MICHAEL: Hello and welcome to Ireland with Michael.

I'm Michael Londra, and, in this show, I get to tell you everything I love about my home country the best way I know how, through music.

Today, we're exploring Kerry.

Dubbed Ciarraighe or Ciar's Kingdom by the conquering O'Connors in the first century, this westernmost peninsular county has been known as "the Kingdom" ever since.

It's one of the most visited parts of the Emerald Isle since, as people will tell you, there are only two kingdoms, the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Kerry.

But just because it's popular doesn't mean you have to be surrounded by fellow travelers.

Instead, do as I've done and come during the off-season when all of the best of Kerry is still available to you without any of the crowds.

So, let's enjoy the royal treatment in the Kingdom of Kerry.

♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: Ireland with Michael is made possible by: ♪ MICHAEL: The music, the folklore, and the hospitality.

It's all in Ireland.

♪ ANNOUNCER: CIE Tours, sharing the magic of Ireland for 90 years.

♪ ANNOUNCER: Aer Lingus has been bringing people home since 1936.

If you are thinking about Ireland, Aer Lingus is ready when you are to take you home.

♪ (birds chirping) ♪ (water splashing) ♪ (birds chirping) MICHAEL: Behind me are the astonishing scenics of Ladies View, one of the most popular stops on the extraordinary Ring of Kerry.

It's a 112-mile journey along high, winding roads through fishing villages and up into the mountains, where every turn promises another breathtaking view.

In the summer, the roads can be packed with tour buses, the Ring being an ideal day trip to take in the beauty of Kerry.

However, on this gorgeous but rather breezy April day, I've got the place all to myself.

♪ (sheep bleating) The name Ladies View stems from the admiration of the scenery given by Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting during the monarch's 1861 visit to Ireland.

The Queen and, of course, her beloved husband Albert stayed in nearby Muckross House as guests of the Herbert family, members of the Irish aristocracy and beneficiaries to a rather large copper dynasty.

The Queen's enthusiasm for the Kingdom is said to have put Kerry on the tourism map.

The Muckross demesne was given to the state in 1932, so now you can enjoy the house and gardens just as Victoria and Albert did.

♪ I'm in the heart of Kenmare, which has the most vibrant culinary scene in Kerry, and I can't think of anybody better than my friend Karen from Kenmare Foodie Tours to show me around.

KAREN: How are you, Michael?

Looking forward to showing you some of our best food spots today.

MICHAEL: Let's go.

♪ Karen, we're at the first stop of our mega tour of Kenmare, and the first thing I notice when I walk in here is the color just jumps out at you.

Tell me about this amazing place.

KAREN: This is Heidi Ryan's.

It's an incredible shop run by Sabine and Aidan, and here is where personally I come to do all of my shopping.

I have the butcher next door and then I come in here.

I get my sourdough bread, I get my natural yogurt, I get my local honey.

My farmhouse cheese, which you're going to be tasting some of today, my charcuterie, my eggs.

It's a one-stop shop.

MICHAEL: All right, now, obviously I can't carry on the conversation because this cheese is calling out my name.

And it's local cheese, right?

KAREN: It's local cheese.

As you know, the area you're in, very much cheese is well known here.

So, this is Coolea, about 30 minutes from here, one of the oldest and the longest-serving cheese families that we have in the country.

MICHAEL: Very cool.

KAREN: They won an award this week for a Lifetime Achievement Award at CÁIS, the Irish Cheese Awards, which is a fantastic achievement for them.

Then this is a farmhouse cheese, again from Killorglin.

This is a four-year- old Gouda-style, and you can see there the aging that comes through in the cheese.

And then there's some charcuterie there from Castlegregory.

This is On the Wild Side, made by a lovely Frenchman.

MICHAEL: Ah, oh, so a Frenchman arrived here, decided- KAREN: French man arrived here, decided he was going to start making charcuterie, and last year, he won an award back in his homeland of France for his charcuterie made in Kerry.

MICHAEL: Wow, wow.

KAREN: That's a victory.

MICHAEL: I'm drawn to this cheese.

It looks like it's cut from stone.

KAREN: Because you've got crystallization going on in there from the aging.

