A small hotel, the Ford Ri, and several bed and breakfasts cater to the few travelers who wander this way. It was at one of the guesthouses that I discovered the culinary talents of owner Barry Harrington and of his wife, Mary. Castletown House doubles as a restaurant, and the food here is very good, indeed. Barry is a small, intense man who trained as a chef. He has developed a style typical of the kitchen revolution sweeping Ireland.
Stews are out, cuisine is in.
The Harringtons rely heavily on local seasonal ingredients. With a peat fire burning merrily in their dining room grate, they invariably produce a savory sole or brill from that day's trawler catch or a masterful preparation of mussels from beds at Ardgroom, on Beara's north shore. Sunday after Mass in Sacred Heart Church, he marshaled a 10-car convoy of visitors, teachers, farmers and fishermen. Once past the square we headed west along the narrow coast road. The air was gray with mist and drizzle.