Kinsale to Kenmare

By the quickest route, the drive is only about 2.5 hours. But there are longer routes that might take you by more picturesque areas, such as the N71 route that runs more along the coast. Take a look at www.viamichelin.com. There you can look at various routes and see what's along the way on each option. I have driven the part between Kenmare and Cork, and along that route is a series of sculptures and rock carvings that were placed there after the building of the road to appease the spirits which were disturbed by the building (according to Ireland of the Welcomes magazine, in an article about the new highway).

Take the R600 from Kinsale to Clonakilty. Pick up the N71 and take it along the coast to Glengarriff. Continue on the N71 over Caha Pass to Kenmare. You will be tempted to stop frequently to admire the view or to get out and take a walk on the beach. Do not fight it. Give in!

If you have lots of time and don't mind feeling like you're all alone in the middle of nowhere, take the R572 from Glengarriff to Adrigole, the R574 over Healy Pass to Lauragh, and the R571 from there to Kenmare. There is virtually no traffic over Healy Pass.

Take the coastal road and stop at the Drombeg stone circle. You must turn off the main highway a bot -- bu tthere is a small car park and a short lane to walk to see it. Beautiful setting on the hillside with the water in the distance. Take the R597 at Ross Carbery.

Michael, I really like Tim's 2nd option. My wife and I did this exact circuit in April, leaving Kinsale (The Olde BAkery B&B) around 9:30 am, arriving in Kenmare (Virginia's) around 5 pm. We took our time traveling the Beara circuit, stopped at viewpoints, took pix, and enjoyed every minute of the drive. BTW, both Kinsale and Kenmare are Irish "Tidy Towns" - good choices.

My wife and I went from Kinsale up to Killarney and drove down through Killarney National Park to Kenmare. If you have time, the Park would be a great addition to your list, as it's filled with spectacular scenery.

We did the ROK drive the next day and stayed in Dingle that night. It was a tradeoff: we didn't see the coastal scenery along the south coast on the way from Kinsale to Kenmare, but we saw the Park. And we did get the coastal scenery on the west coast during the ROK and Slea Head drives, which were phenomenal.

You can't go wrong. Enjoy.