The famous Ring of Kerry is a route where landscape and history blend into one. Wild mountains roll down to the sea, ancient ring forts and stone rows stand in green fields, and bright little villages line the road around the Iveragh Peninsula. Travel with me and hear the stories behind it all - ancient legends and real history, woven through with traditional music and interviews with the people who live here.
This guide covers how to drive the Ring, the stops along the way, and the versions you can choose in the app - including extended tours that add the wild Skellig Ring. Plan your day here for free, then let MacEireann narrate it as you drive, hands on the wheel and eyes on Kerry.
Hear the full story in the app
Narrated by a traditional storyteller and triggered automatically as you drive. Download on the App Store →
How to drive it
Most people drive the Ring anti-clockwise from Killarney, but the tour runs the official Wild Atlantic Way arc between Kenmare and Killorglin. In the app, pick Northbound (Kenmare to Killorglin) or Southbound (Killorglin to Kenmare) to match your direction, or the extended versions that loop in the Skellig Ring. The full circuit is a comfortable day with stops, photos and lunch.
Stops along the route
These are the places the tour guides you past, in order. The stories are timed to play as you reach each one.
Kenmare
A colourful heritage town at the head of the bay, the southern gateway to the Ring.
Dromore
Wooded shores and the romantic ruin of Dromore Castle beside the Kenmare River.
Lough Fada
A long, still mountain lake - its name means simply "the long lake" - framed by the Kerry hills.
Sneem
A pretty village split by a tumbling river, its houses painted every colour of the rainbow.
Ardmore
A sweeping coastal bend with wide views over the water and the mountains beyond.
O'Carroll's Cove
A hidden sandy cove and beach bar tucked just below the road - a perfect pit stop.
Derrynane
Daniel O'Connell's family home above a glorious dune-backed strand, with woodland walks.
Coomakista Pass
A high, hairpin mountain pass with one of the Ring's grandest panoramas over Ballinskelligs Bay.
Waterville
The seaside resort Charlie Chaplin loved, looking out across the bay to the islands.
Kenneigh
Rolling farmland and quiet boreens on the road toward the Skellig coast.
Portmagee Junction
The turning for the Skellig Ring and the brightly painted harbour village of Portmagee.
Cahersiveen
A lively heritage town beneath the old barracks, near the birthplace of Daniel O'Connell.
Mountain Stage
A Wild Atlantic Way viewpoint clinging to the slopes high above Dingle Bay.
Rossbeigh
A long golden spit of beach reaching out into Dingle Bay.
Kerry Bog Village
A restored 19th-century bog village, home of the rare Kerry Bog Pony.
Killorglin
Famous for August's Puck Fair, where a wild mountain goat is crowned king for three days.
Available in the app
Choose the version that fits your drive — every tour is GPS-triggered, so the stories play in the right order whichever way you head.
Ring of Kerry - Northbound
Ring of Kerry - Southbound
Ring of Kerry + Skellig Ring - Northbound
Ring of Kerry + Skellig Ring - Southbound
The extended versions add the quiet, dramatic Skellig Ring loop onto the main circuit - perfect if you have the extra time.
Common questions
How long does it take to drive the Ring of Kerry?
Non-stop the loop takes about 3.5 to 4 hours, but with photo stops, short walks and lunch most people make a full day of it (6 to 8 hours). The MacEireann audio tour runs from 94 to 180 minutes depending on the version you choose.
Which direction should I drive the Ring of Kerry?
Locals and tour coaches drive it anti-clockwise (Killarney to Killorglin to Waterville to Kenmare), and it is best to follow them so you are not meeting big buses head-on on the narrow stretches. In the app you can pick the Northbound or Southbound version to match your direction.
When is the best time of year to drive the Ring of Kerry?
May to September gives the best weather and the longest daylight. Setting off early in the morning helps you stay ahead of the tour buses.
Do I need a phone signal for the audio tour?
No. Download the tour before you set off and it uses your phone's GPS to trigger each story, so it keeps working even on the stretches with no mobile coverage.
Drive Ring of Kerry with its stories
MacÉireann is live on the App Store. Download it, choose Ring of Kerry, and let a traditional storyteller ride shotgun — turn by turn, hands on the wheel.
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