An opportunity from the past
AS a child growing up Muiris Walsh remembers strangers calling to his home asking for permission to see the ancient Standing Stone pair on his family farm over looking Valentia island in South Kerry.
“The generations of farmers before me kept the Standing Stones safe. I often wondered about what their purpose was, why they were there and I sometimes grumbled about them getting in the way when silage needed to be cut. But here they are 1,000’s of years later giving me a great idea that could help me pass on to my children a new way of making a living out of the land.”
Muiris like many other Irish farmers today cannot rely on farming as their sole source of income and must supplement it with off-farm work.
For Muiris, it was the towering Standing Stones on his family farm that gave him the answer - to show visitors the fascinating sites along the Skellig Coast and tell the stories that bring them to life.And so Iveragh Historical Tours started out providing driver guided tours on the Skellig Ring with Muiris showing South Kerry as only a local can.
According to Muiris “visiting the sites without a local guide is like visiting someone’s home when no one is there, the house might be beautiful and comfortable with lots of happy family photos but the real enjoyment happens and the heart warming memories are made when you are greeted and entertained by the hosts in their own home”.
With a selection of four tours to pick from, his guests can find what suits their particular interest. Star Wars fans can join Muiris on the Skellig Wars Tour. Others can discover the Vikings, Monks and Chieftains Tour the Vikings on Beginnis Island and hear about south Kerry’s very own version of Game of Thrones.
“I am not an archaeologist and I was not a fan of history at school but I do love the stories behind the many amazing sites along the Skellig Coast from the 385 million year old Tetrapod Tracks to the birth place of the world wide web of telecommunication, the Transatlantic cable,” he said.
Find out more about the tours and Muuiris Walsh’s business at www.iveraghhistoricaltours. com.