By Jonathan Evans
Special to PRIME
Editor’s Note: Jonathan Evans, of the Herbarium, and his wife Kathy, are frequent visitors to Ireland. He graciously consented to pen a travel piece for PRIME following their last visit.
Ah, Ireland, the mystical magical isle. So much has been written about Ireland, and many people have taken the tours of the most famous sites in that beautiful country. I hope to convince you to take a leap and rent a car and experience the hidden beauty that is Ireland.
My wife and I travel to County Kerry in the southwest where many in the Springfield area have their roots. The Dingle peninsula offers some of the most scenic and breathtaking views, and the entire trip can be as long or short as you wish.
Using Killarney or Tralee as your base you will travel along the southern edge of the peninsula with Dingle Bay on your right. This is N86 a far as Inch strand. This stretch of road offers breathtaking vistas at every turn as you pass Inch strand, a miles long beach that is at the head of Castlemaine harbor. Once you pass Inch take advantage of every pull-off on R561. Every turn is a grand view of the bay and the cliffs.
As the road heads for the interior, you must stop again at every pull off, and look back. The hills and valleys offer spectacular contrasts of the Slieve Mish Mountains, which make up Dingle peninsula, and the valleys and farmlands that dominate the area. Following the Wild Atlantic Way beyond Dingle town brings you to the westernmost tip of Ireland, and the Great Blasket Islands. From Dunquin you can see “the Sleeping Giant, one of the Blaskets where so many in this area called home, but sadly the islands are now uninhabited. The scenery here might jog memories of the film “Ryan’s Daughter,” which was filmed in this area. Any little shop you might stop in will have a great assortment of pictures and other memorabilia associated with the movie. The road rolls past many old farmhouses and out buildings, which are still in use and offer a dramatic backdrop and location for painters and photographers.
One of the real treasures of Dingle is the lush vegetation that seems to spring up everywhere. Fuchsias of every color and size line the roads for miles, and the floral displays offered by the local homeowners makes this stretch of road an absolute joy for the gardener in your soul.
A real challenge for American drivers will be the rather common traffic jams that you can encounter on any back road in Ireland. The cows do have the right of way, and you can usually expect to see them heading for the fields in the morning around 8 a.m., and then about 5 p.m., heading back to the barn, ready for milking. It does make for an interesting experience, sitting in your vehicle as 50 or 60 cows pass by, poke their heads in the car or just lick your windows. Sheep are a bit easier to deal with, as they will follow the leader, well, like sheep.
Finally, have patience when travelling the back roads and enjoy the trip. Some roads can be rather narrow, and two way traffic can be a really memorable time, but the Irish are used to “Yanks”, and still practice courtesy of the road, so do not worry when you find yourself in a tight spot on the road.
Jonathan Evans Is the herbal information specialist and business representative for the Herbarium, 264 Exchange St., Chicopee, Mass.
