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.

A wonderful location, good help, beautiful area, and great array of animals. There were a great…read moredeal of baby animals, which of course are the main attraction. Being able to feed and play with baby lambs, kid goats, puppies, rabbits, and even a deer made for a wonderful couple of hours. That's not to mention the full grown sheep, donkeys, chickens, turkeys, etc etc etc. There were several areas to wash up, and lots of play areas for kids to enjoy (with and without the animals). Very well done!

This place is super cool! They have a bunch of different animals: puppies, kittens, goats, cows,…read moresheep, bunnies, ducks, donkeys, chickens etc. You get to pet/play with almost all of them. They had a lot of puppies when we went but only 3 kittens. We didn't get to play with the kittens because they only do kittens and puppies one at a time. It was super fun playing with and feeding all the animals. Would definitely be a good place for kids. They have playgrounds too. It was €8 for adults.

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!

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!

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

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.

Muckross House is a 19th-century Victorian mansion located in Killarney National Park, Ireland,…read morebuilt between 1839 and 1843 for the Herbert family. After spending loads of money to host Queen Victoria at the time, the owners went into financial decline, leading to changes in ownership, and eventual gifting to the Irish Nation in 1932. Our tour group recently visited this popular (and well-maintained) tourist destination that features period rooms, expansive gardens, and traditional farms. We spent most of our time at the mansion, of which the self-guided tour was well laid out and very interesting to learn about. It's all kind of Downtown Abbey-ish, with the basement servant's work areas were fascinating. There's also a craft center at the end of the tour that's worth a look. The grounds (with Lake views) add to the relative magic to this place.

Muckross House is an incredibly maintained 19th century Victorian mansion. We strolled through on…read morea self guided tour. They offer a pamphlet that you can read as you go through the house which describes the room, furniture and sometimes interesting history. There is even a Queen's room that was put together for the Queen's visit. The basement level was really interesting. It offers quite a glimpse of life below for the servants. If you loved Downton Abbey you will likely feel it coming to life in this home. The grounds are absolutely stunning. You could spend an hour or half a day here.

This shop has been around for so very long. It's totally aimed at tourists, there is no reason for…read moreany local to ever go near the place as there is unlikely to be anything that you would use in there unless you're in the market for a sheep skin rug or something adorned with shamrocks. There is a real mix of what you can buy in this shop too, i mean it does not specialise in any one product, you can get jams or glass ornaments or pottery or Aran jumpers (and anything else Aran you can think of!) and any number of things that have leprechauns or Celtic designs printed on the side. One interesting thing about this shop is the old petrol pump outside the door, there is no petrol available in it and there has not been for years but it still stands there looking all lonely on the side of the road. It's just nice to imagine that at some stage in its life it was used and imagine what the cars looked like then! Anyway, hopefully its never removed, its an odd bit of history for Glengarriff.