The Ring of Kerry and Killarney

Today was a long scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula here in Ireland, also known as the Ring of Kerry. It’s essentially a large circular drive through rugged landscapes and cute little coastal villages.

Not only are the farming and livestock barriers visible throughout the landscape, but rivers cut their way through. Along the coast where the Atlantic meets the shoreline, a rocky grassland shaped by wind.

Even the trees find a way to grow out of spaces they should not be able to.

After leaving that scenic drive behind, we drove to Killarney. It was raining when we drove into the city where we were supposed to spend a couple hours shopping along the blocks of small shops and pubs. I, however, ducked into the nearest church to take some photographs.

St. Mary’s Church of Ireland has beautiful stained glass windows and colorful tiled floors, much like the other churches I toured. But it has one thing the others didn’t. The AMAZING pipe organ.

I mean, look at the painting and the detail.

Then I found this peacock just waiting to show it’s true colors.

And the ceiling above mimicking the symmetry of the peacock’s feathers.

When I finished photographing the church, it had stopped raining so I was able to walk for a few blocks around the city center of Killarney. Much like the rest of the towns I have visited in Ireland, there are flowers hanging from almost every building.

All in all, today was dreary and rainy and a lot of time on the road, but the views were worth it. We even seen a few red deer cross the road in front of us which was the first sign of fauna outside of livestock on farms. Tomorrow I finally get to tour a really old castle, so I’m off to sleep to dream of haunted places and long drives through the countryside.