It’s defined my 35 years of travelling and writing about it, going around in circles, but I will always sing of the Ring of Kerry.
The kingdom of Kerry and an overnight sleeper to Edinburgh from the south of England were my first travel assignments.
Of course nothing stays the same although my fellow travellers then would see I’ve aged very little.
The Swansea-Cork Ferry whose inaugural voyage we were invited on has long been discontinued… and more of that later.
While the rural Cromlix House in Perthshire is now the property of one Andy Murray.
A toddler with a mini-racquet back then.
The Ring of Kerry honed into view this week for me as it will for you.
If God is good and isn’t covering it in mist when you visit.
‘Avin’ AVOCA
The announcement that high-end retailers and old favourites of ours, AVOCA, are resetting up shop on the Molls Gap will see the cash registers ringing.
With the sound of American Euro clinking in tills on every available piece of Irish merch they can lay their hands on.
Set high on a rocky ridge, the store overlooks mountains and lush countryside with Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrauntoohill, to one side, and the Gap of Dunloe to the other.
There is a food market on the ground floor with those artisanal, Irish ingredients.
The freshly baked breads and scones, homemade jams and chutneys, sauces, spices and lots more.
There is a curated selection of Irish cheeses and fine wines, hand-prepared meals and a mouth-watering range of sweet treats and tray bakes.
You’ll also find a hand-picked range of fashion, homeware, books and more.
And brand soaps, mugs, scarves and throws, woven in Ireland’s oldest weaving Mill in Avoca, Co. Wicklow.
And yes, it’s where Colin Farrell made his name in the town that was transformed into TV’s Ballykissangel.
Bally good
Now we come in here too from our 13 years in Greystones, just down the road.
And Herself was on first-name terms with management at Powerscourt where you can also stay in plush surroundings.
AVOCA has 13 stores and is famed for their award-winning cafes, luxury homewares, fashion, accessories and gifting ranges.
Established in 1723 as a handweaving company, AVOCA continues today.
To produce quality wool products from the original site at AVOCA, Co. Wicklow.
Victoria was amused
Now back to the Ring of Kerry though and it has been a favourite tourist spot since the days of Queen Victoria.
When her Ladies in waiting were so mesmerised by the view that it was chronicled.
And the name Ladies View was born then and there.
Victoria, it should be said, would have travelled in style to Kerry then.
But the cruel sea would be no respecter of class or position.
And we should imagine that she took to her quarters as our entire party had to… when we were struck with seasickness.
Our tip… take the gentler Irish Ferries’ Holyhead-Dublin ferry route or fly in with Aer Lingus.
Hire a car, ours back in the day was Citroen, and give yourself over to the local festivities (Joe Dolan for us) and sing of the Ring of Kerry.