Ring of Beara - County Kerry

RING OF BEARA

 

25 - 29 August 2025

Monday - Friday

5 Days

From £875

 

With breath-taking scenery, wild seascapes and colourful villages we explore County Cork and County Kerry with our scenic tour we travel along the spectacular Ring of Beara. We spend a day visiting the beautiful Cape Clear Island and we spend time at the Skibbereen Heritage Centre, Molly Gallivan’s Cottage and stunning Bantry House and Gardens.

 

 

HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

Bantry House & Gardens   |   Garinish Island & Gardens   |   Molly Gallivans Cottage & Traditional Farm   |   Cape Island   |   Skibbereen

 

DAY ONE – Arrival

We depart from your home and travel to Holyhead and our ferry crossing.  On arrival in Dublin, we make our way to our hotel in County Kerry.

 

DAY TWO –Bantry Houe & Gardens and Garinish Island and Gardens

This morning we visit Bantry House & Garden, a stately home overlooking Bantry Bay in the southwest of Ireland.  Within the house is an important private collection of furniture and objects of art. You can also explore the formal garden, as well as the tearoom.

The original design of the garden which dates to the second Earl of Bantry’s travels can still be seen today. He transformed the house and garden into a “Palazzo” like those he had seen on the continent.

After lunch we make our way to Glengarriff where we take the ferry to Garinish Island – an island garden of rare beauty.  Garinish Island, or Ilnacullin, is a tiny island with a big reputation. Stashed away in Glengarriff harbour, it is home to a series of gardens showcasing an incredible richness of plant form and colour.

Over 100 years ago the then-owner Annan Bryce joined forces with the Edwardian Garden designer Harold Peto. Noticing that the Gulf Stream and the island’s sheltered position blessed it with an almost subtropical climate, they began cultivating ornamental plants from all over the world.

Garinish was bequeathed to the Irish people in 1953, and it remains a magical island garden, a sanctuary loved by horticulturalists and all visitors alike – not to mention the seals that regularly can be seen on its southern shore rocks.

 

DAY THREE – Scenic Driver and Molly Gallivans Cottage & Traditional Farm

This morning, we have a leisurely breakfast we travel to Healy Pass, through the stunning countryside we will stop where possible for photo opportunities, and to enjoy the scenery.

We’ll then visit Molly Gallivans, where we are treated to a guided tour, with tea and scones at Molly Gallivan’s 200-year-old Cottage & Traditional farm. 

At Molly Gallivan’s you will experience the simple country lifestyle in rural Ireland before the days of electricity and modern conveniences. The farm is complete with animals, fowl & traditional farm machinery. On the farm you will also visit the ghostly ruins of a family dwelling from the era of the Great Famine and a Neolithic Stone Row that forms part of an ancient sun calendar. Experience 5000 years of history!

 

DAY FOUR – Cape Island and Skibbereen

After our breakfast this morning we enjoy a cruise and guided tour of Cape Island, with a one-hour walking/hop on tour, this small serene island awaits you with its scenic views and captivating location.  We’ll then visit the Skibbereen Heritage Centre, where we find out more about the Famine Story, Lough Hyne, and history of Skibbereen. The town as we now know it owes its origins to a raid of Algerian Pirates on nearby Baltimore in 1631, when 100 people were taken as ‘white slaves’. A small number of survivors rowed up the river Ilen to establish the town where it is today.

 

DAY FIVE - Departure

After breakfast this morning we leave our hotel and return to Dublin and our ferry home.

 

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

• Luxury coach travel

• Home pick-up

• Ferry crossing

• 4 nights accommodation, dinner & breakfast

• Porterage on arrival and departure

• Welcome tea/coffee on arrival

• Tea/coffee after dinner each evening

• Free use of leisure facilities

• Admission to Bantry House & garden

• Return ferry to Garinish Island

• Admission to Garinish Gardens

• Molly Gallivans Visitor Centre Guided tour with tea & scones

• Poitin demonstration

• Cruise & guided tour of Cape Island

• Admission to Skibbereen Heritage

• Guided tour of Skibbereen Heritage Centre.

 

KENMARE BAY HOTEL, KENMARE

Experience the essence of Kenmare's charm nestled amidst breathtaking landscapes.

A comfortable hotel, with en suite, roomy bedrooms, with TV, telephones to hair dryers as well as tea/coffee-making facilities.

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

Luxury coach travel

Home pick-up

Ferry crossing

4 nights accommodation, dinner & breakfast

Porterage on arrival and departure

Welcome tea/coffee on arrival

Tea/coffee after dinner each evening

Free use of leisure facilities

Admission to Bantry House & garden

Return ferry to Garinish Island

Admission to Garinish Gardens

Molly Gallivans Visitor Centre Guided tour with tea & scones

Poitin demonstration

Cruise & guided tour of Cape Island

Admission to Skibbereen Heritage

Guided tour of Skibbereen Heritage Centre.

 

KENMARE BAY HOTEL, KENMARE

Experience the essence of Kenmare's charm nestled amidst breathtaking landscapes.

A comfortable hotel, with en suite, roomy bedrooms, with TV, telephones to hair dryers as well as tea/coffee-making facilities.

 

HOTEL FACILITIES INCLUDE

General	Rooms	Accessibility
4 star	Tea/coffee making facilities	Lift (not all floors)
Bar	Television	Wheelchair accessible
Restaurant	Hairdryer
Lounge	Wifi
Swimming Pool
Gym

 

DAYS	TOUR DATE	DEPARTS	TERMS		SUPPLEMENT
5	25 -29 AUG 2025	MONDAY	£875		£134 SINGLE
JONES HOLIDAYS INSURANCE				£68.30

 

Rooms are allocated on a first come first served basis and are limited. If no single supplement applies this is limited to the tour single room allocation and therefore additional cost may apply.  Prices displayed are per person unless otherwise stated. If door-to-door pick-up is included there may be additional charges for out of area. Itineraries and hotel inclusions may be subject to change. Seat numbers on the coach may be subject to change. Issues whilst on tour must be raised in the first instance with the driver. Covid-19 restrictions may apply. When making bookings you accept on behalf of yourself and your party the terms in our Trading Charter which can be found in our brochure, on our website at http://www.jonesholidays.co.uk/Jones-holidays-trading-charter, or a copy can be requested from our Sales office.  If your holiday is more than 56 days from departure, we offer a 7-day cooling off period where a full refund will be offered from the date of the initial confirmation invoice (with the exception of flight holidays).

Kenmare Bay Hotel & Resort Banty House & Gardens Ilnacullin, Garinish Island Skibbereen Heritage Centre Molly Gallivan’s Cottage & Traditional Farm