County Kerry, Ireland
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County Kerry () is a
county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
on the southwest coast of
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, within the
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
and the Southern Region. It is bordered by two other counties;
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
to the east, and
Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...
to the south and east. It is separated from Clare to the north by the
Shannon Estuary The Shannon Estuary in Ireland () is a large estuary where the River Shannon flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The estuary has Limerick City at its head and its seaward limits are marked by Loop Head to the north and Kerry Head to the south. Th ...
. With an area of and a population of 156,458 as of 2022, it is the 5th largest of Ireland's 32 counties by land area, and the 15th most populous. The governing
local authority Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...
is
Kerry County Council Kerry County Council () is the Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authority of County Kerry, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roa ...
. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Kerry is Ireland's most westerly county. Its rugged coastline stretches for and is characterised by bays, sea cliffs, beaches and many small offshore islands, of which the
Blaskets The Blasket Islands () are an uninhabited group of islands off the west coast of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The last island to hold a significant population, Great Blasket Island, was abandoned in 1954 due to population decl ...
and the Skelligs are the most notable. The county's peninsulas have a hilly to mountainous topography, with the
MacGillycuddy's Reeks MacGillycuddy's Reeks () is a sandstone and siltstone mountain range in the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. Stretching , from the Gap of Dunloe in the east, to Glencar, County Kerry, Glencar in the west, the Reeks is Ireland's high ...
on Iveragh rising to over . By contrast, its interior regions are mostly flat, interspersed with low mountain ranges such as the Stacks and the Mullaghareirks. The climate of Kerry is dominated by the
North Atlantic Current The North Atlantic Current (NAC), also known as North Atlantic Drift and North Atlantic Sea Movement, is a powerful warm western boundary current within the Atlantic Ocean that extends the Gulf Stream northeastward. Characteristics The NAC ...
and is usually mild and humid, with abundant precipitation. This allows for the growth of a wide variety of temperate and sub-tropical plants not typically found at such northerly latitudes. The county is named after the Cíarraige people, who were the region's dominant pre-historic sept. County Kerry first appeared as a separate shire in 1232, and was at that time part of a royal grant given to the
Earls of Desmond Earl of Desmond ( meaning Earl of South Munster) is a title of nobility created by the English monarch in the peerage of Ireland. The title has been created four times. It was first awarded in 1329 to Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond, Maur ...
. The present-day county was divided for centuries between the Gaelic
Kingdom of Desmond The Kingdom of Desmond () was a historic kingdom in southwestern Ireland. It was founded in 1118 by Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh, King of Munster when the Treaty of Glanmire formally divided the Kingdom of Munster into Desmond and Thomond (, "North ...
, ruled by the Mac Cárthaigh dynasty, and the Anglo-Norman Earldom of Desmond, ruled by the
Geraldines The FitzGerald dynasty is a Hiberno-Norman noble and aristocratic dynasty, originally of Cambro-Norman and Anglo-Norman origin. They have been peers of Ireland since at least the 13th century, and are described in the Annals of the Four M ...
. These two regions were merged in 1606 in the aftermath of the
Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War was a European great power conflict from 1688 to 1697 between Kingdom of France, France and the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), Grand Alliance. Although largely concentrated in Europe, fighting spread to colonial poss ...
. Kerry has two official
Gaeltacht A ( , , ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The districts were first officially recognised ...
regions, on the Iveragh Peninsula and on the
Dingle Peninsula The Dingle Peninsula (; anglicised as Corkaguiny or Corcaguiny, the name of the corresponding barony) is the northernmost of the major peninsulas in County Kerry. It ends beyond the town of Dingle at Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of m ...
, the latter of which is the only Gaeltacht in Munster where Irish is the daily spoken language of the majority of the population. In the county as a whole, 40.2 percent of residents were able to speak Irish The regional dialect is
Munster Irish Munster Irish (, ) is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Munster. Gaeltacht regions in Munster are found in the Gaeltachtaí of the Dingle Peninsula in west County Kerry, in the Iveragh Peninsula in south Kerry, in ...
, exemplified by the influential works of Blasket Islanders such as Peig Sayers,
Muiris Ó Súilleabháin Muiris Ó Súilleabháin (; 19 February 1904 – 25 June 1950), anglicised as Maurice O'Sullivan, was an Irish author famous for his Irish language memoir of growing up on the Great Blasket Island and in Dingle, County Kerry, off the western c ...
and
Tomás Ó Criomhthain (; commonly anglicised as Tomás O'Crohan and occasionally as Thomas O'Crohan; 29 April 1855 – 7 March 1937) was a native of the Irish-speaking Great Blasket Island near the coast of the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. He wrote two Irish-langu ...
.


Geography and subdivisions

Kerry is the fifth largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties by area and the fifteenth largest by population. It is the second largest of Munster's six counties by area, and the fourth largest by population. Uniquely, it is bordered by only two other counties:
County Limerick County Limerick () is a western Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Reg ...
to the east and
County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...
to the south-east. The
county town In Great Britain and Ireland, a county town is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county, and the place where public representatives are elected to parliament. Following the establishment of county councils in ...
is
Tralee Tralee ( ; , ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the River Lee') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in ...
although the Catholic diocesan seat is
Killarney Killarney ( ; , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Killar ...
, which is one of Ireland's most famous tourist destinations. The
Lakes of Killarney The Lakes of Killarney are a scenic attraction located in Killarney National Park near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes: Lough Leane, Muckross Lake (also called Middle Lake) and Upper Lake. Surroundings The ...
, an area of outstanding natural beauty, are located in
Killarney National Park Killarney National Park (), near the town of Killarney, County Kerry, was the first national park in Ireland, created when the Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish Free State in 1932. The park has since been substantially expanded and en ...
. The
Reeks District Tourism in the Republic of Ireland is one of the biggest contributors to the economy of Ireland, with 9.0 million people visiting the country in 2017, about 1.8 times Ireland's population. Each year, about €5.2bn in revenue is made fro ...
is home to
Carrauntoohil Carrauntoohil, Carrauntoohill or Carrantuohill ( ; , meaning "Tuathal's sickle") is the Lists of mountains in Ireland, highest mountain in Ireland at . It is on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, close to the centre of Ireland's highest mo ...
, Ireland's highest mountain at 1,039m. The tip of the
Dingle Peninsula The Dingle Peninsula (; anglicised as Corkaguiny or Corcaguiny, the name of the corresponding barony) is the northernmost of the major peninsulas in County Kerry. It ends beyond the town of Dingle at Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of m ...
is the westernmost point of Ireland.


