Blasket Islands

Visiting Great Blasket Island may be my favorite thing I've done in Europe. It's astoundingly beautiful and peaceful. It's fascinating to see the homes where the islanders lived and to ponder the hard lives they led there. It's difficult to reconcile the hardships they faced every day with the physical beauty of the island. Most people hang around the village where the ruined houses are or head down to the beautiful beach. If you're willing to hike around, you will have the place almost to yourself. It's a long hard climb, so you need to be in decent shape. It's a bit of a climb just to get to the village. Our first trip, we headed straight up and over to the left side of the island. The views of the ocean and peninsula that the Ring of Kerry is on are beautiful. The second trip we went off to the right, and it was even more beautiful. There are huge cliffs and big rocks with waves crashing against them. It will take your breath away. I would highly recommend reading at least one of the books by the islanders before you go. We did that after our first visit and it made the second visit even more moving and interesting. The best one is Islandman by Thomas O'Croghan, or something like that. I also enjoyed Peig by Peig Sayers and Twenty Years A-Growing by Maurice Sullivan or O'Sullivan or something along those lines. They're not long, easy to read, and fascinating. There is a museum on the peninsula which is also very good.
Needless to say, I think you should go! The weather has to be good though. The ferries won't go if the seas are choppy. If you get a good day, head over to the ferry in the morning and try to get out early. You have two or three hours to hike around before you have to head back. That will give you time to do the Dingle loop which is also very beautiful.

Thanks. That was exactly what I was looking for.