BEAUTIFUL farm with endless scenery and lovely instructors. Loved seeing the pups work!read more

A fascinating demonstration of using border collies to herd sheep and an interesting demonstration…read moreof sheep shearing. We were on a CIE Tour of Scotland and Ireland and the Kissane Sheep Farm was part of our itinerary. It was truly fascinating watching them use the border collies to herd sheep. All of the communication with the dogs was non-verbal and consisted primarily of whistles. The dogs responded to these non-verbal commands and were quite proficient at herding the sheep. After watching the dogs, we then moved inside one of the barns for a demonstration of sheep shearing. One man narrated the demo and explained the process of how the sheep are sheared and when is the best time of year to shear the sheep. The other man did an amazing job of completely shearing a sheep in a matter of minutes - with the coat coming off in 1 large piece. This offered a great look at the local culture.

This is a must stop for gifts to take home from your trip. I so wish I waited to buy all my gifts…read morehere. And if while you are there they have any " experiences" available please do them. I learned a lot and laughed so much. It has been one of the highlights of our trip so far.

Stephan the great nephew of this extraordinary lady Molly Gallivan and his family are now running…read morethis magical cottage farm and store and is keeping her memory alive while creating lifelong memories for those who are lucky enough to visit this beautiful place in kenmare in south Ireland! We shopped until we dropped. The prices and the quality of the handwoven scarves and hats are unmatched with any other shops we visited all over south Ireland and even Dublin. I found Irish people to be so friendly and nice but this family is specially very nice and go above and beyond to leave a positive mark that brings smile to my face even thousands of miles away now that I am back home wearing their tasteful goods!

Hiking the Eask Tower Path is an absolute must when visiting the Dingle Peninsula…read more The tower is on private property. The landowners are incredibly friendly - I highly recommend allotting some time just to chit chat with them. They ask for a humble €2 entry fee per person. Bring coins! So for €2, you are permitted to traipse through their fields & through their herds of sheep. They trust you to close each gate properly behind you on the way up & down so that the sheep don't get out. They even offer their spigot & some brushes to clean your shoes off at the end of your adventure. The tower is constructed similarly to a barrel & it's fascinating. The panoramic views are breathtaking & the gentle breeze is so appreciated after the hike up. I would allow yourself 90 minutes for the whole adventure: - 10 minutes of chit chat - 30 minutes to the top - 30 minutes to enjoy the views & the tower - 20 minutes down LNT - Leave No Trace!

Right next to our breakfast place, spotted this shop and a van rolled up with produce and unloaded…read morelovely bunches of carrots, beats and onions while we eating our breakfast. I was intrigued by the signage proclaiming that they had local strawberry baskets and after breakfast, walked over and spoke to the lad manning the store register. He explained they had a farm in a place called Maharees and the strawberries were grown there, a 30 minute drive from Dingle township. The strawberries looked so lovely and fresh plus they were a normal size not the steroid induced size that I normally find at Costco. So I purchased a basket for €3.50 and they were delicious! Also while I was in the shop, it was all locals, so imo, def check it out if you are visiting and pick up the produce and support a local farmer. Note: #269 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016

GLENILEN YOGHURTS…read more There are yoghurts and then there are yoghurts from Glenilen Farm. Wow! I have to admit that I have just discovered these little jars of gorgeousness. All other yoghurts fall away by comparison. If you haven't had the pleasure get on to their site http://blog.glenilen.com/ and check for your local stockists. I found mine in O'Crualaoi's delicatessen section in the Supervalu building on Main Street Ballincollig and it wasn't long before I was trying out the strawberry flavoured one and declaring it the best ever. But don't just take my word for it. The success story of Glenilen Farm (in Drimoleague in West Cork) started with a small step in 1997. And the success has been marked with prizes, both national and international. The range now includes cheesecakes, yoghurts (small and large), various creams, butter and mousses. A lot of exploring to do here. But it will be no hardship!

In a place like The English Market, shoppers expect top quality as a matter of fact. Hmm, that must…read morebe why On The Pigs Back has done so well. Anchoring the centre of Cork's busy English Market for over ten years, this outstanding fine foods specialist offers an incredible international selection of beautiful cheeses, meats and homemade pates and terrines (oooh, and lovely crusty bread to pile it all onto). The cheese case is almost a tourist attraction in itself -don't be afraid to ask your cheesemonger for a taste before buying, and do ask what her favourites are if you're stumped. Add a few slices of saucisson or cured jambon and you're bound to even impress yourself when laying it out on the table later. Prices are reasonable here with a round of good Camembert around €5. Fresh, organic sausages are also available for a real breakfast treat -the lamb and rosemary is divine.

(11/12/2017) Delicious, interesting, and a voluminous array of local farmstead cheeses and some…read moreimports at this vendor in the English Market. The staff are very knowledgeable, friendly, and patient, and will even let you have a little taste of a cheese or two so you know what you're getting into. Perfect for snacking or to take to a fancy party. Wander around the market for the perfect accompaniments, like fresh baked bread, fruits, olives, pate, cured meats. Definitely high quality.

This small country house is listed in several of the guide books that list quality accommodation in…read moreIreland, and deservedly so. The house, which dates to 1860, is in a 300 acre parkland setting and is impeccably and tastefully maintained and furnished. It has only 5 bedrooms, so we counted ourselves extremely lucky to get a booking for August bank holiday weekend at short notice (turns out there had been a last minute cancellation). The hosts are friendly and extremely thoughtful, while being unobtrusive. The lovely setting adds to the tranquil atmosphere, and yet it's only a few minutes drive (15km) to Kinsale (where we had dinner). A wee drink from the honesty bar rounded off our evening nicely, as we perused some of the fine selection of books in the lounge.The breakfast here was second to none - fresh, quality ingredients, home grown on the farm or sourced from local producers, fresh-baked bread (still warm from the oven), real freshly-squeezed juices. My wife opted for the freshly made buttermilk pancakes with organic bacon and maple syrup, and was equally impressed. We found the wi-fi signal variable in our room, but other than that, I couldn't fault this wonderful guest house.

I would give this B&B a million stars if I was allowed…read more Maureen was so welcoming, friendly and warm. When Maureen became aware that we were in the Tralee area to visit family we discovered that she actually knew them .... and for logistic reasons our cousin came to her B&B to meet us. Then being the hospitable Irish lady she served tea etc., to all of us. The rooms are upstairs which may be difficult for some but they are adorable Irish Farmhouse rooms. Well equipped. Breakfast was full and plentiful with a pot of tea and/or coffee. Hit and cold items. There are cows on the farm along with other animals including an adorable border collie. The views are spectacular stretching far into the Kerry Countryside. To me Kerry is the most beautiful county in all of Ireland. Finally, we needed to meet a cousin and instead of giving directions Maureen had us follow her to his location Amazing humans and animals at this B&B. They are one reason Ireland is know as being so welcoming!

I give The Farmhouse 5 stars because frankly I loved it! Now that being said if you're wary of an…read moreactual working farm this might not be for you, however we had a city boy from Brooklyn with us on our stay and while he was VERY hesitant at first to stay at a farm, the owner Maureen won him over almost instantly. Maureen and John were fantastic hosts and even allowed us to look in on (and show us) how he milked the cows twice a day. The Breakfasts were delicious each day and although it is a farmhouse its only a VERY short drive from Tralee's town center and looks over the Slieve Mish mountains. I can't say enough about this location. I will absolutely be back! and Maureen if you run into Michael Kirby say hello for me and tell him how sorry I was I was unable to visit this time! Thanks for a wonderful time!