Baronies

There are nine historic
baronies Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". * Clanmaurice – ' * Corkaguiny – ' *
Dunkerron North Dunkerron North () is a historical barony in central County Kerry, Ireland. Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units. They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being supersede ...
– ' *
Dunkerron South Dunkerron South () is a historical barony in northeastern County Kerry, Ireland. Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units. They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being supe ...
– ' * Glanarought – ' * Iraghticonnor – ' * Iveragh (Peninsula) – ' *
Magunihy Magunihy (; also spelled ''Magonhy'') is a historical barony in eastern County Kerry, Ireland. Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units. They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century bef ...
– ' *
Trughanacmy Trughanacmy () is a barony in County Kerry, Ireland. The barony is an obsolete administrative area, having ceased to have any government function since the enactment of the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898.https://www.logainm.ie/ga/87 In 18 ...
– '


Most populous towns


Physical geography

Kerry faces the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
and, typically for an Eastern-Atlantic coastal region, features many
peninsulas A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . ...
and inlets, principally the
Dingle Peninsula The Dingle Peninsula (; anglicised as Corkaguiny or Corcaguiny, the name of the corresponding barony) is the northernmost of the major peninsulas in County Kerry. It ends beyond the town of Dingle at Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of m ...
, the
Iveragh Peninsula The Iveragh Peninsula () is located in County Kerry in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the largest peninsula in southwestern Ireland. A mountain range, the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, lies in the centre of the peninsula. Carrauntoohil, its hig ...
, and the
Beara Peninsula Beara () or the Beara Peninsula is a peninsula on the south-west coast of Ireland, bounded between the Kenmare River (which is actually a bay) to the north side and Bantry Bay to the south. It contains two mountain ranges running down its ce ...
. The county is bounded on the west by the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
and on the north by the
River Shannon The River Shannon ( or archaic ') is the major river on the island of Ireland, and at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of I ...
. Kerry is one of the most mountainous regions of Ireland and its three highest mountains,
Carrauntoohil Carrauntoohil, Carrauntoohill or Carrantuohill ( ; , meaning "Tuathal's sickle") is the Lists of mountains in Ireland, highest mountain in Ireland at . It is on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, close to the centre of Ireland's highest mo ...
,
Beenkeragh Beenkeragh or Benkeeragh () is the second-highest peak in Ireland, at . It is part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range in County Kerry. Beenkeragh also gives its name the infamous ''Beenkeragh Ridge'', the narrow rocky arêtes, arete between Bee ...
and Caher, all part of the
MacGillycuddy's Reeks MacGillycuddy's Reeks () is a sandstone and siltstone mountain range in the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. Stretching , from the Gap of Dunloe in the east, to Glencar, County Kerry, Glencar in the west, the Reeks is Ireland's high ...
range. Just off the coast are a number of islands, including the
Blasket Islands The Blasket Islands () are an uninhabited group of islands off the west coast of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The last island to hold a significant population, Great Blasket Island, was abandoned in 1954 due to population decl ...
,
Valentia Island Valentia Island () is one of Republic of Ireland, Ireland's most westerly points. It lies in Dingle Bay off the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest of County Kerry. It is linked to the mainland by the Maurice O'Neill Memorial Bridge at Portmagee ...
and the
Skelligs The Skellig Islands (), historically "the Skellocks", are two small, steep, and rocky islands lying about west of Bolus Head off the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The larger of the two is Skellig Michael (also known as Great Skell ...
.
Skellig Michael Skellig Michael ( ), also called Great Skellig ( ), is a twin-pinnacled crag west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The island is named after the archangel Michael, with "Skellig" derived from the Irish language word , meaning ...
is a
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, famous for the
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
clinging to the island's cliffs. The county contains the extreme west point of Ireland,
Dunmore Head Dunmore Head () is a promontory in the westernmost part of the Dingle Peninsula, located in the barony of Corca Dhuibhne in southwest County Kerry, Ireland. The headland, together with parts of Mount Eagle's northern slopes is formed from ste ...
on the Dingle Peninsula, or including islands,
Tearaght Island Tearaght Island or Inishtearaght (, meaning 'the westerly') is an uninhabited steep rocky island west of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. Geography At longitude 10° 39.7' Tearaght is the westernmost of the Blasket Islands, an ...
, part of the Blaskets. The most westerly inhabited area of Ireland is
Dún Chaoin ''Dún Chaoin'' ( Irish, meaning 'pleasant fort' ), unofficially anglicised as Dunquin, is a Gaeltacht village in the west of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. Dunquin lies at the most westerly tip of the Dingle Peninsula (Irish: ''Cor ...
, on the Dingle Peninsula. The
River Feale Image of beach fishing for salmon in the River Feale near the town of Ballybunion in 1975. The River Feale (''An Fhéil'' or ''Abhainn na Féile'' in Irish) rises near Rockchapel in the Mullaghareirk Mountains of County Cork in the southwes ...
, the
River Laune The River Laune (; Irish: ''An Leamhain'') is a river in County Kerry, Ireland, which flows from Lough Leane (sometimes written as Lough Lein), one of the Lakes of Killarney, through Beaufort, past Ballymalis Castle, through the town of Ki ...
and the
Roughty River Kenmare () is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The name Kenmare is the Anglicisation, anglicised form of ''Ceann Mara'', meaning "head of the sea", referring to the head of Kenmare Bay. It is also a townland and Civil parish ...
flow through Kerry, into the Atlantic.


