We woke up nice and early, checked out of the hotel and visited The Gap Of Dunloe which is a mountain pass that leads to the south end of the Killarney Lakes. There are no cars allowed along the gap which makes for a nice, leisurely stroll through the mountains filled with sheep (who talk back to you if you baa at them) and of course, gorgeous views. Unfortunately, due to our lack of time that morning, we were only able to make it part way and never got to the lakes before having to turn back.
Before we left Killarney we wanted to stop at Ross Castle which sits right along the lake. They have guided tours where we learned all about the history of the Ross family and they even have some of the original furniture from inside the castle which dated back to the 13th & 14th centuries! The way these castles were made, always factoring in protection and the possibility of attack and still containing amazing stonework and beauty is incredible. And to think of how old they are is absolutely amazing. (I guess that's what a typical American thinks since our country is so young.)
After our tour we quickly dropped off our rental car, randomly parking it in a handicap spot that the dealership said was fine and basically ran our way to the train station. We took the train back to Dublin for the rest of our trip and enjoyed the ride with snacks and naps until we arrived.
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GORGEOUS!
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