Places & Travel
Four roads out of Kenmare
Four directions, four different days, and one town to come home to.
Co. Kerry · Ireland
There is something lovely about staying long enough in an Irish town to find your bearings. You have a place for coffee. A shop window you keep returning to. A dinner reservation you’re looking forward to, and a sense of which way to turn when you walk out the door.
Kenmare rewards that kind of stay.
Set between the Iveragh and Beara peninsulas, it offers a particularly appealing way to explore southwest Ireland: settle in, leave the suitcase where it is, and choose a road.
For this journey, there are four. One follows the bay toward Sneem. One climbs toward the lakes of Killarney. Another takes you along Beara, while the fourth crosses the mountains into West Cork. Each gives the day a different character. All begin with Kenmare.
Aerial view, Kenmare, Co. Kerry Courtesy of Fáilte Ireland
Road 01 · West · Follow the bay
Toward Sneem
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Take the N70 toward Sneem and the day begins along the northern side of Kenmare Bay. This is part of the Ring of Kerry, but you needn’t commit to the entire circuit to enjoy it. Sneem can be your destination, with time to wander before turning back.
Give this road a day when you feel like stopping. Let the water catch your attention. Pull over where it’s safe, take the photograph, and leave room for a lunch that lasts longer than expected.
There is a particular pleasure in returning along the same coast: the view changes direction, the light moves, and something you missed on the way out becomes the thing you remember.
Sneem Villlage, Co. Kerry Courtesy of Gareth Wray for Tourism Ireland
Road 02 · North · Into the mountains
Toward Killarney
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Follow the N71 toward Moll’s Gap and the landscape opens into mountain country. Continue toward Killarney and the route brings you to Ladies View and the lakes below.
This is a day for looking up and looking out. Rock, water, cloud, and the changing distance between them give the journey its rhythm.
You could continue into Killarney, or make the landscape itself the focus and turn back sooner. Either way, allow space between stops. A beautiful drive loses something when every pause feels like falling behind.
Let the pauses become part of the journey.
Ladies View, Killarney National Park Co. Kerry Courtesy of Gareth McCormack/garethmccormack
Road 03 · Southwest · A day to wander
Onto Beara
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The R571 leads from Kenmare toward Lauragh and out onto the Beara Peninsula. Farther along, places such as Ardgroom and Eyeries offer possibilities for a longer day of exploring.
Choose how far you want to go before setting off, then give yourself permission to do less. A village walk, a stretch of shoreline, and one good stop can be enough.
For a mountain detour, the Healy Pass runs between Lauragh and Adrigole. Its winding road deserves time and attention; make it a deliberate part of the day rather than something squeezed in at the end.
Beara invites a little looseness in the itinerary. Leave room for whatever makes you want to stay awhile.
Road 03 · Southwest · A day to wander
Onto Beara
✦
The R571 leads from Kenmare toward Lauragh and out onto the Beara Peninsula. Farther along, places such as Ardgroom and Eyeries offer possibilities for a longer day of exploring.
Choose how far you want to go before setting off, then give yourself permission to do less. A village walk, a stretch of shoreline, and one good stop can be enough.
For a mountain detour, the Healy Pass runs between Lauragh and Adrigole. Its winding road deserves time and attention; make it a deliberate part of the day rather than something squeezed in at the end.
Beara invites a little looseness in the itinerary. Leave room for whatever makes you want to stay awhile.
Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork Tourism Ireland by Joshua Hannah