Climate

The
North Atlantic Current The North Atlantic Current (NAC), also known as North Atlantic Drift and North Atlantic Sea Movement, is a powerful warm western boundary current within the Atlantic Ocean that extends the Gulf Stream northeastward. Characteristics The NAC ...
, part of the
Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the United States, then veers east near 36°N latitude (North Carolin ...
, flows north past Kerry and the west coast of Ireland, resulting in milder temperatures than would otherwise be expected at the 52 North
latitude In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate system, geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at t ...
. This means that
subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...
plants such as the strawberry tree and
tree fern Tree ferns are arborescent (tree-like) ferns that grow with a trunk (botany), trunk elevating the fronds above ground level, making them trees. Many extant tree ferns are members of the order Cyatheales, to which belong the families Cyatheaceae ( ...
s, not normally found in northern Europe, thrive in the area. Because of the mountainous area and the prevailing southwesterly winds, Kerry is among the regions with the highest
rainfall Rain is a form of precipitation where water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. ...
in Ireland. Owing to its location, there has been a weather reporting station on Valentia for many centuries. The Irish record for rainfall in one day is , recorded at Cloore Lake in Kerry in 1993. In 1986 the remnants of
Hurricane Charley Hurricane Charley was the first of four separate hurricanes to impact or strike Florida during 2004, along with Frances, Ivan and Jeanne, as well as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the United States. It was the third named sto ...
crossed over Kerry as an
extratropical storm Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
causing extensive rainfall, flooding and damage.


History

Kerry ( or in the older spelling ''Ciarraighe'') means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of
Fergus mac Róich Fergus mac Róich/Róigh (literally "Virility, manliness, son of great stallion") is an Irish hero and a character in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Formerly the king of Ulaid, Ulster, he is tricked out of the kingship and betrayed by Conc ...
.T J Barrington, ''Discovering Kerry, its History Heritage and toponymy'', Dublin, 1976 In
Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic (, Ogham, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ; ; or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic languages, Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive written texts. It was used from 600 to 900. The ...
"Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective describing a dark complexion. The suffix ''raighe'', meaning ''people/tribe'', is found in various ''-ry'' place names in Ireland, such as ''Osry''—''Osraighe'' ''Deer-People/Tribe''. The county's nickname is ''the Kingdom''.


Lordship of Ireland

On 27 August 1329, by
Letters Patent Letters patent (plurale tantum, plural form for singular and plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, generally granti ...
,
Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond Maurice FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond (died 25 January 1356) in Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland was an Irish nobleman in the Peerage of Ireland, Captain of Desmond Castle in Kinsale, so-called ruler of Munster, and for a short time ...
was confirmed in the feudal seniority of the entire
county palatine In England, Wales and Ireland a county palatine or palatinate was an area ruled by a hereditary nobleman enjoying special authority and autonomy from the rest of a kingdom. The name derives from the Latin adjective ''palātīnus'', "relating t ...
of Kerry, to him and his heirs male, to hold of the Crown by the service of one knight's fee. In the 15th century, the majority of the area now known as County Kerry was still part of the
County Desmond The Kingdom of Desmond () was a historic kingdom in southwestern Ireland. It was founded in 1118 by Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh, King of Munster when the Treaty of Glanmire formally divided the Kingdom of Munster into Desmond and Thomond (, "North ...
, the west Munster seat of the
Earl of Desmond Earl of Desmond ( meaning Earl of South Munster) is a title of nobility created by the English monarch in the peerage of Ireland. The title has been created four times. It was first awarded in 1329 to Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond, Maur ...
, a branch of the
Hiberno-Norman Norman Irish or Hiberno-Normans (; ) is a modern term for the descendants of Norman settlers who arrived during the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Most came from England and Wales. They are distinguished from the native ...
FitzGerald dynasty The FitzGerald dynasty is a Hiberno-Norman noble and aristocratic dynasty, originally of Cambro-Normans, Cambro-Norman and Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman origin. They have been Peerage of Ireland, peers of Ireland since at least the 13th centur ...
, known as the
Geraldines The FitzGerald dynasty is a Hiberno-Norman noble and aristocratic dynasty, originally of Cambro-Norman and Anglo-Norman origin. They have been peers of Ireland since at least the 13th century, and are described in the Annals of the Four M ...
.


Kingdom of Ireland

In 1580, during the
Second Desmond Rebellion The Second Desmond Rebellion (1579–1583) was the more widespread and bloody of the two Desmond Rebellions in Ireland launched by the FitzGerald Dynasty of County Desmond, Desmond in Munster against English rule. The second rebellion began in ...
, one of the most infamous massacres of the Sixteenth century, the
Siege of Smerwick The siege of Smerwick took place at Ard na Caithne (the Hill of the Arbutus Tree, known in English as Smerwick) in November 1580, during the Second Desmond Rebellion in Ireland. A force of between 400 and 700 Papal freelance soldiers, mostly ...
, took place at Dún an Óir near
Ard na Caithne Ard na Caithne (; meaning "height of the arbutus/ strawberry tree"), sometimes known in English as Smerwick, is a bay and townland in County Kerry in Ireland. One of the principal bays of Corca Dhuibhne, it is located at the foot of an Triúr ...
(Smerwick) at the tip of the
Dingle Peninsula The Dingle Peninsula (; anglicised as Corkaguiny or Corcaguiny, the name of the corresponding barony) is the northernmost of the major peninsulas in County Kerry. It ends beyond the town of Dingle at Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of m ...
. The 600-strong Italian, Spanish and Irish papal invasion force of James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald was besieged by the English forces and massacred. In 1588, when the fleet of the
Spanish Armada in Ireland The Spanish Armada in Ireland refers to the landfall made upon the coast of Tudor conquest of Ireland, Ireland in September 1588 in Ireland, 1588 of a large portion of the 130-strong fleet sent by Philip II of Spain, Philip II to invade Elizabe ...
were returning to
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
during stormy weather, many of its ships sought shelter at the
Blasket Islands The Blasket Islands () are an uninhabited group of islands off the west coast of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The last island to hold a significant population, Great Blasket Island, was abandoned in 1954 due to population decl ...
and some were wrecked. During the
Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War was a European great power conflict from 1688 to 1697 between Kingdom of France, France and the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), Grand Alliance. Although largely concentrated in Europe, fighting spread to colonial poss ...
, Kerry was again the scene of conflict, as the O'Sullivan Beare clan joined the rebellion. In 1602 their castle at Dunboy was besieged and taken by English troops. Donal O'Sullivan Beare, in an effort to escape English retribution and to reach his allies in
Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
, marched all the clan's members and dependants to the north of Ireland. Due to harassment by hostile forces and freezing weather, very few of the 1,000 O'Sullivans who set out reached their destination. In the aftermath of the War, much of the native owned land in Kerry was confiscated and given to English settlers or 'planters'. The head of the
MacCarthy Mor MacCarthy (), also spelled Macarthy, McCarthy or McCarty, is an Irish clan originating from Munster, an area they ruled during the Middle Ages. It was divided into several septs (branches) of which the MacCarthy Reagh, MacCarthy of Muskerry, ...
family,
Florence MacCarthy Finnin MacCarthy () (1560–1640), was an Irish clan chief and member of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland () of the late 16th-century and the last credible claimant to the Mac Carthaig Mór title before its suppression by English authority. Mac ...
was imprisoned in London and his lands were divided between his relatives and colonists from England, such as the Browne family. In the 1640s Kerry was engulfed by the
Irish Rebellion of 1641 The Irish Rebellion of 1641 was an uprising in Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, initiated on 23 October 1641 by Catholic gentry and military officers. Their demands included an end to anti-Catholic discrimination, greater Irish self-governance, and ...
, an attempt by Irish Catholics to take power in the Protestant
Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland (; , ) was a dependent territory of Kingdom of England, England and then of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1542 to the end of 1800. It was ruled by the monarchs of England and then List of British monarchs ...
. The rebellion in Kerry was led by Donagh McCarthy, 1st Viscount Muskerry. His son the Earl of Clancarty held the county during the subsequent
Irish Confederate Wars The Irish Confederate Wars, took place from 1641 to 1653. It was the Irish theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of civil wars in Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, all then ...
and his forces were among the last to surrender to the
Cromwellian conquest of Ireland The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland (1649–1653) was the re-conquest of Ireland by the Commonwealth of England, initially led by Oliver Cromwell. It forms part of the 1641 to 1652 Irish Confederate Wars, and wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three ...
in 1652. The last stronghold to fall was
Ross Castle Ross Castle () is a 15th-century tower house and keep on the edge of Lough Leane, in Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Ireland. It is the ancestral home of the Chiefs of the Clan O'Donoghue, later associated with the Brownes of Killarne ...
, near Killarney.