Isn't it incredible?

MICHAEL: That is magnificent.

And this is the family cheese of- KAREN: This is Coolea.

MICHAEL: Coolea.

KAREN: So, about a half an hour from here, Coolea.

One of the original cheese makers in West Cork would be Coolea.

MICHAEL: I'm familiar with the musicians of Coolea.

KAREN: Coolea, yes.

MICHAEL: I didn't know that they made cheese as well.

KAREN: They make the best cheese.

MICHAEL: Okay, and finally, a little bit of French- Irish charcuterie.

KAREN: Charcuterie.

So, this is a chorizo and he's got a little bit of Irish whiskey in there as well.

MICHAEL: He does.

KAREN: He does.

There's a good kick from it, isn't there?

MICHAEL: Oh, that's fantastic.

KAREN: That is really good.

♪ MICHAEL: So, Karen, this will probably be my favorite part of the day.

I love me some chocolate.

But this is a special chocolate shop.

KAREN: This is a very special chocolate shop.

It's all made locally, so hyper-local again, and also tying in with local products in the area.

So, this is owned by Benoit Lorge, a fantastic Frenchman who came to Kenmare over 20 years ago and now makes these wonderful chocolates.

So, you get to taste them on the tour.

I love that he ties in local produce.

So, here we have Babors Beans from our local coffee roastery.

And, as you know, Ireland in the 1970s and '80s, we only had tea.

Coffee was very foreign to us.

MICHAEL: And now we're good at coffee.

KAREN: We're good at coffee.

Very good at coffee.

MICHAEL: Oh, that's magnificent.

KAREN: Then this one is from the Beara Peninsula, which is just the most stunning coastline, I think, in Ireland.

Very unbiased there.

And this is Beara Gin in here.

So, we're at the tip of the Beara Peninsula here in Kenmare.

Isn't that good?

MICHAEL: You don't often hear of gin and chocolate.

KAREN: And it works.

MICHAEL: It works beautifully.

Hmm.

KAREN: And then the next one is, probably the most famous of the lot, from Dingle.

This is Dingle Whiskey in here, and I think that works really, really well with the dark chocolate, with the bitterness of the chocolate.

MICHAEL: Ireland with Michael has been to Dingle Whiskey and sampled it.

Sampled a couple of these.

KAREN: So, you know what it's all about.

A couple.

MICHAEL: Oh.

KAREN: Isn't that exceptional?

MICHAEL: That is fantastic.

KAREN: Really, really good.

MICHAEL: I just have to try it one more time though, Karen, just in case.

KAREN: Go on.

You're only in Ireland.

You have to.

MICHAEL: Wow.

♪ Fiachra, walking along the main street of Kenmare, your store pops out with the color and the creativity.

FIACHRA: Thank you.

MICHAEL: Tell me about this incredible artwork here in front of me.

When did you start making this?

FIACHRA: So, I started in 2019, when I kind of took the leap of faith into the world of self-employment.

MICHAEL: So, did you just have a notion to start making pottery?

FIACHRA: A notion is the word for it, absolutely.

(chuckles) MICHAEL: And so when you started, was it a long road to kind of become an expert or?

FIACHRA: Oh, I still don't consider myself an expert by any means.

It's a very varied field, ceramics, so there's, like, a lot to learn.

But I suppose I just kind of found my own path in amongst all that kind of possibility.

MICHAEL: Oh, that's fantastic.

You supply to other businesses?

FIACHRA: I do.

I supply restaurants and hotels as well.

So, they kind of, I do commission work as well as just my own regular work that they kind of buy because the thing about my pieces, they're all dishwasher and food safe.

So, that's a big selling point, the people love that, yeah.

MICHAEL: Very good.

So, just walk through this with me, because I'm looking at a leaf right now.

FIACHRA: So, this is a leaf and they're actually a seasonal piece.

So, when they're out of stock for that time of year, that's it, there's no more.

Each one is imprinted with an actual leaf that I pick from the garden at home, out of Mom's garden, and I roll it into the clay to get the impression and cut it out, so.

MICHAEL: So, if I'm back in the US and I want one of your incredible pieces, am I able to order it online?

Like, do you deliver them?

