Killarney – Blarney – Waterford – Tramore

Today’s Distance: 142 mi/ 229 km

TOUR DESCRIPTION: More scenic beauty as you head over the Kerry Mountains into County Cork. Stop in Blarney, famous for its Stone of Eloquence, with time at your leisure to see the castle and shop for Irish crafts and handmade crystal. After lunch, drive past Cork, the country’s second-largest city on the way to Waterford, where a guided tour of the House of Waterford Crystal is included. Spend the night at the nearby seaside resort of Tramore.

OUR THOUGHTS: There seems to be less sheep in this area and many more cows. The first stop of the day was to see the Blarney Stone and the castle. We might have been interested in walking around the gardens there but the admission was 22 euros so we declined. The same stop also had the largest English wooden shop/tourist trap. By now we have seen all the iterations of Irish souvenirs so we had an early lunch instead.

The afternoon stop was at the Waterford Glass factory. We weren’t interested in buying but the tour was really interesting. The amount of hand work required was amazing. It’s no wonder the stuff is expensive.

Tonight we are in Tramore, along the coast. It just happens to be First Communion day here. Lots of parties in the hotel with fancy cakes and little girls in white dresses. Seems to be a big deal here.