for its regional cuisine and annual
food festival. The area provides endless
postcard 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 just because of 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.
Guinness for strength
The scenic drive from
Derry to Giant’s Causeway
34
suMMer 2018
CAA sasKaTcHeWan
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
route that passes through nine Irish
counties. Break up the drive to
Galway via the N21 with a
stop in Limerick, a city
known for Georgian
townhomes and the
medieval St. Mary’s
FoTograFiczna
T
he 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 impor-
tant driving note: It’s easier to find
gas stations in bigger cities than
on rural roads. On motorways and
major regional roads, look for Circle
K Service Stations. The 400-plus
outlets across the country offer gas,
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
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, can take less than
three hours to reach, 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
Irish left to emigrate to the New World,
and the coastal town of Kinsale, known