It seems that the Kingdom of Kerry is exerting some strange pull over me of late. New Age friends tell me that perhaps it's because Venus is about to transit across the sun for the first time in over a century or possibly it's Pluto retrograde, but whatever alignments the heavens are currently in, they seem to be drawing me inexorably to the Southwest. This time I was on a mission, I was heading to Ballinskelligs to meet a chef.

It has been pattern for the past thirty years that talented Irish chefs packed their bags and set of for elsewhere, where they could perfect their skills and maybe even make some real money. In recent years that trend seems to be abating, more and more good chefs are finding work and making names for themselves right here. Some, like the man I was going to meet, are coming back after years abroad.

John Casey's life has been filled with some extraordinary coincidences. He began his life on Bolus Head, one the furthest extremities of this island. From here his cooking career took him to Switzerland, then to London's Savoy, then to the prestigious Ritz Carlton in Boston. Here he was the head 'saucier' and after this his career began to hit dizzy heights. Next was California - first at Coto de Casa in Los Angeles, and then on to La Costa Resort in San Diego. And it was in California that he met his wife Deirdre, who was from Ballinskelligs, just next door to Bolus Head. The auld sod was calling, so he came back to Ireland to take up the job of head chef in Mount Juliet.

But the travels didn't end. He was head-hunted for The Island Inn and Mango Bay hotel chain in the Caribbean, where he cooked for Bill Clinton and Fidel Castro, amongst others. And it was there, in the Caribbean, that his life changed dramatically. Diagnosed with a massive brain tumour, he was operated on in Miami and thankfully all is now well. Despite his recovery, John decided that it was time to change his life and make it simple. That decision brought them home again, home right to their Kerry roots. He and Deirdre have set up their catering company in Ballinskelligs, in the Cill Rialiag Arts Centre, where you can find Casey's Kitchen.

The Arts Centre is purpose built and fits nicely into the landscape. Inside there is plenty of light and there is always an exhibition of either paintings or sculpture, or both, taking place. Just inside the door is where Casey's Kitchen is, with a ceiling almost entirely of glass filling the space with light. Surrounded by the exhibits on the walls are simple tables and chairs, with a simple lunch-time only menu. Quite a change from executive chef of a huge international chain of hotels. But here in Ballinskelligs, back in his roots, the simplicity brought about by downsizing his work load and stress levels, it all seems completely in keeping.

Everything on the menu is simple but good. Starters comprise a wholesome soup, pasta, various salads, wraps and sandwiches. Nothing costs more than €8.95, there's a kiddies' special for €2.50 and desserts, which include all the old favourites, like apple tart as well as more adventurous dishes like chocolate, lemon and carrot cake. For me there's something very pleasing about finding simple dishes made with immense skill. Apart from that, there's a rarity value as well, since chefs with John's experience rarely confine themselves to making simple foods.

When dinner time came, John did something that he says still gives him huge pleasure: he shut up shop. In this new life there are no late nights at work, just nights at home with his family. But he was keen to get me to sample the gastronomy of Ballinskelligs Bay, so we set off for the Butler Arms Hotel in Waterville.

The Butler Arms is an old an well-established hotel, where such luminaries as Charlie Chaplin have spent time. You'll find the walls covered with photographs of anyone who was anyone that stayed here. The dining room is large and is furnished with exactly the furniture that you'd expect to find in a provincial hotel. One side of the dining room is made of large picture windows that look out towards the sea. Not actually at it; a surprising feature is a five-foot hedge that makes any view of the Bay impossible.

There's an a la carte menu, a set dinner at €45 and another at €33, so at first sight it isn't cheap. The food however is good; I started with a pan-fried loin of rabbit which was as good as I've had anywhere and I followed it with fillet of beef which was cooked exactly as I like it and was very tender. The service was attentive and professional, but I was left with the impression that although the cooking was up to the standard that the price indicated, the room itself wasn't. At these prices I'd expect to find better quality glassware, cutlery and tableware. Despite these reservations, we had an enjoyable evening there. All of which means that visitors to Ballinskelligs Bay have a range eating houses to choose from.

Driving back to Wicklow I made a pit-stop in Birdhill, at Matt the Thresher's. What could so easily be bog-standard bar food gets a bit of a lift here. There's a nice feel to this place; low ceilings and lots of bric-a-brac give it a look of the Old Curiosity Shop, and as I said, the food is well above average for a road-house. What surprised and pleased as well was the fact that you can get a good espresso here - a useful pick-me-up when there's a long drive ahead.