Tralee Bay ( gle, Loch Foirdhreamhain / Cuan Thrá Lí) is located in on the west coast of

County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It is situated between

Kerry Head Kerry Head is a headland located in County Kerry, Ireland that stretches into the Atlantic Ocean just north of Banna Strand. On the southern edge of the headland sits Ballyheigue. Kerry Head separates the Shannon Estuary, on the north side, ...

on the north side and the

Maharees Maharees or Magharees ( or ''Na Machairí'') is a 5 km long tombolo located on the northern side of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. Fenit Harbour, the main port of County Kerry, is sheltered from large Atlantic swells by ...

on the west and extends eastwards as far as the bridge at Blennerville. Several small rivers feed into the bay through the town of

Tralee Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...

. Villages around the bay include;

Ballyheigue Ballyheigue ( ), officially Ballyheige ( - meaning ''Settlement of Tadhg'') is a coastal village in County Kerry, Ireland. It is approximately north of Tralee on the R551. It is a scenic locale which forms part of the Wild Atlantic Way and h ...

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. The bay is enclosed from the Atlantic by the Maharee spit which extends northwards from ...

, Kilfinora,

Spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...

Blennerville Blennerville (, meaning "the seat/home of the Morans") is a small village and now a suburb of Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. It is approximately west of the town centre on the N86 road to Dingle, where the River Lee enters Tralee Bay. The vill ...

, Camp and

Castlegregory Castlegregory (, meaning "Griaire's Castle") is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. It is situated on the north side of the Dingle Peninsula, halfway between Tralee and Dingle. As of the 2016 Census, Castlegregory had a population of 250. Castl ...

General information

The hinterland of Tralee Bay is rich in historic content covering most major eras in the origins and development of the Island and the Nation, from the mythological history, social and industrial development to relatively recent political evolution. In conjunction with Barrow Harbour, the following list of people, items, places and events are indicative and relevant; * Scotia's Grave * Cathair Cun Ri * Ring Forts or Raths * Sou Terrains *

* Blennerville *

Blennerville Windmill The Blennerville Windmill is a 21.30 m high, stone, reefing stage, windmill in Blennerville, Co. Kerry, Ireland. The mill has five floors, ground floor, intermediate floor, grinding floor, stone floor and cap floor. History The mill was buil ...

Saint Brendan Brendan of Clonfert (c. AD 484 - c.577), is one of the early Celtic Christianity, Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is also referred to as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager, Brendan the Anchorite, Br ...

Tralee Ship Canal The Tralee Ship Canal () is a canal built for freight and passenger transportation from Tralee Bay to the town of Tralee in County Kerry, Ireland. The canal fell into disuse in the mid-20th century but has since been restored. History The Tral ...

Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada (a.k.a. the Enterprise of England, es, Grande y Felicísima Armada, links=no, lit=Great and Most Fortunate Navy) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aris ...

Ardfert Cathedral The Ardfert Cathedral ( ga, Ardeaglais Ard Fhearta) is a ruined cathedral in Ardfert, County Kerry, Ireland. Dedicated to Saint Brendan, it was the seat of the Diocese of Ardfert from 1117. It is now a heritage tourism site. History Ardfert ...

Roger Casement Roger David Casement ( ga, Ruairí Dáithí Mac Easmainn; 1 September 1864 – 3 August 1916), known as Sir Roger Casement, CMG, between 1911 and 1916, was a diplomat and Irish nationalist executed by the United Kingdom for treason during Worl ...

Jeanie Johnston ''Jeanie Johnston'' is a replica of a three masted barque that was originally built in Quebec, Canada, in 1847 by the Scottish-born shipbuilder John Munn. The replica ''Jeanie Johnston'' performs a number of functions: an ocean-going sail train ...

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

Aud The Australian dollar (sign: $; code: AUD) is the currency of Australia, including its external territories: Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island. It is officially used as currency by three independent Pacific Island s ...

* Bee Hive Huts *

Fenit Harbour 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. The bay is enclosed from the Atlantic by the Maharee spit which extends northwards from th ...

Irish Lights The Commissioners of Irish Lights ( ga, Coimisinéirí Soilse na hÉireann), often shortened to Irish Lights or CIL, is the body that serves as the general lighthouse authority for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and their adjacen ...

* RNLI * Maharee Islands *

Dingle Peninsula The Dingle Peninsula ( ga, Corca Dhuibhne; anglicised as Corkaguiny, 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 ...

* Liebherr Container Cranes * Oyster Beds * Bird Sanctuary * Fenit Viaduct * Fenit Railway Station and Branch Line

Maps and charts

*Ordnance Survey of Ireland, Discovery Series Map ref No. 71 Kerry. Scale 1:50,000 *British Admiralty Navigation Chart Ref No. 2739. Scale = 1:37,500.

