If you continue south from Ardgroom along the main R571 road you will know you are arriving at Eyeries when you round a bend and gasp at the idyllic location of the local GAA pitch.
If however, you remain on the backroads coming from Ardgroom you will have the opportunity to visit Kilcatherine Point, a remote and very scenic headland off the beaten track that has views of the spine of Beara – the Slieve Miskish Mountains, Coulagh Bay and across towards the mountains of the Ring of Kerry.
You could also stop off to visit the Hag of Beara, a mythological creature who according to legend was turned into this rock by Saint Caitarin after she stole a bible from him and he recovered it with the help of a local cripple. The stretch of drive from Kilcatherine into Eyeries village is particularly scenic and with the sun shining down you can’t help but think that there really is nowhere else quite like it in the world (such an Irish way of thinking!). Closer to the village, the tallest Ogham Stone in the world can be found at Ballycrovane. It stands at over 5 metres tall so you can take a snap and try to remember your Stone Age facts from school history lessons!
Coming into the village, the brightly painted houses vividly contrast with the greens, blues and greys of nature all around. Eyeries village won the National Tidy Towns competition in 2012 and are certainly on track for more success in 2016 with each house and even the roads immaculate throughout!
Causkey’s Bar in the village is probably one of the nicest places you could sit and sip a sunset drink out on the sundeck.
It may be a small village in a remote, rural part of the country but we are in west Cork so of course there will be great food! You will find delicious dishes using fresh local ingredients at the Eyeries Bistro and when I say delicious, I mean really, really delicious prawns!! The outdoor terrace is very well sheltered from the prevailing south-westerlies so you can sit outdoors and enjoy the beautiful views of the area in comfort.
Once the sun goes down, you could settle in with the locals at O’Shea’s pub across the road from the Bistro for a game of cards or just get cosy in front of the fire!
Do be tempted to travel further along to Allihies. The road from Eyeries hugs the coastline under the shelter of the Slieve Miskish mountains & is a breath-taking experience in itself, read more here…