Southwest Ireland travel guide

Cork and Kerry, Ireland’s most southwesterly corner, offer an attractive combination of sea and mountain scenery, interspersed with lively small towns and villages – Kinsale, Clonakilty, Kenmare, Killarney and Dingle. Life is taken at a slower pace hereabouts, and old fashioned courtesies survive: for example, on the smaller, back roads it is still the tradition for the driver to salute the driver of the oncoming car, so do not be surprised if strangers wave at you. People find it quite natural to strike up conversations, just because you happen to be in the same place at the same time. A friendly informality prevails.

Bring strong walking shoes and waterproof jackets. The further west you go, the more likely you are to encounter rain, as the clouds scud in from the Atlantic, but it is seldom continuous heavy rain, and the showery weather typical of Killarney and Dingle often alternates with sunshine, creating some magical light effects, including numerous rainbows.

The pleasures of the southwest are chiefly rural. Most people who visit the area are here for the outdoors and the scenery. The lakes and mountains of Killarney can compete with the best Europe has to offer, while the Ring of Kerry presents a succession of spectacular seascapes. Another added bonus throughout the region is the high quality of its natural produce which is used in restaurants and has given the area a high reputation among food lovers.

The most popular part of the west among visitors is the western tip of the Dingle Peninsula, a largely Irish-speaking area rich in prehistoric and early Christian remains, with some of the world’s best coastal scenery and the country’s best traditional music.