Page 172 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

170  IRELAND REGION B Y REGION

the Beara Peninsula and the used to agree marriage terms
Ring of Kerry (see pp168–9). until a generation ago.
Set in a riverside glade off West of Castletownbere
Market Street is the Druid’s stands the shell of Puxley
Circle, a prehistoric ring of Mansion, home of the Puxley
15 stones associated with family who owned the mines
human sacrifice. at nearby Allihies. Centre of the
copper-mining district until the
1930s, it is an interesting place,
e Beara Peninsula with tall Cornish-style chimneys
and piles of ochre-coloured
Road map A6. Co Cork & Co Kerry. @
to Glengarriff (daily) & Castletownbere spoil and is home to the Allihies
(Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun). n Kenmare Copper Mine Museum.
(064 664 1233). From the tip of the peninsula
a cable car travels across to
Dotted with sparsely populated Dursey Island, with its ruined
fishing villages surrounded by castle and colonies of sea birds.
Colourful buildings in Kenmare bleak moor land, this peninsula Licensed to carry six passengers
is remote. It used to be a refuge or one large animal at a time,
w Kenmare for smugglers, with the Irish the cable car offers views of
exchanging pilchards for Bull, Cow and Calf islands.
Road map B5. Co Kerry. * 1,700. @
n May–Sep: The Square (064 664 contraband French brandy. From the headland the R757
1233). ( Wed. ∑ discoverireland.ie The peninsula offers some road back to Kenmare passes
spectacular scenery and won- through the pretty villages of
Cromwell’s surveyor general, der ful walking country. From Eyeries, noted for its brightly
Sir William Petty, founded this the Healy Pass, which cuts a painted cottages and crafts, and
town on the mouth of the jagged path across the spine of Ardgroom, a base for exploring
River Sheen in 1670. However, the Caha Mountains, there are the scenic glacial valley around
Kenmare’s appearance owes some fine views of Bantry Bay Glenbeg Lough.
more to his descendant, the first and the rugged landscape of
Marquess of Lansdowne who, in West Cork. To the west of the E Allihies Copper Mine Museum
1775, made it a model landlord’s pass is Hungry Hill, the high est Allihies. Tel 027 73218. Open 10am–
town of neat stone façades with mountain in the Caha range 5:30pm daily. & 8 7 -
decorative plasterwork. and popular with hill walkers. ∑ acmm.ie
Today Kenmare is renowned Encircled by the Caha and
for its traditional lace. During Slieve Miskish Mountains is
the famine years, local nuns Castletownbere, the main town r Garnish Island
in troduced lace-making to on the peninsula. This sheltered Road map B6. Co Cork. g from Glen-
create work for the women and port was once a haven for garriff (027 63116). Gardens Tel 027
girls. Other attractions include smug glers, but is now awash 63040. Open Apr–Oct: daily. & -
the fine hotels (see p298–9) with for eign fishing trawlers. 7 limited. ∑ garnishisland.com
and gourmet restaurants (see McCarthy’s Bar on Town Square
p315). The town is also an features an authentic match- Also known as Ilnacullin, this
excellent base for exploring making booth, where families small island was turned into an

Caha Mountains as seen from the Healy Pass, Beara Peninsula
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp298–9 and pp313–16

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