FIACHRA: Yeah, yeah, I have an online shop.

So, it's FiachraCrowley.com, and there's a shop section on there where I have bowls and dishes and the leaves are up there too.

So, they're available online.

MICHAEL: I know for a fact there's going to be a load of these leaves in my house as soon as I can get them.

They're absolutely gorgeous.

Well done.

FIACHRA: Thank you very much.

♪ MICHAEL: So, Brendan, you're from my part of the country, over in Wicklow.

I'm just south of you.

Your restaurant has quite the reputation.

I know you're winning awards all around you.

What have you got for me today?

BRENDAN: I'm cooking some local lamb rump, and we have a little bit of sweet-and-sour apple with some fresh local mint to go with that.

We also have some lamb cannelloni and some wild garlic pesto as well.

We make our own pesto.

We forage our own wild garlic and make our own pesto at this time of year.

MICHAEL: Well, let's have a look at it.

BRENDAN: Great.

So, we barbecue all our meats and our fish on our Green Egg.

MICHAEL: Very good.

It literally is a green egg.

BRENDAN: Yeah, Green Egg by name, by nature.

(chuckles) MICHAEL: The Green Egg here adds something special to that lamb, does it?

BRENDAN: Yeah, it imparts a subtle smokiness.

MICHAEL: Nice.

BRENDAN: I think that just gives us that extra layer of flavor.

MICHAEL: All right, so let's get it on the plate.

I'm salivating here, Brendan.

BRENDAN: Sure thing, yeah, yeah.

Now, I'll just add some of the wild garlic pesto to that.

(spoon taps on plate) So, that's our lamb.

MICHAEL: What's next?

BRENDAN: We're going to put the lamb cannelloni onto some of Fiachra Crowley's pottery.

MICHAEL: This is remarkable.

BRENDAN: So, this is our accompaniment to the rump of lamb that's on the menu at the moment.

It's a lamb and celeriac cannelloni.

We serve that with some sweet-and-sour apple and some local mint.

MICHAEL: That looks super special.

BRENDAN: I'm just going to finish the lamb rump with a little bit of Dingle Sea Salt as well.

MICHAEL: Nice.

BRENDAN: It's quite an intense salt, so- MICHAEL: You only need a little bit.

BRENDAN: That is more than enough of that, but again, it's part of the area we're in.

It's unique to Kerry.

MICHAEL: Well, all there is now is to taste it.

BRENDAN: Excellent.

♪ MICHAEL: Karen, a few months ago, I was standing outside that window wondering about this restaurant.

I can't believe that I'm about to eat this gorgeous dish in front of me.

KAREN: The reason you're here is because this is actually one of my favorite dishes.

And that cannelloni, for me, it's just a really- just a wonderful way to showcase Irish food in a modern, contemporary style.

So, I'm dying to see- and, of course, the wild garlic as well, which to me is very uniquely Irish.

MICHAEL: That's the thing about this town is that it seems like it's chasing to be the culinary capital of Ireland.

Is it?

KAREN: I would say it is the culinary capital of Ireland.

MICHAEL: Oh!

KAREN: If you want to go there.

MICHAEL: I feel it in the town.

The color on the streets, it's so vibrant.

KAREN: It is.

MICHAEL: And it seems to come out from the storefronts.

KAREN: It is.

And it's kind of just organically happened, you know?

And I think it's down to the people that we have here.

We have an incredible mix of people who come from all over the world.

So, they fall in love with the landscape.

It's completely unspoiled.

You drove this morning through the Caha Mountains and you had to stop to take it all in.

It is breathtaking.

It makes us very unique.

MICHAEL: As breathtaking as that cannelloni?

KAREN: You see, the cannelloni- I just think the food draws inspiration as well from the landscape all around.

MICHAEL: I've never tasted anything like it.

It is spectacularly good.

KAREN: It is.

♪ ♪ ♪ Come over the hills ♪ ♪ My bonny Irish lass ♪ ♪ Come over the hills to your darling ♪ ♪ You choose the road, love ♪ ♪ And I'll make the vow ♪ ♪ And I'll be your true love forever ♪ MICHAEL: Grace, I have heard your name for a long time.