The Famine

In the 18th and 19th centuries Kerry became increasingly populated by poor tenant farmers, who came to rely on the
potato The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...
as their main food source. As a result, when the potato crop failed in 1845, Kerry was very hard hit by the
Great Irish Famine The Great Famine, also known as the Great Hunger ( ), the Famine and the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of mass starvation and disease in Ireland lasting from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a historical social crisis and had a major impact o ...
of 1845–49. In the wake of the famine, many thousands of poor farmers emigrated to seek a better life in America and elsewhere. Kerry was to remain a source of emigration until recent times (up to the 1980s). Another long term consequence of the famine was the
Land War The Land War () was a period of agrarian agitation in rural History of Ireland (1801–1923), Ireland (then wholly part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom) that began in 1879. It may refer specifically to the firs ...
of the 1870s and 1880s, in which tenant farmers agitated, sometimes violently, for better terms from their landlords.


War of Independence and Civil War

In the 20th century, Kerry was one of the counties most affected by the
Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...
(1919–21) and
Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War (; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United Kingdom but within the British Emp ...
(1922–23). In the war of Independence, the
Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various Resistance movement, resistance organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dominantly Catholic and dedicated to anti-imperiali ...
fought a guerilla war against the
Royal Irish Constabulary The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, ; simply called the Irish Constabulary 1836–67) was the police force in Ireland from 1822 until 1922, when all of the island was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom. A sep ...
, and British military. One of the more prominent incidents in the conflict in Kerry was the
siege of Tralee The siege of Tralee was an event that took place between 1 and 9 November 1920 in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. History Patrick Cahill, the Officer Commanding Kerry No. 1 Brigade, Irish Republican Army instructed the Tralee Battalion to carry ...
in November 1920, when the
Black and Tans The Black and Tans () were constables recruited into the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) as reinforcements during the Irish War of Independence. Recruitment began in Great Britain in January 1920, and about 10,000 men enlisted during the conflic ...
placed in
Tralee Tralee ( ; , ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the River Lee') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in ...
burned many homes, and shot dead a number of local people in retaliation for the IRA killing of five local policemen the night before. On 10 December 1920
Martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
was declared in the Counties of Kerry, Cork and Limerick. Another incident was the Headford Junction ambush in spring 1921, when IRA units ambushed a train carrying British soldiers outside Killarney. About ten British soldiers, three civilians and two IRA men were killed in the ensuing gun battle. Violence between the IRA and the British was ended in July 1921, but nine men, four British soldiers and five IRA men, were killed in a shoot-out in Castleisland on the day of the truce itself, indicating the bitterness of the conflict in Kerry. Following the
Anglo-Irish Treaty The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty (), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain an ...
, most of the Kerry IRA units opposed the settlement. One exception existed in
Listowel Listowel ( ; , ) is a heritage market town in County Kerry, Ireland. It is on the River Feale, from the county town, Tralee. The town of Listowel had a population of 4,794 according to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, the third large ...
where a pro-Treaty garrison was established by local Flying Column commandant Thomas Kennelly in February 1922. This unit consisted of 200 regular soldiers along with officers and NCOs. A batch of rifles, machine guns and a
Crossley Crossley, based in Manchester, United Kingdom, was a pioneering company in the production of internal combustion engines. Since 1989, it has been part of the Rolls-Royce Power Engineering group. More than 100,000 Crossley oil and gas engin ...
tender were sent from Dublin. Listowel would remain a base for those supporting the treaty throughout the conflict. The town was eventually overcome by superior numbers of anti-Treaty forces belonging to the Kerry No. 2 and 3 Brigades in June 1922. In the ensuing civil war between pro- and anti-treaty elements, Kerry was perhaps the worst affected area of Ireland. Initially the county was held by the
Anti-Treaty IRA The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty (), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain an ...
but it was taken for the
Irish Free State The Irish Free State (6 December 192229 December 1937), also known by its Irish-language, Irish name ( , ), was a State (polity), state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-ye ...
after seaborne landings by National Army troops at
Fenit Fenit () is a small village in County Kerry, Ireland, located on north side of Tralee Bay about west of Tralee town, just south of the Shannon Estuary. It is also a civil parish. The bay is enclosed from the Atlantic by the Maharee spit whi ...
,
Tarbert Tarbert () is a place name in Scotland and Ireland. Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island. Etymology All placenames that variously s ...
and
Kenmare Kenmare () is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The name Kenmare is the anglicised form of ''Ceann Mara'', meaning "head of the sea", referring to the head of Kenmare Bay. It is also a townland and civil parish. Location Ken ...
in August 1922. Thereafter the county saw a bitter guerilla war between men who had been comrades only a year previously. The republicans, or "irregulars", mounted a number of successful actions, for example attacking and briefly re-taking
Kenmare Kenmare () is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The name Kenmare is the anglicised form of ''Ceann Mara'', meaning "head of the sea", referring to the head of Kenmare Bay. It is also a townland and civil parish. Location Ken ...
in September 1922. In March 1923 Kerry saw a series of
massacres A massacre is an event of killing people who are not engaged in hostilities or are defenseless. It is generally used to describe a targeted killing of civilians en masse by an armed group or person. The word is a loan of a French term for "b ...
of republican prisoners by National Army soldiers, in reprisal for the ambush of their men—the most notorious being the killing of eight men with mines at Ballyseedy, near Tralee. The internecine conflict was brought to an end in May 1923 as the rule of law was re-established following the death of IRA Chief of Staff Liam Lynch, and the order by
Frank Aiken Francis Thomas Aiken (13 February 1898 – 18 May 1983) was an Irish revolutionary and politician. He was Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army, chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army (1922–1969), Anti-Treaty IRA at the end of the I ...
to dump all arms.


