One of the most famous and popular road circuits for tourists in the South West of Ireland, the Ring of Kerry, traverses the coastline of the Kenmare Peninsula. Dramatic panoramas, majestic mountains, ancient sites and towns are found along the 166km (104 miles) route through the southern tip of Kerry.

The Ring of Kerry starts in Kenmare and passes through many picturesque villages such as Sneem Waterville, Caherciveen Glenbeigh Killorglin, killarney the famous lakes of Killarney and returns via Ladies View, and through magnificent National Park. The Ring of Kerry is part of the mystical & unspoilt region of Ireland that has attracted visitors for hundreds of years and is undoubtedly Ireland's greatest tour. Visitors can cover the Ring of Kerry on a full day trip approx 10.30 am -5pm)

 

"Escape to Living" is our motto here in Kenmare, and it is clear to see why. Our town consists of many colorful shops, restaurants, bars and amenities, with a constant buzz of activity.

 

Kenmare boasts an active music traditional and modern music scene, spread across our wide variety of restaurants, traditional bars, late night bars and entertainment venues.

Music such as trad sessions, live Irish folk music, singer songwriter gigs and buskers are available in almost every bar nightly. Old style bars such as Crowleys are renowned for their traditional Irish music sessions consisting of violins, guitars, flutes and harps.

 

In Foleys, we have Irish Folk musicians performing guitar and vocals, indulging in the history and stories of each song.

Music can be heard throughout the streets during the day with thanks to many talented local buskers, and by night the music draws out from the bars and throughout the streets.

 

Kenmare is also a haven of fine restaurants, serving local produce such as seafood, local meats and cheeses, and baking. Dining experiences can vary from fine dining in restaurants such as No.35 and Davitts, to casual gastropub experiences in bars such as Foleys and The Horseshoe.

 

Gleninchaquin is an award-winning family owned park and farm in County Kerry. It is a long narrow coombe valley on the North West side of the Beara Peninsla, formed by glaciation approximately 70,000 years ago, and changed little since.

The back wall of the coombe contains a spectacular waterfall which in turn feeds the succession of lakes along the valley floor: Loughs Inchaquin, Uragh and Cloonee. Further lakes, Cummeenaloughaun and Cummeenadillure are contained in smaller hanging coombes around the waterfall with Lough Napeasta further out along the valley.

 

Gleninchaquin Park provides breath-taking landscapes and scenery in which it is a sheer delight to wander around. Explore streams with log bridges, mountain paths with carved steps, rock passages, glens, lakes and waterfalls. Marvel at the view overlooking the lakes, delicate green meadows, a spectacular 140 metre high waterfall, woodlands and Kenmare Bay. It is all framed by the Killarney McGillicuddy Reeks along the horizon.

This idyllic valley is perfectly suited for day outings with the entire family. Ample parking facilities are provided close to the waterfall and picnic areas. The walk routes around the waterfall, cascades, streams, woodlands and lakes are accessible for all ages. Also, feel free to bring your own lunch basket or enjoy our home baking, teas and coffee refreshments.

 

The park has six lovely short walks and nature trails, suitable for both children and adults.

 

Contact Eileen at 0876349282 for more information.

 

Guests of the Kenmare Bay Hotel are encouraged to enjoy the extensive facilities available to energise and soothe both body and mind.

 

A full range of facilities includes:

 

Call 064 66 79399

Located just 5 - 10 minutes drive from the hotel, Star Outdoors offers a range of water-based and land-based activities including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, water-skiing, archery, crazy golf, obstacle course, mountain bike track and more.

 

Tues, Wed & Thus for kids 6-17 years

 

For bookings email: info@staroutdoors.ie

 

Catering for everyone that would like to discover the pleasure and freedom of horse riding along the Kenmare Bay, enjoy rides along the sea and through lush woodland, for all age groups.

 

Mystical Kayaking and Paddleboarding Tours, get a different view of Kenmare bay. Paddleboard tours and 8 person MEGA board activities run from Kenmare Pier with all equipment provided and low ratio expert guiding on every trip. Enjoy day trips with the seals and magical starlit night kayaking trips featuring bioluminescent sparkles. Families, hens, stags also catered for.

 

Seafari Ireland cruises in Kenmare offer you and your family the opportunity to explore the exquisite wildlife of Kenmare Bay on one of Ireland’s seal-watching and eco-nature cruises. You will travel from Kenmare Pier, off the end of Henry Street out into Kenmare Bay and its scenic surroundings.

 

For bookings call +353 (0)64 6642059

Molly Gallivan’s 200 year old Cottage & Traditional farm is a family run Visitor Centre. At Molly Gallivan’s you will experience the simple country lifestyle in rural Ireland before the days of electricity & modern conveniences. Her farm is complete with animals, fowl & traditional farm machinery. On the farm you will also visit the ghostly ruins of a family dwelling from the era of the Great Famine and a Neolithic Stone Row that forms part of an ancient sun calendar. Experience 5000 years of history on a 500m walk.

