M FINUCANE, QUAY STREET, BALLYLONGFORD, CO. KERRY, IRELAND                             

(068) 43 243

Ballylongford (Béal Átha Longfoirt, means “anchorage ford mouth”, in Gaelic) is a small village near Listowel, in North Kerry. The village is situated at the top of a creek off Ballylongford Bay on the tidal estuary of the River Shannon, on a coast road between Tarbert and the seaside town of Ballybunion.

The Shannon forms the natural northern boundary for Co. Kerry. To the north of  the Kingdom lies Co. Clare . The only crossing for miles is the Tarbert ferry along the N69. This 20 minute journey across the estuary to Killimer, Co. Clare saves an 85 mile detour.

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SKELLIGS CHOCOLATE CO., ST. FINIANS BAY, THE GLEN, BALLINSKELLIGS, CO. KERRY, IRELAND

(066) 94 79119

What have chocolates got to do with beer, pubs or brewing I hear you say?

Nothing at all; however if you have been reading some of my recent posts you will have noted that I am presently on holiday in Co. Kerry, Ireland and have been writing about one or two of my favourite Co. Kerry pubs and bars. Well Skelligs Chocolate Co. is one of my favourite things in Co. Kerry, no make that Ireland, so I thought I would write about them on my blog too; it’s as simple as that.

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O’NEILL’S, THE POINT, RENARD POINT, CAHERCIVEEN, CO. KERRY, IRELAND

 (066) 94 72165

In the same family for over 150 years, Michael and Bridie O’Neill’s, The Point, is located directly adjacent to the loading ramp of the Valentia Island car ferry, just off the N70, Ring of Kerry road, a few miles south of Caherciveen at Renard Point. The ferry runs a continuous shuttle service – i.e. not to a time table – but only from April-September inclusive; visit the Island outside of these dates and it involves a long detour across the Portmagee Bridge at the opposite, southern, end of the Island.

The ferry crossing to Knightstown on Valentia is only a five minute trip but to our children it is a ‘must do’ on our annual holiday to Ireland; as is a trip to The Point for Julie and I.

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THE BLIND PIPER, CAHERDANIEL, CO. KERRY, IRELAND 

(066) 94 75126

As I said in an earlier post, I have been very lucky in life for many reasons. One of these is that some thirteen years ago, my wife Julie and I came across Derrynane Bay and Caherdaniel, in Co. Kerry. 

It was our first time in Ireland; we had toured down the West coast from Donegal over seven/eight days through appalling weather. We then spent a night in a B & B in Waterville and the next morning awoke to glorious weather. That morning we only travelled five or six miles and went over what we now know as the Coomakista Pass and down below was Derrynane Bay in all its glory.

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