Day 3 of our Irish getaway delivered pure magic, complete with incredible mountain views, a century-old carriage ride, and an unexpected milestone for our family!

A Surprise Visit from the Irish Tooth Fairy

We woke up in Killarney to a big event: my son lost a tooth!

We quickly learned about a charming local twist on the Tooth Fairy tradition here in Ireland—while American Tooth Fairies often leave a coin or bill under the pillow, Irish tradition frequently includes a small gift or toy to mark the occasion. Sure enough, he woke up to find a adorable little stuffed sheep waiting for him.

It couldn’t have been more fitting. Wool and sheep farming have been the lifeblood of rural Ireland for centuries, and everywhere you look along the hills of Kerry, you’ll spot fluffy white sheep dotted across the green fields (often sprayed with bright paint marks so farmers can keep track of their herds!).

Morning: Cruising Killarney National Park

After the morning excitement, we headed into Killarney National Park for a scenic boat ride across the water.

Gliding across Lough Leane surrounded by native oak woodlands, mountain peaks, and ancient monastic ruins felt like stepping right into a painting.

🇺🇸 Surprising Connection to the USA

Did you know that Ireland’s very first national park actually exists thanks to an American? In 1910, wealthy California entrepreneur William Bowers Bourn bought the massive 11,000-acre Muckross Estate as a wedding gift for his daughter and her Irish husband, Arthur Vincent. In 1932, the family generously donated the entire estate to the Irish government, establishing Killarney National Park!

Today, Killarney National Park is even officially twinned as a “Sister Park” with Glacier National Park in Montana, USA!

Afternoon: The Gap of Dunloe by Horse & Carriage

Next up was the main event of the day: taking a horse-drawn jaunting car (a traditional Irish horse and carriage) through the famous Gap of Dunloe.

Saying this valley is STUNNING doesn’t even do it justice. The pass winds for nearly seven miles through a dramatic, steep-sided glacial valley flanked by MacGillycuddy’s Reeks (Ireland’s highest mountain range) on one side and Purple Mountain on the other.

⚠️ TIP FOR TRAVELERS: If you grab a drink at the coffee stand near Kate Kearney’s Cottage before boarding your carriage, DO NOT bring hot chocolate onto the ride! The path through the gap is rugged, winding, and extremely bumpy. Consider this your official warning—unless you want hot cocoa splashed all over your jacket!

History & Fun Facts Along the Gap

• Carved by Glaciers: The narrow mountain pass was carved out over 25,000 years ago during the last Ice Age as giant melting ice sheets tore through the rock, leaving behind five pristine lakes connected by the River Loe.
• Centuries of “Poneymen”: The horse carriage drivers (known as Poneymen) operate on a family rotation system that dates back generations—many drivers are navigating the exact same path their great-great-grandfathers drove a century ago!
• Kate Kearney’s Poitín: The entrance to the Gap sits at Kate Kearney’s Cottage. Back in the early 1800s, Kate was famous for distilling illegal poitín (moonshine) called “Kate Kearney’s Mountain Dew,” which she served to weary travelers before they braved the mountain pass!
• Early Hollywood Fame: Long before Star Wars filmed nearby, American-Canadian filmmaker Sidney Olcott fell in love with Kerry and shot silent films in the Gap of Dunloe in 1911! These movies played in American theaters, sparking one of the very first international tourism booms to the region.

Between the boat ride, the mountain air, the bumpy carriage ride, and a new stuffed sheep, it was easily one of the most memorable days of our entire trip.