Second   part

Killarney - Parco naz.
View of one of the lakes of this splendid park.

Killarney - Parco naz.
The wonderful woods of the Park.

Killarney
A tour of the park

Dingle peninsula
Cyclist relax contemplating the landscape

Gallarus Oratory
Splendid construction of 700 a.C.

Cliffs of Moher
Spectacular cliffs

Inishmór
"caribbean" beach...

Inishmór
Overhanging cliff close to Dun Aengus

Boyle Abbey
My cousin is hitchhiking

Birr
The "Leviathan"

Newgrange
Megalithic Tomb

KILLARNEY
(Cill Airne)
Hostel Súgán, Lewis rd. It's a very small place, nearly for dwarfs but quite picturesque. 
Killarney is a beautiful characteristic village especially if you have the chance to visit it on not so touristy period; make a tour of the narrow roads full of shops and of the cathedral. Really amazing the Killarney National Park, 10.000 hectares of forest, mountains and small lakes with very well marked paths; Muckross House with its splendid garden and the Torc Waterfall, Ross Castle and the outskirts; if you rent a bike (even at the hostel) you can make splendid excursions in this area (obviously if the weather is good enough). Having the chance (that I haven't got) really deserves to make a tour of the peninsula of Inveragh (Ring of Kerr) and to go to visit the Skellig islands.

DINGLE
(An Daingean)
Hostel Westlodge / Westgate Hostel; when I was there it was managed by a 20 years old boy in a rather glad but too much homely way, it was not very clean.
The village is quite characteristic and has a port much colourful (especially really early in the morning) but it does not offer many attractions (nice the Aquarium); splendid excursions in the outskirts: renting a bike will let you to do a nice tour of the coastal road that goes around the extreme point of the peninsula seeing the Dunbeg Fort over the ocean, the Gallarus Oratory (Splendid wedge oratory of 700 a.c.), the church of Kilmalkedar and the monastery of Riasc; if the weather is beautiful you can even swim in one of the beaches that face the Blasket islands. I suggest, is possible, to use a bike because the coastal road is much narrow and is often full of cars (especially in the week-end) that stop everywhere to admire landscape.

DOOLIN
(Dúlainn)

Doolin Camping & Caravan Park, one of ours little experiences of camping, before noticing that the tent was not completely water-proof.
The village itself doesn't have any attraction but the name of having the best music pub in the country, but it is in a beautiful position between hills, paths and the spectacular area of Burren, a fascinating smooth limestone area very wild and desolated; in front of the port you can see the smallest of the Aran islands (you can reach these by ferries). To the South the Cliffs of Moher, one of the main attraction of Ireland, are spectacular cliffs up to 230m high from which you can have a breath taken view; lie down on the edge of the cliff and listen to the sea that breaks up to the base (the regular bus makes a long stop of 1h here).

GALWAY
(Gaillimh)
Hostels: Corrib Villa, 4 Waterside has a beautiful kitchen but it is not very clean; the Galway International Hostel is enormous and very well equipped; during Winter it is a college (just think about how these poor schoolboy must spend their time here ... it troubles me !) and it has a splendid garden where make a picnic. 
Very beautiful and lively university town; Eyre square is the main public square and has a beautiful garden where the young of Galway try to relax, the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas of Myra is perhaps the most interesting building in Galway. Walk along the beautiful narrow roads admiring the stone buildings with wooden doors. If the weather is fine go to Salthill with fine beaches and coastal boulevard. 
There are many pubs and some have also live music. Among these the King's Head. 
In Galway (near Eyre Square) you can have information on the ferries to the Aran Islands finding some promotions that give you a return ticket for ferry and a night in a hostel for cheaper price.

INISHMÓR
(Árainn)
Hostel Aran Island Hostel, a very good place and with a nice pub on the first floor (if you want to sleep it could be a damnation but some traditional music should end a very fascinating day spent in the island in a really great way). This group of islands still has a particular fascination, especially during the non-touristy season. The Islands community is absolutely bilingual.
I suggest you to stay in the island at least for one night to feel the deep hush and calmness that there's when the last boat is gone.
The larger of the splendid Aran islands, has truly impressive landscapes. Dun Aengus (one of the most interesting archaeological site in Ireland) is a stone fort of 2000 years ago; splendid panoramas from the cliffs; other prehistoric sites scattered everywhere on the island. You should visit this island by foot or taking one of the small buses that can be divided with other tourists. Beautiful beaches (the water is damn cold !!). If you are in the right time look for blackberries, there are tons !!

CLIFDEN
(An Clochán)
Surrounded by the Twelve Bens mountains it is a beautiful and calm village in the spectacular area of Connemara. From here you can make a lot of walks and excursions by car. Pleasant and with splendid panoramas on the Atlantic ocean the Sky Road that makes a 11Km ring around the peninsula (beautiful view on Clifden Castle).

BOYLE
(Máinistirna Búille)
It's a beautiful town that boasts remarkable medieval and Georgian buildings. Very interesting the Cistercian abbey of Boyle (XII cent.) with beautiful carved capitals and in the outskirts the splendid Drumanone Dolmen (4.5x3.3 meters).

BIRR
(Biorra)
Rather calm town in Georgian style (It's absolutely outside the main touristy routes !). Some buildings are much interesting from the outside. At the tourist office take a dépliant that illustrates a fascinating tour of the town. The Birr Castle (XVII sec.) has a wide park with an artificial lake where there are beyond 1000 species of plants coming from everywhere in the world. Inside the park a telescope that was the largest one in the world from 1845 since the first half of '900 and was used to study the lunar surface and that allowed the discovery of spiral galaxies. It deserves a visit ! (The next they will probably build an astronomic museum in a wing of the Castle) 
In Clonmacnois, there is the most important monastic site of Ireland with splendid rests of Churches, round Towers, tombs and Celtic crosses. Very interesting the museum that explains the history of this monastery.

NEWGRANGE
Hostel Harpur House in Drogheda (Beautiful town in Norman style), not the best but quite comfortable. 
Wedge tomb of the stone age (3200 b.C.), famous all over the world; wonderful spiral engravings on stones. They organize a simulation of the dawn of Winter solstice, when the light enters from the main corridor and illuminate the burial room completely reflecting on stones. It is worth a careful visit of the museum. Interesting also Knowth even if you cannot enter in the inside.

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