Republic Ramblings: Off to Valentia Island for the weekend

In the name of research for upcoming visitors we embarked on a holiday within a holiday when we went for the weekend around to the Iveragh Peninsula and in particular Valentia Island. http://www.valentiaisland.ie/
It's worth noting here that when the spell checker could not find the word Iveragh in the dictionary it offered Rivera instead, appropriate I'd say.

It is possible to scoot around this headland in a day, long drive but doable. However we wanted a leisurely drive, take in the scenery and make sure we spotted all the great places to tell you about.

And its a lovely place to visit, people were really nice, on the island itself it was very quiet and

tranquil with few cars on the road.
We stayed in Knightstown which is most famous for being one end of the first cable to connect Europe and North America.
Our accommodation for the night was at the Royal Valentia Hotel, named after one of the Royal family who stayed there: http://royalvalentia.ie/ Nice bunch of folk.

The island is accessible by either a bridge or a tiny ferry - I'd recommend the ferry.
One highlight was going to the top of the highest mountain on the island, accessed initially by car and then a walk. Amazing views over to the Skelligs, down along the coast and back across the headlands.
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The next morning we headed back along the bottom of the island stopping off at the viewing point called the Kerry Cliffs. Basically, whilst being a formal tourist attraction on the Wild Atlantic Way, it is essentially the enterprise of one farmer who ploughed his field and laid a path, to allow people to walk across it. Once over the fields you are at the edge of cliffs that are about 1,000ft high and brilliant. There are fences but not of the standard/quality/height you might see in a country that's hyper about safety.
It's hard for a camera on a Samsung phone to do it justice, so you'll just have to visit in person.
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Back home stopping off in Killarney. To be avoided unless you want to buy any of the following: t-shirt with a leprechaun on it, a hat with a leprechaun on it, a bag with a leprechaun on it or a top with a phrase "my Mum went to Ireland & all she brought me back was a leprechaun". You get the drift.

We did however pop into the golf club as yer man wanted new golf socks. In the pro shop we overheard a conversation...
Man of an age over 60 says "did you hear that Jimmy in the butchers has got married"
Woman of an age over 60 says "What!, Jimmy, our Jimmy?"
Man replies "Yes our Jimmy".
Woman replies, "God I didn't think he had it in him"
Man replies "Married a Filipino"
Woman who stares, take a deep breath and say "What, Jimmy? Jimmy's married a Filipino"?

Hard to know what else to say to that.
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