We took the ‘Go Bus’ service from Dublin to Cork..
The starting point was Burgh Quay (Dublin). It’s a 3 Hours journey (Direct-28 Euros including Return). The bus service was prompt and on time. The dropping point in Cork was St. Patrick’s Quay.
https://www.gobus.ie/booking.php
I have also seen bus services which take more than 4 hours (one way). I believe Go Bus is a good option. The train charges are more and hardly you can save 30 minutes by train.
We stayed in Cork on the First day at my relatives house and went to ring of Kerry on Day 2.
Area wise, Cork is the largest county in Ireland.
All year round, Cork is a great place to visit — whether it’s to relax or to explore, there are plenty of activities in and around this place. It’s one of the more popular cities in the country with a lot of good food and pubs.
As Cork is a small compact city, getting around is really easy. Walking is a great way to get around.
The main intention of this trip was to cover Ring of Kerry and hence did not explore much of the tourist destinations in Cork (Hopefully I will go back to Cork again to explore more).
In case if you would like to explore Cork, you can keep the below places in mind:
Mizen head
English Market
Hike around Gougane Barra
Cork Butter Museum
Cork City Gaol (Old Prison)
Courthouse (Washington Street)
City Hall
The National Monument at the top of Grand Parade
Walk down the Oliver Plunkett street
Echo Boy
Kiss the Blarney Stone (Nearby)
Patrick’s Hill
Holy Trinity Church on Fr. Matthew Quay
University College, Cork
Shakey Bridge (Daly’s Bridge)
Fitzgerald’s Park
St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral
Day2: Ring of Kerry:
The Ring of Kerry is a scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland’s County Kerry.
Its (100+ Miles) one of Ireland’s most popular drives whether you choose to cycle it or drive, it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful scenic routes in Ireland. Fortunately, or Unfortunately, it rains almost most of the days here in Ireland. If you reach here on a rainy day, you might not be able to enjoy this place fully. Unfortunately, it was raining on the day, we travelled aswell.
People say it takes around 3.5 Hours to complete the entire ring. Obviously the time would increase, as you cannot avoid stopping the vehicle for capturing some scenic places. But for sure you can complete the entire trip in 7 hours or so. Some people extend it to 2 days.
Some people go in a clock wise direction and some others in the anti-clockwise direction. Most of the guidebooks say to go clockwise so you’re going the opposite direction of the tour buses, which go counter-clockwise.
We did not see any of the restaurants (common chains) in the route we travelled. So, keep some snacks handy with you. We also faced network coverage issues in many places.
Views of the Atlantic Ocean:
The views of the Atlantic Ocean is simply superb.
Waterville Village/Beach:
This large village is famous for golf, its beach and its association with Charlie Chaplin. It is a great place to stop off and have a tea/coffee or something stronger and there are a number of pubs you’ll enjoy along the sea front. You’ll also notice the monument of Charlie Chaplin which of course is worth taking a photograph with.
Caherdaniel:
The best stop off point is the beach between Caherdaniel and Castlecove. Parking can be scarce here but it is so worth stopping off. You will know it because it has a caravan/mobile park and a beach side pub, so keep an eye out for those signs so that you can turn off the road in plenty of time. This is a small beach but its really magical, especially on a sunny day. This can be a peaceful spot, even if its crowded.
Some other places that you can explore in and around Ring of Kerry:
Molls Gap
Ladies View
Staigue Stone Fort
Ballinskelligs Castle
Kerry cliffs
Skellig Michael / Beehive Huts on Skellig Michael
PortMagee
Valentia island / Harbour
Stopping in Sneem
Kenmare (One of the cutest towns)
Geokaun Mountain and Fogher Cliffs
Caragh Lake
Rossbeigh Beach
Derrynane Bay and Ballinskelligs Bay
On our way back, we also visited Torc waterfalls (inside Killarney National Park).
Parking is free, and the falls are only a mere 300m walk from the car park.
