26
Summer 2018
AMA inSider
Irish left to emigrate to the New World,
and the coastal town of Kinsale, known
for its regional cuisine and annual food
festival. The area provides endless post-
card views of the south Irish coast, but
remember to stop to snap a photo with
your phone: It’s illegal in Ireland to
hold a mobile phone when driving.
After overnighting in Killarney, tick
off two iconic Irish drives: the Slea
Head Drive and the Ring of Kerry.
Slea Head’s 65-kilometre loop
is best taken slowly—not
only due to the endless
green cliffs, begging for
an Instagram—but
because road signs
are in Gaelic (this region promotes use
of the native language) and numerous
cyclists also share the road.
Devote the rest of the day to the
bucket-list 179-kilometre Ring of
Kerry. Be sure to stop at the Torc
Waterfall, gaze at offshore Great
Blasket Island and take time at the
ancient stone forts of Staigue and
Loher. County Kerry locals often
set up on the side of the road to
sell handmade wool shawls
or blankets.
Leaving Killarney,
head north to the
Wild Atlantic Way,
a 2,600-kilometre
Guinness for strength
On the road from
Derry to Giant’s Causeway
ireland
W
ith the big-picture details
taken care of, you can kick
off your Irish immersion
in the quaint capital. A UNESCO City
of Literature, Dublin oozes storybook
charm from every cobblestone. Take a
stroll around Trinity College—the oldest
university in Ireland and the alma mater
of Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett. The
Old Library’s Long Room features more
than 200,000 historic texts, including
the Book of Kells, an illuminated ninth-
century Christian manuscript.
After a couple of days perusing
Dublin’s must-see sights, such as St.
Patrick’s Cathedral and the Guinness
Storehouse, head southwest to County
Tipperary. After picking up your rental
car, remember to drive on the left
and program your GPS to the Rock of
Cashel, Tipperary’s legendary castle
complex, via the M7 and M8.
The first day of driving provides a
good lesson in using toll roads. There
are 11 such roads in Ireland with
tollbooths that allow payment by cash
or credit card. Another important
driving note: It’s easier to find gas
stations in bigger cities than on rural
roads. On motorways and major
regional roads, Circle K Service Stations
are perfect for road-trippers, with 400-
plus outlets across the country offering
petrol, free Wi-Fi, ATMs, convenience
stores and restrooms.
Sidetrack to visit the pretty streets
of Waterford. Skip the M9 motorway
and take regional roads NR688/N24
instead for views of charming villages
and verdant hills. The oldest city of
Ireland, Waterford was established as
a Viking settlement in AD 914. Stroll
around the Viking Triangle, anchored
by the 13th-century fortification of
Reginald’s Tower. Not to be missed: a
pit stop at the House of Waterford to
pick up a piece of the city’s namesake
crystal.
Killarney, the next stop on the
driving itinerary, is less than three
hours away, but take the long way
along the N71. The detour reveals
County Cork’s seaside villages, with
their colourful storefronts and family-
run pubs. Other fun places to pull over
include the port of Cobh, where many