AROUND IRELAND BY B&B
Oisin Bed & Breakfast
Waterville, Co. Kerry
(Part 1 is here)

by Kelly Monaghan

The view from our window at Oisin.

This was our favorite stopping off place in Irleand, thanks largely to the wonderful folks who run the place, Angela and Mihol Hallissey. He's a schoolmaster and an accomplished vegetable gardener, she's a homemaker and a perfectly delightful hostess.

The highlight of the day was returning to the B&B for an evening chat with Angela and Mihol who were eager to hear about our adventures. This part of Kerry is the Gaeltacht or irish-speaking region Ireland and Mihol is a native speaker. He was more than happy to help us learn how to pronounce the almost incomprehensible Irish place names that are sometimes similar to their English counterparts, but often completely different.

The Irish breakfasts here were wonderful, with local bacon and sausages that were the best we had in Ireland. But I quickly fell in love with the porridge, organic oats that were deliciously nutty and a far cry from the wan oatmeal we get in the United States. Alas, we didn't have time to track down the stuff in a local store (they're from a local organic cooperative).

Oisin is a farm house, located about 12 kilometers inland from Waterville along the Inny River. It makes a good base for exploring the Iverragh Peninsula and the southwesternmost part of the Ring of Kerry scenic drive.

The Hallisseys helped us plan an outing to the Skelligs, the area's primo attraction, keeping an eye on the weather so we went on the perfect day. They made all the arrangements. All we had to do was show up on the dock for the 45-minute trip out to the jaw-droppingly beautiful craggy island. At the summit, seventh century monks built a monastery where they could search for God without interruption -- except, of course, for the Vikings who breezed through periodically and killed everyone they could get their hands on until they, too, became Christians.

Angela and Mihol will help you organize a walk along The Kerry Way, arranging for B&Bs a day's walk apart, box lunches, evening meals (when the B&B isn't close to a restaurant), and transportation of your bags between lodgings. I've done something similar in England and it's a great idea.

A restaurant tip for Waterville: Look for Charlie's. It's a bit off the main tourist track, under new management, and not in the guidebooks. But the prices are extremely modest and the food excellent. One of the best meals we had in Ireland and certainly the best value.

Oisin
Mastergeehy
Waterville, Co. Kerry
066 947 4479
bandboisin@hotmail.com
www.oisinfarmhouse.com
2 twin/double, 1 family, all en suite
Open March - October

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