My family and I are planning a trip to Ireland for the end of July. We have rented a house in Kenmare for the week and are looking for restaurant/pub recommendations as well as options for one-day trips from Kenmare. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! THANKS!

You are certainly centrally located in the Southwest -- lots to see and do.

Explore the Beara Peninsula which includes the Healy Pass, Dursey Island and the cable car across, and lunch in Castletownbere.

Take a trip out to the Mizen Peninsula -- the Lighthouse is a must see along with lunch at the Crookhaven Inn and a pint or two at O'Sullivans.

Into Killarney - Gap of Dunloe, Muckross House & Gardens, and shopping.

Dingle Peninsula via the Conor Pass is a stretch, but can be done. Take the Conor Pass into Dingle then drive around Slea Head, have lunch, then head back.

Drove thru Kenmare and never actually stayed there, but there are several experts who can give you recommendations for great eats. Here's hoping you have great weather!!!

We liked Packies in Kenmare, and An Leath Phingen (OK - Might not be spelled EXACTLY right, but is pretty close)when we had crispy thin crust pizzas out of the wood oven.

Kenmare is a great town. Almost every restaurant you go into will be good. Some that I like:

Lansdowne Arms Hotel (early bird dinner)
Lime Tree (expensive but worth it)
An Leath Phingan (pasta is what to order there)
Old Dutch
Foley's
Mickey Ned's
Jam (open till around 5; great sandwiches, quiche, salads, desserts and coffee)
Packie's
Purple Heather

In July you will most likely need reservations for restaurants especially since some of them are rather small. On your first day walk through the town and look at the menus outside the restaurants to see what appeals. Then make your reservations!

Budman described a lot of good sightseeing. To it I will add:

Derreen Gardens on Beara Peninsula
Ilnacullin Garden (nr. Glengarriff)
Bantry House & Gardens
Gougane Barra
Ring of Kerry & Ring of Skellig (at the tip of the ROK)
Renagros Park (scenic walk along river in back of Park Hotel)

It sounds like a fun week!

We ate at a great place in Virginia's Guesthouse. I think it is call Cobbler's, but I'm not sure. Owners are very friendly and will give you some good advice on things to do.We also ate a great Italian restaurant for casual food, and it was pretty good and inexpensive.

we loved Packies, but be sure to secure a reservation. Also, there is a delightful pub who's name escapes me--however, it is located at the end of one of the main blocks of the town and adjoins a hotel or restaurant. At any rate, the live music, dance floor and enthusiastic sing-alongs make it great fun for the entire family.

If your family likes to hike they might enjoy hiking through the Gap of Dunloe.We left our car at Kate's Cottage and made arrangements to meet a boat near the tea room. After a morning of hiking and lunch at the tea room we took the boat trip through the 3 lakes to Killarney then were transported back to pick up our car.

our favorite pub in kenmare was the Wander Inn- great music

Pawley -- going to ireland sept/oct wany to leave car at kate's cottage and walk/jaunting cart through gap - take boat back and return to Kate's -- how did you arrange boat tickets and return transportation to kate's cottage ??

Lizard -- [email protected]

Lizard, Book a tour with Dero's Tours: http://www.derostours.com

We wanted to do it on your own, but couldn't figure out the logistics of getting back to Kate's to pick up our car.

Our B&B booked our Gap of Dunloe tour for us -- it cost 50 Euro for the two of us. Picked us up at the B&B, took us to the tour office, drove us to Kate's, boat ride to Ross Castle, and transportation back to our B&B.

Note: The jaunting cars (horse & buggy) thru the gap cost 80 Euro. We took one with another couple and it cost us 20 euro each, but the only drawback was going up steep hills. We had to get out and walk. If you are at all in shape, it is a nice hike.

Dero's Tours has a complete tour including bus, pony & trap and boat for 45 euro per person: http://www.derostours.com/rates.html

amy,

You've received much good travel advice concerning your stay in and around Kenmare, but you'd also be well advised to heed the words of George Bernard Shaw when he speaks of the Skellig Islands, located off the Kerry coast:

"Whoever has not stood in the graveyard on the summit of that cliff among the beehive dwelings and their beehive oratory does not know Ireland through and through."

With the fair weather gods on your side, the Skellig Islands make for one of Ireland's truly memorable touristic experiences. A visit to Skellig Michael, a monastic site that dates from the seventh century, makes for a fine day trip from Kenmare. You can take a 45-minute ferry trip to the island from Waterville (along the Ring of Kerry).

Should you go, be sure to take along good footwear, a daypack filled with bottled water, a lunch, sunscreen, and a camera. Also, be sure to use the WC prior to boarding the boat, as there are no sanitary facilities on the island.

Best of luck.

David, I had Skellig Michael on my itinerary, but we just didn't have the time this trip. We did run into a couple we stayed with in Castlegregory on our flight home. They did Skellig Michael and said it was breathtaking. They took the trip from Portmagee.

It is definitely on my short list for next trip. Do a google search to learn more.

Irisheyes/bidman - thanks for the info I will bookwith deno tours and make my life easier - appreciate ypur helps everyone

Just a few miles out on the Beara Peninsula road is the turn to the left to Gleninchiquin. It's one of the most beautiful sights we've seen in Ireland. It's a drive out a narrow road with grass growing in the middle rewarded with a wonderful tall waterfall at the head of a lush green valley. It can easily be done in an afternoon (or even an after dinner drive in July) from Kenmare and it is well worth it. See my photos on Webshots http://community.webshots.com/user/maldridge314 I'm still in the process of uploading photos from our May 2004 trip.

mealdridge, great pictures. Were were in the same area, same scenes. What a great place.

Sheen Falls Lodge is a modern 5 star hotel about a mile from the town.I enjoyed the bar food for lunch overlooking the waterfall as well as the French cuisine for dinner.

Hello -

We stayed in Kenmare this past June 18th and 19th. We ate dinner at O'Donabhain's and also at Coachman's, both very good. Check out O'Connor's Pub.

In terms of day trips, I can recommend everything Budman mentioned, as we did them all! The Conor Pass was kind of treacherous, especially since we drove that on our first day (plus, we hadn't slept a wink on the plane) but it was well worth it. The views are breathtaking, as are the views from Slea Head.

Have a great time!

acubsfan - sounds like you were on my trip! oh wait, you were!
Yes, I think Coachmans and O'Donobhains were great. Not knowing what smoked salmon was came as a surprise on my plate, but it was very yummy.