Local government


County council

The local authority for the county is
Kerry County Council Kerry County Council () is the Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authority of County Kerry, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roa ...
. The council provides a number of services including planning, roads maintenance, fire brigade, council housing, water supply, waste collection, recycling and landfill, higher education grants and funding for arts and culture. The county is divided into five municipal districts with local responsibility: Corca Dhuibhne–Castleisland, Kenmare, Killarney, Listowel, and Tralee.


Town councils

Prior to the 2014 local elections held on 23 May 2014,
Killarney Killarney ( ; , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Killar ...
,
Listowel Listowel ( ; , ) is a heritage market town in County Kerry, Ireland. It is on the River Feale, from the county town, Tralee. The town of Listowel had a population of 4,794 according to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, the third large ...
and
Tralee Tralee ( ; , ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the River Lee') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in ...
each had
town councils A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counci ...
. They were abolished under the
Local Government Reform Act 2014 The Local Government Reform Act 2014 (No. 1) is an Act of Parliament, act of the Oireachtas which provided for a major restructuring of local government in the Republic of Ireland, local government in Ireland with effect from the 2014 Irish loca ...
.


Parliamentary representation

Following boundary changes in 2016, Kerry is represented in
Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...
by five TDs returned from a single Dáil constituency of Kerry.


Culture

As a region on the extremity of Ireland, the culture of Kerry was less susceptible to outside influences and has preserved the
Irish language Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...
, as well as
Irish traditional music Irish traditional music (also known as Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. In ''A History of Irish Music'' (1905), W. H. Grattan Flood wrote that, in Gaelic Ireland, there we ...
, song and
dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
. The
Sliabh Luachra Sliabh Luachra (), sometimes anglicised Slieve Logher, is an upland region in Munster, Ireland. It is on the borders of counties County Cork, Cork, County Kerry, Kerry and County Limerick, Limerick, and bounded to the south by the Munster Blackw ...
area of northeast Kerry, that borders Limerick and Cork, is renowned for its traditional music, dance and song, especially its slides, polkas and fiddle playing. The
Siamsa Tíre Siamsa Tíre (; meaning "entertainment of the land") is home to Ireland's National Folk Theatre and is located in Tralee Town Park, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. Name and activities Siamsa, pronounced "Shee-am-sa", comes from the Irish langu ...
centre in Tralee is a hub of traditional Irish pastimes.
Corca Dhuibhne The Dingle Peninsula (; anglicised as Corkaguiny or Corcaguiny, the name of the corresponding barony) is the northernmost of the major peninsulas in County Kerry. It ends beyond the town of Dingle at Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of ma ...
and Uíbh Ráthach are considered
Gaeltacht A ( , , ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The districts were first officially recognised ...
regions and Irish culture is also very strong in these areas. The Blasket Islands off the Dingle Peninsula are known for their rich literary heritage; authors such as Peig Sayers,
Muiris Ó Súilleabháin Muiris Ó Súilleabháin (; 19 February 1904 – 25 June 1950), anglicised as Maurice O'Sullivan, was an Irish author famous for his Irish language memoir of growing up on the Great Blasket Island and in Dingle, County Kerry, off the western c ...
and
Tomás Ó Criomhthain (; commonly anglicised as Tomás O'Crohan and occasionally as Thomas O'Crohan; 29 April 1855 – 7 March 1937) was a native of the Irish-speaking Great Blasket Island near the coast of the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. He wrote two Irish-langu ...
have all written books about life on the islands, which were evacuated in 1953 due to increasingly
extreme weather Extreme weather includes unexpected, unusual, severe weather, severe, or unseasonal weather; weather at the extremes of the historical distribution—the range that has been seen in the past. Extreme events are based on a location's recorded weat ...
conditions that made them uninhabitable.
John B Keane John Brendan Keane (21 July 1928 – 30 May 2002) was an Irish playwright, novelist and essayist from Listowel, County Kerry. Biography A son of a national school teacher, William B. Keane, and his wife Hannah (née Purtill), Keane was ed ...
, a native of
Listowel Listowel ( ; , ) is a heritage market town in County Kerry, Ireland. It is on the River Feale, from the county town, Tralee. The town of Listowel had a population of 4,794 according to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, the third large ...
, is considered one of Ireland's greatest playwrights and is known for his works such as '' The Field'', '' Sive'' and ''Big Maggie''. The annual Listowel Writers' Week Festival serves as a celebration of Irish writers past and present.


Sport


Gaelic games

Kerry is known for its senior Gaelic football team. Gaelic football is by far the dominant sport in the county, and Kerry has the most successful of all football teams; the Kerry footballers have won the
Sam Maguire cup The Sam Maguire Cup (), often referred to as Sam or The Sam, is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) to the team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the main competition in the sport of Gaelic fo ...
38 times, with the next nearest team
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
on 30 wins.
Hurling Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and women. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goa ...
is popular at club level in north Kerry, although the county has only won one
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Championship, is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest-tier competition for ...
, in 1891. The senior team currently compete in the
Joe McDonagh Cup The Joe McDonagh Cup () is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association. The cup forms the second-tier of Hurling for senior county teams (the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship is the first-tier t ...
.


