On Friday, March 15, we hopped in the car and drove around the Ring of Beara. The Ring of Beara or Beara Peninsula has two mountain ranges: the Caha Mountains and the Slieve Miskish Mountains.

We explored the County Kerry side and took the Healy Pass which was cut during the Great Famine as a poor relief public works project. The goal was to give Irish folk an easier route through the mountains.

A note about driving in Ireland: You are driving on the left side of the road, and on the other side of the car (passenger and driver’s seat are reversed), so go the speed you are comfortable in (most area signs say to go 100 km/h, so 60+ mph). If cars want to pass you, they will. These are windy, dangerous, narrow roads. Lots of tourist buses pass through here, and you are cramped and have to sometimes pull off to the side for bigger cars. If you are renting a car, I recommend renting a small car so you can navigate the roads better and feel safe.

Ring of Beara and Healy Pass