DAY 1: Galway to Killarney (via a break for lunch in Newcastle West in Limerick - we were glad we didn't wait to eat in Killarney because it was HOPPING and the traffic was unrelenting); part of the Ring of Kerry to Kenmare and on to Bantry taking the N71.
DAY 2: From Bantry we drove to Mizen Head and Barleycove beach, before heading to Skibbereen via Schull. After stocking up on supplies in Skibbereen we (eventually) found our way to one of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland, Galley Head, near Clonakility. We stayed for two nights in the lightkeepers' houses down at Galley Head, which really was a dream come true for me... more about this further on.
DAY 3: This was spent hanging around Inchydoney beach, just down the road from Clonakilty, and bothering the lighthouse (walking around it, looking in all the windows, taking photographs from a million different angles, etc.).
DAY 4: After a fantastic tour of the lighthouse from lighthouse attendant Gerald Butler, we said our goodbyes and made our way to Kinsale, via the Old Head of Kinsale and Ballinspittle. From Kinsale we soldiered on up north to Cork city, Limerick, and finally, home to Galway.
In summary, we had one night in Bantry and two in Galley Head and we drove about 800km in total - we couldn't walk or talk for about two days after returning to Galway but it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. I've written all about our West Cork expedition below...