Association football

The
Kerry District League The Kerry District League (known as the Denny Kerry District League for sponsorship reasons) is an association football league featuring amateur and junior clubs from County Kerry. The KDL is a winter league run by Adrian Casey. Its top division ...
is the main competition for association football in the county. Tralee Dynamos have represented Kerry in the
A Championship The A Championship, also known as the Newstalk A Championship, was an association football league featuring League of Ireland reserve teams and emerging senior teams. It was a third level league in the Republic of Ireland football league system. ...
, while they and Killarney Celtic also competed in the Munster Senior League during the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2023 Kerry F.C. entered the
League of Ireland First Division The League of Ireland First Division, also known as the SSE Airtricity League First Division for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in both the League of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland football league system. The division w ...
for the first time.


Cricket

Cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
is played in County Kerry by County Kerry Cricket Club. They play their home games at the Oyster Oval near
Tralee Tralee ( ; , ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the River Lee') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in ...
.


Irish language

In 2011 there were 6,083
Irish language Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...
speakers in County Kerry, with 4,978 native speakers within the
Kerry Gaeltacht A ( , , ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The districts were first officially recognised ...
. This does not count the 1,105 attending the four
Gaelscoil A Gaelscoil (; plural: ''Gaelscoileanna'') is an Irish language- medium school in Ireland: the term refers especially to Irish-medium schools outside the Irish-speaking regions or Gaeltacht. Over 50,000 students attend Gaelscoileanna at primary a ...
s (Irish language primary schools) and two
Gaelcholáiste A Gaelscoil (; plural: ''Gaelscoileanna'') is an Irish language- medium school in Ireland: the term refers especially to Irish-medium schools outside the Irish-speaking regions or Gaeltacht. Over 50,000 students attend Gaelscoileanna at primary a ...
(Irish language secondary schools) outside the Kerry Gaeltacht.


Places of interest

Kerry, with its mountains, lakes and nearly 1,000 kilometres of Atlantic coastline is among the most scenic areas in Ireland and is among the most significant tourist destinations in Ireland. Killarney is the centre of the tourism industry, which is a significant element of the economy in Kerry. The
Kerry Way The Kerry Way () is a long-distance trail in County Kerry, Ireland. It is a long circular trail that begins and ends in Killarney and is typically broken into nine stages. It is designated as a long-distance trails in the Republic of Ireland, N ...
,
Dingle Way The Dingle Way () is a long-distance trail around the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. It is a long circular route that begins and ends in Tralee and is typically completed in eight days. It is designated as a National Waymarked Tr ...
and Beara Way are walking routes in the county. The
Ring of Kerry The Ring of Kerry () is a circular tourist route in County Kerry, south-western Ireland. Clockwise from Killarney it follows the N71 to Kenmare, then the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin – passing through Sneem, Watervi ...
on the
Iveragh Peninsula The Iveragh Peninsula () is located in County Kerry in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the largest peninsula in southwestern Ireland. A mountain range, the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, lies in the centre of the peninsula. Carrauntoohil, its hig ...
is a popular route for tourists and cyclists. The pedestrian version is the scenic
Kerry Way The Kerry Way () is a long-distance trail in County Kerry, Ireland. It is a long circular trail that begins and ends in Killarney and is typically broken into nine stages. It is designated as a long-distance trails in the Republic of Ireland, N ...
which follows ancient paths generally higher than that adopted by the Ring of Kerry. Kerry has an abundance of archaeological sites. The earliest evidence of human settlement dates to the Mesolithic period. The county has a notably high concentration of open-air Atlantic rock art, which is believed to date to the Late Neolithic / Early Bronze Age period (2300-1500BC). This rock art is scattered throughout the county and exists in dense clusters on the Iveragh and
Dingle Dingle ( or ''Daingean Uí Chúis'', meaning "fort of Ó Cúis") is a town in County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula (known in Irish as ''Corca Dhuibhne''), it sits on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coa ...
peninsulas. These carvings form part of a tradition which stretches across Atlantic Europe and are distinct from the megalithic art of the type found at Newgrange. Kerry has many Bronze Age monuments including standing stones, wedge tombs, boulder burials, and stone circles, along with Iron Age forts. Like the rest of Ireland, Kerry has large numbers of monuments from the Early Christian period, such as ring forts, churches, cross-inscribed stones, holy wells, saints' graves, and ogham stones, along with Medieval castles and churches. Attractions: * Ballinskelligs *
Banna Strand Banna Strand (Irish language, Gaeilge: Trá na Beannaí), also known as Banna Beach, is a beach in North Kerry, Ireland. It is an Atlantic Ocean beach extending from the Smallrock (Roc Beag) and Blackrock in the North to Carrahane at its south ...
*
Blasket Islands The Blasket Islands () are an uninhabited group of islands off the west coast of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The last island to hold a significant population, Great Blasket Island, was abandoned in 1954 due to population decl ...
* Blennerville Windmill * Caragh Lake *
Carrauntoohil Carrauntoohil, Carrauntoohill or Carrantuohill ( ; , meaning "Tuathal's sickle") is the Lists of mountains in Ireland, highest mountain in Ireland at . It is on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, close to the centre of Ireland's highest mo ...
*
Conor Pass The Conor Pass or Connor Pass (, 'the way or path') is one of the highest mountain passes in Ireland served by an asphalted road. It is on the R560 road on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. Geography The -high pass on the Dingle Peninsu ...
*
Dingle Peninsula The Dingle Peninsula (; anglicised as Corkaguiny or Corcaguiny, the name of the corresponding barony) is the northernmost of the major peninsulas in County Kerry. It ends beyond the town of Dingle at Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of m ...
* Eightercua * Ecclesiastical sites at Ardfert *Fenit Harbour *Gallarus Oratory *
Killarney National Park Killarney National Park (), near the town of Killarney, County Kerry, was the first national park in Ireland, created when the Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish Free State in 1932. The park has since been substantially expanded and en ...
*Kerry County Museum *Kerry Woollen Mills *
Lakes of Killarney The Lakes of Killarney are a scenic attraction located in Killarney National Park near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes: Lough Leane, Muckross Lake (also called Middle Lake) and Upper Lake. Surroundings The ...
*Lartigue Monorail *Maharees *Mount Brandon *Muckross House *Ballyduff, County Kerry, Rattoo Round Tower and Sheela na Gig *
Ring of Kerry The Ring of Kerry () is a circular tourist route in County Kerry, south-western Ireland. Clockwise from Killarney it follows the N71 to Kenmare, then the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin – passing through Sneem, Watervi ...
*
Ross Castle Ross Castle () is a 15th-century tower house and keep on the edge of Lough Leane, in Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Ireland. It is the ancestral home of the Chiefs of the Clan O'Donoghue, later associated with the Brownes of Killarne ...
*Rossbeigh, Rossbeigh beach *Scotia's Grave *
Siamsa Tíre Siamsa Tíre (; meaning "entertainment of the land") is home to Ireland's National Folk Theatre and is located in Tralee Town Park, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. Name and activities Siamsa, pronounced "Shee-am-sa", comes from the Irish langu ...
*
Skellig Michael Skellig Michael ( ), also called Great Skellig ( ), is a twin-pinnacled crag west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The island is named after the archangel Michael, with "Skellig" derived from the Irish language word , meaning ...
*Torc Waterfall *Uragh Stone Circle *
Valentia Island Valentia Island () is one of Republic of Ireland, Ireland's most westerly points. It lies in Dingle Bay off the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest of County Kerry. It is linked to the mainland by the Maurice O'Neill Memorial Bridge at Portmagee ...