We have a mutual friend and he told me that you're a right singer.

And I thought since we are down in this part of the world, I'd invite you along.

GRACE: Thank you so much for having me.

MICHAEL: You're very welcome.

Now, you're not from Kenmare though.

You're from up the road.

GRACE: I'm from up the road.

I'm from Killarney, but my mom's family are all from Kenmare.

So, I spent a lot of my childhood here.

MICHAEL: Speaking of your childhood, now, I heard you singing online and I was struck by the beauty of your voice.

But it seems to me like you come from a couple of different worlds.

GRACE: (chuckles) I do.

I guess my original background as a young kid was singing a bit of folk, pop, Celine Dion.

And then I went for singing lessons and my singing teacher happened to be a classical singer.

And she was a contralto and it turned out that I was also a contralto, which is a very rare female voice type.

So, I fell into the world of classical singing, and now I guess I'm falling out the other side, a little bit back into folk a little bit at the moment.

♪ Red is the rose ♪ ♪ That in yonder garden grows ♪ ♪ Fair is the lily of the valley ♪ ♪ Clear is the water ♪ ♪ That flows from the Boyne ♪ ♪ But my love is fairer than any ♪ MICHAEL: You don't tour a lot.

I know you've a wee bairn at home, a wee baby.

GRACE: I do, little Anna, she's three.

Yeah, yeah.

MICHAEL: All right.

But you do record a lot.

GRACE: I do, I do, and our mutual friend Niall actually co-produced my first album, Unleashed.

I've made five records at this stage, so I've made quite a bit, and I'm just delving into my own songwriting as well now, and also planning to record some Christie Hennessy songs in the next few months.

MICHAEL: Christie Hennessy, a great, great songwriter and singer indeed from Ireland.

Beloved in this country.

GRACE: Yeah, especially in this county, yeah.

And really honest.

I love when people write and sing from their heart, and he did that beautifully.

♪ Red is the rose ♪ ♪ That in yonder garden grows ♪ ♪ Fair is the lily of the valley ♪ ♪ Clear is the water ♪ ♪ That flows from the Boyne ♪ ♪ But my love is fairer than any ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Tis not for the parting that my sister pains ♪ ♪ 'Tis not for the grief of my mother ♪ ♪ 'Tis all for the loss of my bonny Irish lass ♪ ♪ That my heart is breaking forever ♪ ♪ Red is the rose ♪ ♪ That in yonder garden grows ♪ ♪ Fair is the lily of the valley ♪ ♪ Clear is the water ♪ ♪ That flows from the Boyne ♪ ♪ But my love is fairer than any ♪ ♪ Yes, my love is fairer than any ♪ ♪ MICHAEL: We're continuing along the Ring of Kerry, headed for Killarney and the Great Southern Hotel.

Since its opening in 1854, the hotel has consistently ranked as one of the finest hotels in the world, including recently being named the best historic hotel in all of Europe.

They've hosted everyone from Queen Victoria, Queen Salote of Tonga, Charlie Chaplin, and Ireland's former president, Éamon de Valera.

I'm right here in the center of Killarney, just outside the Great Southern Hotel, but I'm about to board this gorgeous jaunting car and this beautiful horse is going to take me around Killarney National Park.

♪ (horse hooves clopping) Killarney National Park was the first national park in Ireland.

Created in 1932, it's been substantially expanded over the years and now encompasses over 25,000 acres.

The park has the most extensive covering of native forest in Ireland and has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

♪ So, Michael, how long are you doing this?

What age were you when you started?

MICHAEL T.: Well, I grew up with horses.

As I tell the tourists, I grew up with rocking horses.

(Michael Londra laughs) So I- driving myself personally, I suppose over 20 years.

But I am actually a fifth generation in my family business to take on the tours of Killarney.

MICHAEL: What kind of year was that when it started then?

MICHAEL T.: In the 1800s.

MICHAEL: Wow.

MICHAEL T.: So, my grandfathers and my great-grandfathers would've been actually gamekeepers in the estate here.

So, it was all part of the job, taking guests out on hunting tours.

MICHAEL: Yes.

So, when you enter this amazing national park, you kind of switch off the rest of the world, don't you?

