Travel Tales: Down Beara Way

Well, as July’s most enthusiastic staff member – the competition was tough I promise – it falls to me to me to tell you about my recent trip to the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Kerry that is, as the county is known in Ireland. Every county in Ireland has a second name, or nickname if you will, usually associated with some event in the county’s history. The origins of Kerry’s nickname may have become vague, but no one questions its aptness.

I was there a few weeks ago for a charity walk called the Kerry Challenge (http://www.kerrychallenge.org/). The idea is to complete a 75km walk in three days. Each day is based on a different peninsula. Thankfully, Kerry has only three, so there was 25k on the Beara, 25k on the Dingle and finally, 25k on the Iveragh Peninsula, home to the famous Ring of Kerry. It had been a year since my last visit to Kerry. Every time go there I expect to be jaded. Yeah, sure I’ve seen the Gap of Dunloe, the Lakes, Torc Falls. What else can you show me?

But every time I go I see something new, some place more beautiful than I’ve ever seen before. And once again I wasn’t disappointed. The big surprise this time was the Beara Peninsula, the most sparsely populated part of Ireland and dare I say it, the most unspoilt and beautiful. This was my first time to Beara, but it won’t be my last. Stretching westward from Kenmare the rolling hills fast become large hills, and by the time you reach the western-most part you are dwarfed by soaring mountains that swoop and dive into the sea. Kenmare Bay is on the north, Bantry Bay on the south and the vast Atlantic stretches to the west as far as America. The views from the top of Hungry Hill, the peninsula’s highest point, are an absolute knock-out. But best of all, there is barely a bungalow, barn or farmhouse to be seen. The few farmers we encountered on our walk eyed us with a combination of disbelief and bemusement. Our hiking boots, shorts and North Face gear was an obvious source of amusement.

The 25k hike ended fortuitously at O’Sullivan’s Pub at Killmacillogue Harbour, near Lauragh on the Beara Peninsula. The proprietor, a weathered 65ish woman was beaming from behind the bar. The pub was full of our fellow charity hikers. Many more were sitting outside stretching their aching limbs in the sun.

“Busy day for you” I remarked to the landlady as I ordered pints of Guinness for my team mates.
“We’re delighted” she said, beaming even brighter.
“You didn’t know we were coming?” I asked. All 240 of us. She looked at me blankly, then smiled. “We’re delighted” she said again as she handed me my change. Well, so as I.

If you’re in the area check out the Beara Peninsula. It’s the least known and travelled of Kerry’s beauty spots. It is often hard to escape from the tourist trail in Kerry, especially during the summer. Go to Beara, you will make your own trail.

IRELAND TRAVEL TIPS
Since this is our first issue and this is our first tip, we have decided to cover the always controversial issue of Tipping. Should you tip, and if so, where, when and how much should you give? The short, happy rule in Ireland is that you never tip. But, like all rules there is one exception. Twenty years ago, nobody in Ireland tipped for anything. And with good reason. Food in restaurants was passable at best, service was slow and you often got the impression your waiter or waitress thought they were doing you a favor. For the most part this has changed greatly. There are now many fantastic restaurants throughout the country and restaurateurs have realized the importance of quality, friendly service. For this reason the locals have become a lot more inclined to tip when food and/or service is good. It is now the norm to tip approximately 10% in restaurants, unless the food or service is poor. The same does not apply if eating in pubs, though many people will leave a small tip for a particularly friendly waiter or waitress. Do not tip any of the following (though they will gladly take it if offered): bar men, taxi drivers, hotel door men, people you ask for directions, old men in pubs offering advice on everything from the weather to the stock market.

HUNGRY IN DUBLIN
L'Gueuleton, 1 Fade Street (off South Great George’s Street), Dublin 2.
Tel: 01 675 3708.
This relatively new bistro-style French restaurant has become very popular in a short period of time. It is not hard to see why. They serve delicious French country cooking at quite reasonable prices. It is always busy and the sound of chatter from surrounding tables creates a very sociable atmosphere. They do not accept reservations, so if you are planning to eat here at the weekend it is a good idea to drop in 30 to 40 minutes before to put you name on the list, then retire next door to Hogans, or across the street to The Long Haul for a pre-dinner drink. If you have a mobile phone, they will call you to let you know when your table is ready.
Expect to pay: 50 euro per person for three courses and wine.

THIRSTY IN ENNIS
Fawl’s Pub, top of O’Connell Street, opposite the Cathedral.
OK, this gem of a pub will not be for everyone. The outside may be old and kind of run down but the inside is cozy and friendly. Do not be deterred. The Guinness is sublime and the locals friendly. But they will not be expecting you. Sit up to the bar, order a drink, keep your counsel. Before you know it, the locals will be chatting you up. Quiet during the week, busy at weekends. Trad sessions on Saturdays.
Expect to pay: one of the cheapest pints in Ennis.

REFERRAL PROGRAM
We realize many people reading this may have already booked a vacation to Ireland this year and so are unlikely to be able to avail of these specials. We have developed our referral program specifically with you in mind. If you refer a friend to Authentic Ireland and they book a tour with us, you will be entitled to your choice of:

▪ $30 amazon.com voucher, or
▪ $50 per person off your next vacation booked through Authentic Ireland.

Refer a Friend:
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NEXT ISSUE
▪ Our man in Milltown checks out Ireland’s best known traditional music festival, the Willie Clancy Week in Milltown Malbay, County Clare.
▪ We tackle that most vexing of problems when visiting Ireland: the Weather. What to expect, how to prepare and what to do when Irish weather happens to you!
▪ Have you ever been to Ireland for Paddy’s Day? We’re working on three special packages that will turn your hair green!

We welcome your feedback and opinions. Please send any comments or suggestions to newsletter@authenticireland.com. If there is any topic you would like us to cover, or you have a specific question about Ireland, just let us know and we will try to cover it in a future issue.

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Well that’s it for this our first issue. We hope you enjoyed it. Any comments, questions or suggestions to: newsletter@authenticireland.com

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All the best & happy travels,

The Newsletter Team
Authentic Ireland Travel
http://www.authenticireland.com/
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