Glengarriff () is a village of approximately 140 people on the N71

national secondary road A national secondary road ( ga, Bóthar Náisiúnta den Dara Grád) is a category of road in Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national ...

in the Beara Peninsula of

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...

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 ...

. Known internationally as a tourism venue, it has a number of natural attractions. It sits at the northern head of Glengarriff Bay, a smaller enclave of

Bantry Bay Bantry Bay ( ga, Cuan Baoi / Inbhear na mBárc / Bádh Bheanntraighe) is a bay located in County Cork, Ireland. The bay runs approximately from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km (1.8-to-2.5 mil ...

. Located 20 km (~12 miles) west of Bantry, and 30 km (~18 miles) east of Castletownbere, it is a common stopping-point along the routes around the area.

Economy

Primarily, the economy revolves around a combination of tourism,

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...

and local services.

Attractions

Glengarriff is a small seaside village on the Ring of Beara surrounded by high rugged mountains pocked with old bogs being farmed for peat. Local tourist sites include the Italian Gardens on Garnish Island ( Ilnacullin), which may be visited by boat trip. Offering a broad view of the surrounding area, the round

Martello tower Martello towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts. They stand u ...

on the island was built to guard against a threatened

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

ic invasion that never materialized. Glengarriff Shops and Restaurants 2009 09 08

In the nearby Glengarriff Forest is the glen that gave Glengarriff its name, (loosely translated as ''rough glen'') containing some of the oldest and most extensive oak and birch groves left in Ireland. A short but steep trail leads up to Lady Bantry's Lookout, which has views over Glengarriff and the west Cork area. Other tourist amenities include the Bamboo Park, behind Toad Hall, a local amenity area featuring a child's playground and Blue Pool lagoon, the nearby Barley Lake and the historic Eccles Hotel. Walking trails in the area are extensive, kayaking on the bay is regularly scheduled, and live music is played at local pubs, particularly during the tourist season. Glengarriff also has several shops, art galleries, pubs, restaurants and other services. Glengarriff harbour is a sheltered anchorage and has visitors moorings for visiting yachts. Glengarriff has an annual music festival, the Jim Dowling Uilleann Pipe & Trad Festival, which takes in June and focuses on uilleann piping.

Sport

Glengarriff Golf Club is a nine-hole course on the east side of the village. It is associated with the late Maureen O'Hara, the film actress, who had a home nearby. Glengarriff GAA Club was founded in 1981 after breaking away from neighbouring Adrigole GFC. It fields Gaelic football teams from Junior ‘A’ level to Under 6s. Teams compete in leagues and championships run by the Beara GAA division.

Notable inhabitants

* John Annan Bryce (1841–1923), British businessman and politician who purchased Garnish Island in 1910. * Maureen O'Hara (1920–2015), Irish-American actress, had a home in the area

Cultural references

Letitia Elizabeth Landon Letitia Elizabeth Landon (14 August 1802 – 15 October 1838) was an English poet and novelist, better known by her initials L.E.L. The writings of Landon are transitional between Romanticism and the Victorian Age. Her first major breakthrough ...

's poetical illustration, ''Glengariffe'' in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833, accompanies an engraving of a view painted by

William Henry Bartlett William Henry Bartlett (March 26, 1809 – September 13, 1854) was a British artist, best known for his numerous drawings rendered into steel engravings. Biography Bartlett was born in Kentish Town, London in 1809. He was apprenticed to John Bri ...

over Garnish Island looking towards the mountains in the West.

References

External links

{{Commons category, Glengarriff
Visitglengarriff.ie

Glengarriff.org

Glengarriff on Facebook
Towns and villages in County Cork