MICHAEL T.: You do, 'cause you're entering here into Killarney National Park.

As you notice, there's no cars in here.

MICHAEL: Right.

MICHAEL T.: And the air is so clear and fresh.

No pollution.

So tranquil 'cause there's no noise.

And we're just listening to Big John here clip-clopping along the park road.

And shortly now, we're gonna be heading down to the lakes of Killarney.

So, a very peaceful area that we're gonna be seeing.

MICHAEL: Tell me about John.

I don't think I've seen a more handsome horse in my life.

MICHAEL T.: Oh, he's easy on the eye, Big John, yeah.

He's a crowd pleaser, a crowd pleaser.

So, when you see him trotting along like he is with the high step, so, people do admire him.

You know, stand back and... MICHAEL: I've heard from people who take Ireland with Michael vacations and who come on your jaunting cars, they tell me how well you treat the horses.

MICHAEL T.: Oh, you have to, sure.

They're the backbone of everything, the business, you know?

♪ (horse hooves clopping) ♪ MICHAEL: My private carriage has delivered me right to the doorstep of Castle Ross on Lough Leane.

The impressive tower house was built in the 15th century as the seat of O'Donoghue Mór.

So mighty was the fortress that a local prophecy proclaimed, "Ross may all assault disdain 'til, on Lough Leane, strange ship shall sail."

In other words, only an assault by a warship on the lake could capture the castle.

In fact, the prophecy proved true, as Cromwellian forces couldn't take Ross by siege.

That is, until Cromwell's second-in-command, Ludlow, brought the artillery up the River Laune by night.

At daybreak, the forces within surrendered upon seeing the ship in the bay.

♪ You know, there's one other advantage to traveling off-season.

I just checked into the five-star luxury resort, the Europe Hotel, right here in Killarney.

I got an incredible rate, but just look at the view.

♪ Situated on the shores of Lough Leane and shining like a jewel in the majestic Kerry landscape, the Europe Hotel and Spa offers the ultimate luxurious escape.

♪ It's hard to believe you're only a few minutes from Killarney, making it the perfect place to use as a base to explore the lakes, mountains, and parkland along this part of the Ring of Kerry.

After a day in the brisk Kerry air off-season, you can always come back to the Europe and dive into their warm vitality outdoor pools.

♪ ♪ We're finishing our tour of the Ring of Kerry in Cahersiveen, home of Irish tenor Gavan Ring.

♪ In sleeping time or waking time ♪ ♪ 'Tis there I long to be ♪ Gavan sang for us in a previous season of Ireland with Michael.

♪ But it turns out he's also a pretty fine flautist or, as we say in Ireland, a fella who plays the flute fairly well.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Thanks for joining me on my travels around the Kingdom of Kerry.

I'm Michael Londra and I hope to see you next time on Ireland with Michael.

But for now, cheers.

Sláinte.

ANNOUNCER: Want to continue your travels to Ireland?

Your choice of the Ireland with Michael DVD Seasons one and two or Seasons three and four with bonus concert footage is available for $30.

Ireland with Michael: A Musical Journey CD with songs from Michael and his guest artists, is available for $20.

The Ireland with Michael Companion travel book, featuring places to visit as seen in all seasons, is also available for $30.

This offer is made by Wexford House.

Shipping and handling is not included.

MICHAEL: To learn more about everything you've seen in this episode, go to IrelandWithMichael.com.

ANNOUNCER: Ireland with Michael was made possible by: ♪ MICHAEL: The music, the folklore, and the hospitality.

It's all in Ireland.

♪ ANNOUNCER: CIE Tours, sharing the magic of Ireland for 90 years.

♪ ANNOUNCER: Aer Lingus has been bringing people home since 1936.

If you're thinking about Ireland, Aer Lingus is ready when you are to take you home.

MICHAEL: Okay, put your hands up in the air!

Come on, let's get a-wavin'!

♪ In my heart, its rightful queen ♪ ♪ Ever loving, ever tender ♪ That's it!

♪ Ever true ♪ ♪ Like the sun, your smile has shone ♪ Go on, Wexford!

♪ Gladdening all it glowed upon ♪ ♪