Media

County Kerry has two local newspapers, ''The Kerryman'' and ''Kerry's Eye'', both published in Tralee. The county has a commercial radio station, Radio Kerry, which commenced operations in 1990. RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta has a studio in Ballynagall, Baile na nGall in the west Kerry gaeltacht. Spin South West has a studio in
Tralee Tralee ( ; , ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the River Lee') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in ...
, which commenced operations in 2016.


Infrastructure


Road

The main National Primary Routes into Kerry are the N21 road (Ireland), N21 road from Limerick and the N22 road from Cork (city), Cork, each terminating in Tralee. Kerry Airport is situated on the N23 road between Castleisland and Farranfore which connects the N21 and N22. Within Kerry the main National Secondary Routes include the well-known
Ring of Kerry The Ring of Kerry () is a circular tourist route in County Kerry, south-western Ireland. Clockwise from Killarney it follows the N71 to Kenmare, then the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin – passing through Sneem, Watervi ...
which follows the N70 road (Ireland), N70 road that circles the Iveragh Peninsula and links at Kenmare with the N71 road to County Cork, west Cork. The N86 road (Ireland), N86 road connects Tralee with Dingle along the Dingle Peninsula, while the N69 road (Ireland), N69 road from Limerick links Listowel and Tralee through north Kerry.


Greenways

There is a developing greenway (landscape), greenway network, known as the "Kingdom of Kerry Greenways", across the county. The North Kerry Greenway, North Kerry (part of the Great Southern Trail), South Kerry Greenway, South Kerry and Tralee-Fenit Greenway, Tralee-Fenit greenways are under-development or in the planning phases.


Rail

Kerry is served by Rail transport in Ireland, rail at Tralee railway station, Farranfore railway station, Killarney railway station and Rathmore railway station which connect to Cork railway station, Cork and Dublin Heuston, via Mallow railway station, Mallow. Branch line services existed to each of the peninsulas (Beara, Iveragh and Dingle) and also to the north of the county. They were closed during the History of rail transport in Ireland#Rationalisation, rationalisations of the 1950s and 1960s. * Tralee and Dingle Light Railway: a narrow-gauge railway that closed in July 1953. * Kenmare via Headford Junction: (8 miles outside Killarney) closed in early 1960. * Valentia Harbour railway station, Valentia Harbour via Farranfore: also closed in early 1960. The ''Gleesk Viaduct'' near Kells, the viaduct at Killorglin, and many other structures on the line still exist. * Listowel was served via the North Kerry line, which extended from Tralee to Limerick. Passenger service ceased in 1963, freight in 1983 and the lines were pulled up in 1988. *
Fenit Fenit () is a small village in County Kerry, Ireland, located on north side of Tralee Bay about west of Tralee town, just south of the Shannon Estuary. It is also a civil parish. The bay is enclosed from the Atlantic by the Maharee spit whi ...
was served via a branch off the North Kerry line until 1978; the rails are still in place. Listowel to Ballybunion had the distinction of operating experimental Lartigue Monorail services from 1882 to 1924. A 500m section was re-established in 2003. A road-car route, the ''Prince of Wales Route'', was a link from Bantry to Killarney, operated by the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway as a service for tourists.


Bus

Bus Éireann operates an extensive bus service network on routes throughout the county, with connection hubs in Killarney and Tralee. Various local link services also run throughout Kerry such as the soon to be launched 274 from Tralee to Tarbert via Ardfert, Ballyheigue, Ballyduff and Ballybunion. Note that this new Local Link 274 will replace the return journey on the Bus Eireann 274. Se
Local Link Kerry
for all buses operated by them throughout the county.


Air

Kerry Airport is located at Farranfore in the centre of the county and has operated scheduled services since 1989. Destinations served as of 2014 are London (London Stansted Airport, Stansted & London Luton Airport, Luton), Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, Faro, Portugal and Alicante all operated by Ryanair. Aer Lingus Regional also operate an all-year-round service to Dublin. The airport is served by Farranfore railway station.


Sea

Fenit harbour near Tralee is a regional harbour capable of handling ships of up to 17,000 tonnes. Large container cranes from Liebherrs in Killarney are regularly exported worldwide. A rail-link to the port was closed in the 1970s. The harbour at Dingle is one of Ireland's secondary fishing ports. In the north of the county, a ferry service operates from
Tarbert Tarbert () is a place name in Scotland and Ireland. Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island. Etymology All placenames that variously s ...
to Killimer in County Clare.


Hospitals

Hospitals in Kerry include the public University Hospital Kerry which is the second-largest acute hospital in the Health Service Executive South Region. It serves as the main hospital for County Kerry and also serves the people in parts of north Cork and west Limerick. Other hospitals include the private Bon Secours Hospital, Tralee, Bon Secours Hospital in Tralee and community hospitals in Cahirciveen, Dingle, Kenmare, Killarney and Listowel.


