• The County Cork side of the Healy Pass road is the 'curviest road in Ireland'.

• The rectilinear patterns on the hillside on this stretch of the Healy Pass road are the decades-old remnants of turf cutting to harvest peat for heating fuel. Peat harvesting continues today; however, the practice is criticized as unsustainable.

• The bay at Dunboy Castle

• Dunboy Castle ruins

• Dunboy Castle ruins

• Dunboy Castle ruins

• Dunboy Castle ruins

• The bay at Dunboy Castle

• Seán starting a fire in the Kelly Kettle to boil water for coffee

• Fanning the fire

• Looking good!

• Now we can add the Baileys to the coffee!

• It was awfully foggy when we drove past the copper mines

• A brief stop in Glenaran

• Leaving the Beara peninsula

• The Gougane Barra Hotel on Gouganebarra Lake was the last overnight on our tour.

• The Gougane Barra Hotel

• The shrine of Saint Finbarr is located next to the Gougane Barra Hotel.

• The inscription on the cross reads: 'Here stood in the 6th century the Cell of Saint Finbarr, First Bishop of Cork'.

• The entrance to Coillte Forest Park is a short walk from the Gougane Barra Hotel.

• Gouganebarra Lake is the source of the River Lee that provides the water for brewing Murphy's stout. Murphy's is slightly smoother than, and preferred by many, to Guinness.

• A quite unusual looking ram at Gougane Barra

• Whenever possible, drink the local brew.

• JaVonne and Kathy at the Gougane Barra Hotel

• Holly, Jeanie, JaVonne, Patty, John and Chris at our farewell dinner at the Gougane Barra Hotel restaurant

• Kathy, Wes, Seán, Gina, Rick, and Mary Lou at our farewell dinner at the Gougane Barra Hotel restaurant

• Blarney Castle, the stronghold of the McCarthys, dates to 1446

• Blarney Castle

• Blarney Castle

• 'A Good Gawk' Medium: Ceramic, Sandra McCowen, artist

• 'Organic Growth', Medium: 7000 year old bog oak, Pieter Koning, artist

• Detail of 'Organic Growth'

• The Blarney Stone is at the top of Blarney Castle

• Kissing the Blarney Stone

• The Curtain Wall

• 'Isolated 1', Medium: Steel and glass, Christine Byrne, artist

• On the Curtain Wall

• Kathy in the 'dungeon'

• The Rock Close

• Kathy amid the Gunnera manicata

• The Dolmen

• The Dolmen

• Wishing Steps

• Witch's Kitchen

• Witch's Kitchen chimney

• The Druids Cave

• Leaving the Rock Close

• Blarney House

• Blarney House

• Blarney House

• Blarney Castle is a very popular place

• Our last stop before the long drive back to Dublin was the Rock of Cashel. In the pre-Christian era, it was the seat of the ancient kings of Munster. The first significant Christian event at the Rock was the baptism of King Aengus by St. Patrick in about 450 A.D. For hundreds of years, local clans fought for control of the Rock. In 1101, Murtagh O'Brien gave the Rock to the Church.

• Currently at the Rock of Cashel there is a 12th century Chapel, a 13th century Cathedral, a 15th century Castle, and a 15th century Hall of the Vicars Choral.

• The Hall of the Vicars Choral is the youngest building at the Rock of Cashel. It was built in the early 15th century.

• In the early 15th century, the end of the Cathedral was converted into a castle for the archbishop.

• The Cathedral and the Round Tower. The Round Tower is the first stone structure built on the site after the Church took ownership in 1101. The Cathedral was built between 1230 and 1290 and was squeezed between the older Chapel and Tower.

• Inside the Cathedral, built between 1230 and 1290, in the Gothic style

• Inside the Cathedral

• Inside the Cathedral

• These 15th century frescoes, rediscovered during renovations in 2005, depict the crucification of Christ.

• This drawing depicts what the frescoes in the previous photo may have originally looked like. Frescoes were rarely painted in Ireland because of the moist climate and efforts are being made to preserve these.

• The arch into the chancel of Cormac's Chapel. Consecrated in 1134, the Chapel is the oldest church on the Rock of Cashel.

• Frescoes on the chancel ceiling in Cormac's Chapel.

• An empty stone sarcophagus inside Cormac's Chapel

• This fragment is all that remains of St. Patrick's Cross, 12th century, that originally stood outside the Cathedral. It was moved inside to protect it from further damage by vandals and the weather. A replica now stands outside the Cathedral.