Healy Pass Adrigole (West Cork)

[Dragonheart]

I see some of ye went up the tunnel road from Glengarriff to Kenmare a while back. Just wondering did ye ever do the Healy Pass road from Adrigole to Kenmare, Adrigole is about 10 miles West of Glengarriff for those who dont know West Cork. I did it on Saturday, the road is windier and longer than the tunnel road, with no protection in a lot of areas, and the Rally of the Lakes passes it every so often. Said I'd take the FTO up there, so I did, it was unreal going around the bends, you have a clear vision for most of the turns, and take them at the right speed and the tyres start screehing, childish, but god what a buzz! Back through Kenmare then and down the tunnel road, got stuck behind a family car coming through the main tunnel who started beeping, so threw it into 2nd gear and the noise was unbelievable! Think the crowd in the car in front had to change their underwear after hearing it, 2 kids poked their heads out the back window as we were going through and they looked afraid, very afriad!! To be honest, I was a bit afraid! Ye should try it sometime, its a beautiful trip on a fine day, would be ideal for a meet someday.

[CJ]

I drove the road from the Kenmare tunnel down towards Glengarrif \ Bantry after the last trip up to the tunnel, is this the same road perhaps? If so, you would want to have your wiots about you alright!

CJ

[Myfeckin FTO]

I've done this trip several times - Its fairly entertaining alright - especially once the tourist traffic is gone from the road in the off-season. Agree its a great place for a meet except you'd never get the Dubs to travel that far!

[CJ]

except you'd never get the Dubs to travel that far!

You say it likes thats a bad thing - did you ever see what happened to Courtown in Wexford? Unless I've turned into a culchie overnight, I think you'll find that that Dubs will in fact travel that far!

CJ

[Myfeckin FTO]

except you'd never get the Dubs to travel that far!

......... Unless I've turned into a culchie overnight, I think you'll find that that Dubs will in fact travel that far!

CJ

I know we've done the Kerry trip a couple of times together now - but thats the exception rather than the rule - from experience its hard enough to get Dubs to Dublin meets nevermind the West of Ireland meets.

Must be all that fresh air and culture in the West thats putting ye off!

[Dragonheart]

I drove the road from the Kenmare tunnel down towards Glengarrif \ Bantry after the last trip up to the tunnel, is this the same road perhaps? If so, you would want to have your wiots about you alright!

CJ

Ya thats the road back, the Healy Pass is better than this one, they're after widening the tunnel road and putting crash barriers up so its not half as exciting as it used be. You might remember when the Ford Mondeo came out first, the ad was filmed on the tunnel road, but that was in the good old days when it was actually a challenge.
The Pass is unreal, its where a lot of the West Cork rally drivers practice, mostly by night, and if there is a car coming you see it well in advance.
Shame a meet couldnt be going down here, though it is a long journey, about an hour and a half from Cork on the back road.
This is the best picture I could get of it.