 

Email: info@mollygallivans.com
Tel: +353 64 664 0714

Known locally as the The Shrubberies this stone circle lies in the town of Kenmare itself.

 

The Kenmare stone circle is one of the largest stone circles in south West Ireland measuring 17.4 x 15.8m (56 x 49ft) and unlike any other ring in Muster, this one is egg-shaped. Stone Circles were built during the bronze age (2,200 – 500 B.C.) believed to be for ritual and ceremonial purposes. They were often orientated on certain solar and lunar events , such as the position of the sun on the horizon on a solstice. The Kenmare stone circle is composed of 15 heavy boulders, At the centre is an impressive Boulder-Dolmen with a giant capstone (2m x 1.8m ). Dolmen's often marked the burial place of someone important. This style of burial appears to be restricted to the south Munster area, with apparently just one elsewhere in Ireland.

For a unique experience of old Ireland, Muckross Traditional Farms offers a peek into the past lives of those living in the countryside;  where fetching a bucket of water from the well was a daily chore and cooking was done on a roaring open fire, as electricity was yet to be introduced.

 

Back in the 1930’s and 1940’s, the only horsepower consisted of the four legged kind and was used to carry out all the farming activities using traditional machinery – this work can still be seen today and there is a dedicated group of individuals who only use the traditional methods to work the land – the Irish Working Horse Association. The life of a farmer was governed more so back then by the seasons and weather.

 

You can visit three separate farm dwellings, each housing farm machinery and animals; small medium and large. Each dwelling is fully furnished with traditional furniture, dressers, beds and at the heart of every Irish home, a kitchen with an open fire. Inside each cottage is a traditional ‘bean an tí’, woman of the house who will have you tasting the wonderful traditional Irish soda bread; made and cooked right in front of you on the fire.

 

The final building on the tour is Muckross Schoolhouse; it was built to resemble many typical rural Irish schools from circa 1910. The school is divided into two rooms with a large antique folding door; traditionally each teacher would have several classes going on in the one room.

 

The children will be entertained for the whole trip as there are animals around every corner and a special petting area. Nearing the end of the route is Muckross Playground – this is fun for kids of all ages. There are also picnic benches to enjoy some lunch or light refreshments.

 

 

This famous old course is a fair test of golf and is unique in that it suits all standards of golfers. It is the jewel in the crown of the late great Mr. Eddie Hackett, one of the game’s premier golf course architects. Kenmare Golf course boasts some of the finest scenery imaginable. The views over Kenmare Bay and the surrounding mountains are breathtaking. The course has some great feature holes and is always in first class condition, which are all the ingredients for a wonderful round of golf.

 

As Kerry’s foremost golfing experience, Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club sits majestically overlooking spectacular Kenmare Bay, enjoying unspoiled views of the most panoramic scenery to be found on any golf course in Ireland.

 

The Ring-of-Kerry Golf Club were awarded a prestigious HSBC regional course rankings Gold Medal in 2006.

 

This 18-holes, par-72 world-class golf course nestles between the towering majesty of MacGillycuddy Reeks and Caha mountains is a must visit for all serious golfers.

 

 

Tel: 089 4367666

Golf at Waterville is a mystical experience – the beauty of classic links land surrounded by the sea yet forever challenged and shaped by the elements. More than 100 years old, Waterville is rated among the top five courses in Ireland and the top 20 links courses in the world. The course was a noted training venue for the British Open by four past champions and combines sand dunes, gorse and native grasses, firm fairways, sod-faced bunkers and subtle putting surfaces all intertwined by the ever-changing weather. Waterville Golf Links is located on the south west coast on the Ring of Kerry. The course remains open all year round, weather permitting.

 

Killarney Golf And Fishing Club located adjacent to Lough Lein with the McGillycuddy Reeks in the background. All three courses are built to modern specifications with sand-based greens and tree-lined, undulating fairways. Killeen is considered the flagship course of the club. It reopened in June 2006 and is slightly longer with faster greens, which have been brought closer to the water hazards around the course. Long accurate shots will be rewarded on this course. While Mahony’s Point is the most scenic and friendly of our 3 courses, it is enjoyable and challenging to golfers of all standards.

The combination of undulating greens, well-positioned bunkers and water hazards ensure that there is enough danger to spoil a good round. Lackabane is the newest of our three courses and opened for play in 2000. Lakes and streams are featured throughout the length and breadth of the course, adding to the beauty and danger in equal measure. This course is best suited to mid- to low-handicap golfers and is an excellent test of the long game