Joe and I have been best friends since we met at school in the dark and troubled days of seventies Belfast. We had made several trips around Ireland as teenagers and, many, many moons later decided to recreate the experience with a little island hopping in the wild, wild west.

We started our trip with two nights camping at Mannix Point, Cahirciveen, in the Ring of Kerry, on the Wild Atlantic Way. http://www.campinginkerry.com/  Mannix Point claims to be the most beautiful camping/caravan/motor home site in Ireland and I think that the claim is well justified.  It has a fabulous location, the facilities are excellent and the sunsets are incredible.  It lies within an easy walking distance of the bustling little town of Cahirsiveen.  Although a few empty shops in the main street tell us of tough times, Cahirsiveen is a charming lively place where unusually enough, the Catholic church is named after the local hero Daniel O Connell.

Mannix Point is within a short drive of Valentia Island. htttp://www.theringofkerry.com/valentia-island

Valentia Island, (strictly speaking it’s no longer an island as it was connected to the mainland by a bridge in 1971). It, while small in size (approx 12km x 5km) contains a number of interesting sites which when combined with the location makes it a place well worth visiting.  The island itself consists of two small villages Knightstown & Chapel town. Roads on the island tend to be narrow even by Kerry standards and some of the sights to the north of the island (lighthouse etc) are best accessed on foot. The cliff walk and the walk to the old lighthouse give views which are second to none.

However, most tantalising for me was the fact that the boat to Skellig Michael leaves from the tourist centre on Valentia.   Skellig Michael has always been very high on my bucket list and I spent our second night under canvas not only snoring, so I am informed but also dreaming of Skellig Michael, the end of the world.