Education

Munster Technological University (MTU), formerly the Institute of Technology, Tralee, is the main third-level institution in the county. Two of the university's campuses are located in Kerry, both in
Tralee Tralee ( ; , ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the River Lee') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in ...
. What is now MTU Kerry North Campus was established in 1977 as the Regional Technical College, Tralee but acquired the name "Institute of Technology, Tralee" in 1997. It merged with Cork Institute of Technology in 2019 to form the Munster Technological University. It has an enrolment of about 3,500 students. The institute has two campuses: the North Campus (opened in Dromtacker in 2001) and the South Campus (opened in Clash in 1977) approximately 2.4 km (1.5 mi) apart.


Septs, families, and titles

A number of Irish surnames are derived from septs who hail from the Kerry area, such as Falvey, Foley (surname), Foley, McCarthy (surname), McCarthy, Murphy, O'Conor, O'Connor, Moriarty (disambiguation), O'Moriarty, Clifford (disambiguation), Clifford, Kennelly (disambiguation), Kennelly, McGrath (disambiguation), McGrath, O'Carroll, O'Sullivan (surname), O'Sullivan, O'Connell (name), O'Connell, O'Donoghue, O'Shea, Quill (surname), Quill, Scannell, Stack (surname), Stack, Sugrue and Tangney. The area was also home to the
Hiberno-Norman Norman Irish or Hiberno-Normans (; ) is a modern term for the descendants of Norman settlers who arrived during the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Most came from England and Wales. They are distinguished from the native ...
families, the FitzMaurices and the County Desmond, Desmonds, a branch of the FitzGerald dynasty, FitzGeralds. Titles in the British Peerage of Ireland with a family seat in Kerry are: *the Knight of Kerry – a branch of Fitzgeralds who had lands at Valentia Island *the Earl of Kenmare (also ''Viscount Castlerosse, Viscount Kenmare and Baron Castlerosse'') – the descendants of Sir Valentine Browne who was awarded lands in Killarney *the
Earl of Desmond Earl of Desmond ( meaning Earl of South Munster) is a title of nobility created by the English monarch in the peerage of Ireland. The title has been created four times. It was first awarded in 1329 to Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond, Maur ...
– the Fitzgeralds of Desmond who had lands in North Kerry until they were seized at the end of the Desmond Rebellions *the Marquess of Lansdowne (also ''Earl of Shelburne, Baron Dunkeron'') – the descendants of William Petty, Sir William Petty who was awarded lands in Kenmare and elsewhere *the Earl of Kerry (also ''Baron Kerry, Viscount Clanmaurice'') – the Fitzmaurice family *the Earl of Listowel – the Hare family *the Baron Ventry – the Mullins family who had lands in the Dingle Peninsula, including Ventry Viscount Valentia appears to have been associated with lands in County Armagh, rather than Kerry. The title Baron Monteagle of Brandon refers to Brandon, County Kerry.


People

Associated People: *Roger Casement *Wolfe Tone *Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh Historical: *Daniel O'Connell *Thomas Ashe *Annie Chemis *Tom Crean (explorer), Tom Crean *Con Cremin *Austin Stack *Horatio Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, Horatio Kitchener *Richard Kelliher *Jennifer Musa *Charlie Daly (Irish republican), Charlie Daly *Maurice Moynihan *Patrick Edward Connor *William Melville *Richard Cantillon *John Connors (VC), John Connors *Saint Brendan *Trevor Chute Literary & Musical: *Con Houlihan *Thomas O'Brien Butler *Malachi Martin *Julia Clifford *Jerome Connor *Canon James Goodman *John B. Keane *Brendan Kennelly *Denis Murphy (Irish musician), Denis Murphy *Thomas MacGreevy *Ernest John Moeran *Paula Murrihy *
Tomás Ó Criomhthain (; commonly anglicised as Tomás O'Crohan and occasionally as Thomas O'Crohan; 29 April 1855 – 7 March 1937) was a native of the Irish-speaking Great Blasket Island near the coast of the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. He wrote two Irish-langu ...
*Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin *Padraig O'Keeffe *Arthur O'Leary (composer), Arthur O'Leary *
Muiris Ó Súilleabháin Muiris Ó Súilleabháin (; 19 February 1904 – 25 June 1950), anglicised as Maurice O'Sullivan, was an Irish author famous for his Irish language memoir of growing up on the Great Blasket Island and in Dingle, County Kerry, off the western c ...
*Aogán Ó Rathaille * Peig Sayers *Larry Mathews (musician), Larry Mathews *Christie Hennessy *John Moriarty (writer), John Moriarty *Paddy Cronin *Patrick S. Dinneen *Mark Lanegan Sport: *Danny Barnes (rugby union), Danny Barnes *Edward Barrett (Irish sportsman), Edward Barrett *John Barrett (athlete), John Barrett *Colm Cooper *Patrick Clifford (darts player), Patrick Clifford *Jack Doyle (baseball), Jack Doyle *Mick Doyle (rugby union), Mick Doyle *Maurice Fitzgerald (footballer), Maurice Fitzgerald *Tony Flavin *Thos Foley *Paul Galvin (Gaelic footballer), Paul Galvin *Mick Galwey *JJ Hanrahan *David Higgins (golfer), David Higgins *Liam Higgins (golfer), Liam Higgins *Robert Hilliard *Moss Keane *Tadhg Kennelly *Jerry Kiernan *John Lawlor (cricketer), John Lawlor *Jack McKenna *Bryan Cooper (jockey), Bryan Cooper *Ultan Dillane *Mick O'Connell *Mick O'Dwyer *Gillian O'Sullivan *Paul Griffin (rower), Paul Griffin *Darragh Ó Sé *Pat Spillane *Jack O'Shea *Mark O'Connor (sportsman), Mark O'Connor *Tommy Walsh (Kerry footballer), Tommy Walsh *Sean Wight Film/Stage/Radio: *Michael Fassbender *Eamon Kelly (actor), Eamon Kelly *Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly *Richard Wall *Jessie Buckley *Timothy V. Murphy Political: *Martin Ferris *Jackie Healy-Rae *Joe Higgins (politician), Joe Higgins *Thomas O'Driscoll *Dick Spring Fashion: *Don O'Neill, Fashion Designer, Don O'Neill


See also

*Wild Atlantic Way


References


Sources

*


External links


Gaelscoil stats

Gaeltacht Comprehensive Language Study 2007Ring of Kerry Tourism
{{Authority control County Kerry, Munster, Kerry Counties of the Republic of Ireland, Kerry Local government areas of the Republic of Ireland, Kerry