Killarney National Park & Sheep Herding

We drove through the Killarney National Park on Day 5.  It was a scenic drive with mountains that were more similar to what I know in the Pacific Northwest rather than what I expected in Ireland; quite the pleasant surprise!  Be sure to grab a quick lunch in Kenmare at the coffee stop to eat at Muchross House after today's big event: sheep herding.  In Kenmare, several of us used the extra few minutes to pop into the local lace making museum (quite small, but the demonstration of the various techniques was rather interesting). 

On the way to Dingle, we visited Kissane Sheep Farm, which is set in picturesque mountains of Killarney.  There, we were privy to an exhibition of their sheep herding dogs in action, which is a site to behold.  These sheep are known as Jacob sheep, harkening back to the Bible stories I learned as a child.  The dogs were eager to participate and we learned that if sheep are sold, it must be to a farm at some distance as sheep are creatures of habit and will always return to the same location, sometimes crossing streams and rivers to their own peril.  The dogs quickly herded the sheep who were each snuggled into their regular areas (much like we have our homes, so do they in the pasture).  The owners also showed us how traditional sheering is accomplished, which we soon saw took far longer than the second sheep when they used an electric razor instead.  

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We stopped for a picnic lunch at Muckross House & Gardens on the way to Dingle. This location evokes images of people over the centuries strolling across the vast lawns and enjoying the peacefulness this location exudes.  It was easy to see how one might enjoy one of the carriage rides around the grounds or sipping a glass of wine under one of the large trees that provided shade. 

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