the 11,000 acre Muckross Estate, three miles to the south. The graceful ruins of the 15th-century Franciscan Friary contrast strongly with Muckross House, a Tudor-style mansion built in 1843. The main rooms are so magnificently Victorian that the monarch herself stayed in them in 1861. Nowadays all but the most opulent are devoted to a museum of Kerry folklore. The gardens are outstanding.
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However, most Kerry visitors are there for the scenery. The celebrated Ring is 112 miles long and navigating its narrow, twisting roads takes at least three hours. In the summer, the tour buses go anti-clockwise, starting at Killorglin and finishing at Kenmare, so there is a case for going the other way round. Or for going in another season, any other season.
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, south-west Ireland has a mild climate, but the weather on any given day is a matter of luck. Wet weather gear is essential at all times, but you can as easily have a warm, sunny week in March or October as in July.
Kenmare is a pretty riverside town with two classy spa-led hotels as well as 22 pubs. Head west on the N70 towards Kerry’s calmer bathing beaches, the coves and islets at Parknasilla, fringed with woods and flowers and favoured by basking seals, and White Strand beyond Castlecove.
When the land runs out, Derrynane House, home to national hero Daniel O’Connell, looms up on a site overlooking a glorious strand in the heart of a huge coastal national park. The “Great Liberator”, who won Catholic emancipation in 1829, lived simply in a low-ceilinged house, now a museum containing his desk, rosary and duelling pistol.
The Skellig Islands, at the mouth of Ballinskelligs Bay, make an unforgettable day trip. First stop is the Skellig Experience Centre on Valencia Island, across the bridge from Portmagee, for insights into monastic and bird life on the islands. The centre runs boats out to Little Skellig and Skellig Michael from March to October or you can hire your own from Derrynane, Waterville or Portmagee.
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The Ring continues to Rossbeigh and Glenbeigh, again with wonderful beaches. It finishes in Killorglin, at its most lively during Puck Fair, held in August and marked by a caged wild goat representing the unbridled merriment to follow.
Need to know: Co. Kerry
Currency Euro (1.12 to £1)
Population 126,785
Area Covering 4,746 sq km, Co Kerry, in the south west, is the fifth largest of Ireland’s 32 counties.
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Top attractions The Ring of Kerry, a spectacular 112-mile scenic drive. Very busy in summer.
Killarney National Park Hire a jaunting car, a form of sprung cart, and see the sights
The Skellig Islands Accessible by boat 10km off the tip of the Iveragh Peninsula, they feature a 6th-century monastic settlement and the second largest gannet colony in the world
Dingle The most westerly town in Europe is built around an attractive harbour ringed with brightly coloured houses and filled with small fishing boats, guaranteeing a fresh catch in the many waterfront restaurants. Drive on to the mesmeric Strand of Inch, Slea Head and the Blasket Islands. The clown fish and turtles in the local Oceanworld Aquarium will keep the children happy
Short breaks Fine weather can never be guaranteed but at most times of the year you can stroll along the beaches. There are plenty of family activities for rainy days as well as the sunny ones.
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Offer Seven nights, 3*+ B&B, from £198pp. Phone 0844 879 8036