The Ring of Kerry

Leaving Killarney, a town totally committed to tourism, and driving south, one drives the Ring of Kerry. When going on this road, the attraction is the beauty. With fuchsia, both red and orange, lining the highway, purple heather around the landscape, and numerous other flowers, rocky cliffs, small fields, and quaint farms, no wonder this is called the Emerald Isle.

We did see a sheepdog demonstration, this time with border collies, and although we have seen them before, we never tire of it. The commitment the trainers make to their dogs was evident when it began to thunder. Our trainer was going to use one of his female dogs, but thunder terrifies her. He said he wasn't going to put any pressure on her because she was so sensitive, and he brought out his male "work-a-holic." The male was hilarious - he was so good and efficient, and it was obvious he loves his work.

This trainer's other female dog, Tess, just won a National Championship, and although we didn't get to see her work, she was in a side area. Once the dogs are too old to work, they become a family pet . . . it was wonderful to hear that. The collies take the place of 10 men - faster, more efficient, more agile. What a pleasure to see! The roads in Kerry - and in Dingle - are quite narrow, and there were times Don wondered if the bus could pass. With rock walls on one side, and cliffs on the other, there was one time both a bike and the bus had to stop to make sure they could both pass safely. The views were worth the entire price of the ticket!