The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Kerry’s top ATTRACTIONS
Crag Cave
No trip to Kerry is complete without a trip to one of Ireland’s most famous attractions, that of the mysterious and exciting Crag Cave in Castleisland.
Thought to be over 1 million years old and only first discovered in 1983 by diver Martyn Farr, this ‘subterranean garden’ as it has become known, is home to some amazing natural forming attractions such as dangling and delicate stalactites and mountainous and imposing stalagmites, this magical wonderland is now open to the public for tours.
An all weather tourist attraction, the Crag Cave centre now boasts a number of different tourist attractions including the new Garden Restaurant, Kingdom Falconry and the Crazy Cave Activity Centre where kids can burn off all of their excess energy. All information on ticket prices and opening times for the cave can be found at www.cragcave.com
Wild Water Adventures
If its adrenaline and adventure you seek on your journey through Kerry, then a visit to Wild Water Adventures is a must for everyone’s bucket list.
Offering a day of wild and wet water exhilaration, the team at Wild Water Adventures will take you on an exciting adventure in the areas of coasteering, wild swimming, sea kayaking and hill walking.
Enjoy the undiluted excitement of Coasteering as you plunge into the ice cold waters off the North Kerry Coastline, scramble over rocks and swim through sea arches as the team of qualified guides and life guards make sure you enjoy a great day out.
Check out the Wild Water Adventures website at www.wildwateradventures.ie or contact the team at 087 9101290 for a list of the full activities and prices.
Predator Paintball
Predator Paintball, located on Alderwood Road in Tralee, is your one-stop shop for all things paintball in Kerry, offering an extensive range of packages that cater for people of all ages and interests, including stag parties, birthdays, teenagers, overnight stay and play packages and many many more.
With an average of three to four hours playing time in each package, a day out at Predator Paintball is one that is guaranteed to get the blood flowing and the heart racing; guns, commando kits and free refreshments are included in packages with prices ranging from €20 upwards per person.
Opening times and all the other information is available from the Predator Paintball website at www.paintballireland.com
Skywalk Rope Bridge
Already fast becoming one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kerry, the new Skywalk Rope Bridge is located in the Kells Bay House & Gardens on the Skellig Coast in South Kerry, is treat for everyone, unless you’ve got a fear of heights that is!
The bridge is one of the longest rope bridges in Ireland and is 112 foot long and located 36 feet up in the air and straddles the River Delligeenagh; the gardens surrounding the bridge are a subtropical paradise where visitors can get lost in the six beautiful areas on offer, the Ladies Walled Garden, the Primeval Forest, the River Ramble, the Bamboo Glade, the Cliff Walk, the bog walk and the Palm & Succulent garden.
All the information, including directions, opening times and prices on the Skywalk Rope Bridge and the surrounding gardens can be found at www.kellsbay.ie
Staigue Fort in South Kerry
This impressive stone enclosure is a must for any visitor that wishes to be submerged in Kerry’s rich and enthralling prehistoric culture. Built entirely without mortar, Staigue Fort near Cahersiveen stands as an impressive amphitheatre approximately 90 feet in diameter. The highest remaining part of the structure is 18 feet high and its walls are an impressive 13 feet in width. It’s an impressive structure with enchanting views of the ocean and Kenmare Bay to the south.
The date of the fort is said to be around the Iron Age and its primary use is said to have been an amphitheatre and symbol of status in the landscape. In a world of rapid acceleration due to technology, this is a sobering experience for the senses; one that returns us to the core of our origins as humans. Staigue Fort is a must.
Blennerville Windmill and the gateway to Tralee
Once a symbol of the ‘Gateway to Tralee’, this important structure on the outskirts of Tralee is a reminder of Tralee’s once vibrant corn and shipping industry. Built by Sir Rowland Blennerhassett around 1800, it stands at over 20 meters high. A combination of changes in the corn trade, steam power and silting of Tralee Bay in the mid-19th Century put paid to Blennerville Windmill’s capacity to continue.
During the 1980s the mill became a vibrant symbol of restoration and pride in local history
when it was completely restructured. Blennerville is an extremely poignant and historic location, most notably as a point of emigration for thousands of people who left its tiny pier for Liverpool, Canada and the US in the 19th Century.
Killagha Abbey in Milltown an enchanting location
This historic gem is little known outside of its immediate environs yet the history of the structure is no less significant. This former Augustinian Abbey and manor house was founded in the early 13th Century on the site of an earlier Christin settlement associated with St Colman. Also known as ‘Bello Loco’ due to its beautiful setting, the abbey was a popular focal point for pilgrims in the Middle Ages.
Like most religious buildings in Ireland, the Reformation brought a swift decline in their use and Killagha Abbey was de-established in 1586 – a time when the effects of the Desmond Wars was taking its toll in the county during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The structure also suffered damage during the Cromwellian period before it was finally included in the Godfrey Estate in the 18th Century. Today, it stands as a lonely symbol of resistance beneath the imposing shadow of the Sliabh Mish Mountain range.
Ross Castle ~ a staunch symbol of Gaelic Ireland
An enduring symbol of Killarney, Ross Castle stands proudly on the fringe of Killarney National Park’s lower lake area. Built by the O’Donoghue family in the 15th Century, Ross Castle stands as a legacy to Gaelic Ireland and its stubborn resistance. This is an extremely busy place during peak tourist season and if you can’t visit during off peak, it’s still worth the journey.
The castle was the last stronghold in the province to withstand Cromwell’s army, but was eventually captured by General Ludlow in 1652. Ross Castle is surrounded by some lovely quiet walkways that offer ample opportunity for a stroll. Ross Castle should be on every bucket list when visiting Kerry.
S Bonane Heritage Park is a land of antiquity If you fancy a quick detour from The Ring of Kerry, then a visit to Bonane Heritage Park is the best way of getting off the beaten track. From the Stone Age to the Bronze and Iron ages, this park is a place rich in antiquity comprising of archaeological sites along a 2km stretch of pathway: ringforts, baullaun stones, right up to the remains of a famine ruin, make Bonane Heritage Park a place that encapsulates history in an accessible and easy way for the visitor.
Gallarus Oratory ~ a symbol of Kerry
“Grey lakes and mountains soaring high, Mount Brandon‘s holy hill, The little church at Gallarus, our language living still.” These words from Garry McMahon’s ‘The Kingdom’s Green and Gold’ offer a reflective insight into the heritage and stature of Gallarus Oratory. This is an unyielding symbol of tradition that comprises a dry-stone oratory built in the 8th Century. Its location on the west coast has made it prey to countless storms, but its unique style was designed to withstand the elements as well as time.
No trip to west Kerry can said to be fully complete without a visit to Gallarus for you will not find a building as stunning as this anywhere else in the world. The church is shaped like an upturned boat and even though it is has evolved to become a symbol of Christianity, its construction forms part of a tradition extending back to the Neolithic period. This is a must visit site.