Place names and features

Generally, clockwise from Kerry Head; *

*Ballyheigue Pier *

*Blackrock * Banna Strand * Illaunnabarnagh (rock) * Mucklaghmore rock * Illaunnacusha, rock * Crow Rock * The Rose rock * Barrow Golf Links *

Fenit Island Fenit Island is a populated island, on the coast of County Kerry, connected to the mainland by a sandbar. Located in Tralee Bay, the island encloses Barrow Harbour. Historically, the area was called 'Fenit Within'. It is adjacent to the areas o ...

* Barrow Harbour * Little Samphire Island * Samphire Lighthouse * Wheel Rock *Black Rock *Spa *

River Lee The River Lee (Irish: ''An Laoi'') is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's ...

from Tralee * Blennerville Bridge *

* Bealathaleen Creek * Derrymore Island * Derrymore Strand * Carrigagharor Point * Aughacasla Strand *

Lough Gill Lough Gill () is a freshwater lough (lake) mainly situated in County Sligo, but partly in County Leitrim, in Ireland. Lough Gill provides the setting for William Butler Yeats' poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree". Location and environment Lough ...

* The Trench River * Kilshshannig point * Illaunlea rock * Callahangrin headland *

Rough Point Rough Point is one of the Gilded Age mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, now open to the public as a museum. It is an English Manorial style home designed by architectural firm Peabody & Stearns for Frederick William Vanderbilt. Construction o ...

* Mucklaghbeg rock * Minnaun Point * Illaunturlogh island * Illauntannig island * Reennafardarrig island * Illaunboe island * Illaunimmil island * Inishtooskert island *

Magharee Islands The Magharee Islands ( gle, Na Machairí), also known as "The Seven Hogs", are a group of uninhabited islands located off Rough Point at the northern tip of the Magharee Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The islands, which are part of the pa ...

or ''The Seven Hogs'' * The

* Scraggane Bay * Minnaun * Illaunnanoon * Doonagaun Island

Items of interest

*A bird sanctuary is located on the south side of the bay on the low-lying land of Derrymore Island. *Little Samphire is a low-lying rock in the Bay on which a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

stands. The lighthouse, operated and maintained by the

Commissioners of Irish Lights The Commissioners of Irish Lights ( ga, Coimisinéirí Soilse na hÉireann), often shortened to Irish Lights or CIL, is the body that serves as the general lighthouse authority for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and their adjacen ...

also marks the limit of the harbour area under the control of Tralee and Fenit Harbour Board. *Great Samphire Island is a small rock in the Bay around which is built the harbour and port of

. The name comes from the rather rare yellow samphire plant that grows there. A monument to

Saint Brendan the Navigator Brendan of Clonfert (c. AD 484 - c.577), is one of the early Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is also referred to as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager, Brendan the Anchorite, Brendan the Bold. The ...

is located at the apex.
Tralee Golf Club
overlooks the whole bay from an elevated position at Barrow.
Tralee Bay Sailing Club and a Sailing School
along with Fenit Marina provide leisure boating facilities. *Shore based angling is a popular pastime practised from the viaduct leading out to the harbour. *Several angling boats are licensed to take recreational anglers out on the bay.
Tralee Bay Sea Angling Club
the largest sea angling club in Ireland, has its clubhouse in Fenit Harbour.

Vessels sunk and wrecked

*Integrity 13/3/1837. Lost off Brandon Head, en route from Tarbert to the Clyde. *Audrey Anne 5/12/1998. 65 foot trawler lost off Brandon Head *Brothers 4/5/1841. A Dingle hooker carrying potatoes for the Protestant colony at Dingle *Saint Lawrence 7/2/1840. A barque went ashore at Ballyheigue Bay. *Port Yarrock 29/1/1894. Sank in Brandon Bay, en route from Santa Rosilia, California. All 22 crew lost."A Gallant Barque" by Sheila Mulcahy, Published and Printed by The Kerryman, 1999. ISBN o 946277 25 7 P/bk See also "http://www.irishwrecksonline.net/Lists/KerryListB.htm" for much more detailed information.

Adjacent bays

Brandon Bay is the next bay to the south west and the

Shannon Estuary The Shannon Estuary ( gle, Inbhear na Sionainne) 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 th ...

is located to the north. Barrow Harbour is a bay located in the bay, east of

References

Bibliography

* Discovering Kerry, T.J. Barrington, 1976, Blackwater, Dublin * Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast, Vol 3. by Edward J Bourke. * A Gallant Barque, by Sheila Mulcahy, Published and Printed by The Kerryman, 1999. ISBN o 946277 25 7 P {{coord, 52, 17, N, 9, 56, W, region:IE_type:waterbody, display=title Bays of County Kerry Tralee Ramsar sites in the Republic of Ireland