Introducing County Kerry
Kerry is as close as you’ll get to the mythical Ireland: that Celtic kingdom of misty mountains promised by glossy brochures, Hollywood and our daydreams. Between the county’s snow-capped summits are medieval ruins, glacial lakes, coastal peninsulas, blustery beaches, deserted archipelagos, secluded hamlets, and larger towns where live music sparks up every night.
Most visitors touch down in Killarney. The townsfolk know how to run a mean hotel and serve an Atlantic catch or a rack of Kerry lamb. Instead of municipal gardens there’s a 10, 000-hectare national park, which can be explored by ‘jaunting car’ (pony and trap) and a boat across the lakes. In the nearby Gap of Dunloe, the road winds crazily beneath the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks range, which includes nine of Ireland’s 10 highest peaks.
Tourists often arrive at the coast with the idea that the iconic Ring of Kerry is a ‘place’ they can visit. In fact, it’s a 179km circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula, where the mountains-meet-ocean beauty makes for one of the world’s great road trips. To paraphrase one pub sign, you’ll enjoy Ireland’s best known views… fog permitting. Across a dolphin-inhabited bay, the Dingle Peninsula is home to one of the country’s highest concentrations of ancient sites and Mt Brandon, Ireland’s eighth highest peak.
Such magnificent scenery is, of course, a magnet for buses, but the hordes can be escaped by using back roads and mountain passes. As for the local folk, Kerrymen are famous throughout Ireland for their proud provincialism and country cunning. Just listen to the outrageous yarns told by the ‘jarveys’ who drive Killarney’s jaunting cars.
Activities in County Kerry
Dingle Peninsula
Unlike the Ring of Kerry, where the cliffs tend to dominate the ocean, it's the ocean that dominates the smaller Dingle Peninsula.
Tours in County Kerry
Dingle Town
Framed by its fishing port, the peninsula's charming little 'capital' is quaint without even trying.
County Kerry destination guides
Northern Kerry
The landscape of Northern Kerry is often dull compared with the glories of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, Killarney and Kenmare.
Hotels in County Kerry
Budget Hotels & Hostels in County Kerry
Guesthouses and B&Bs in County Kerry
Apartments in County Kerry
Killarney
In a town that's been practising the tourism game for over 250 years, Killarney is a well-oiled machine in the middle of the sublime scenery of its namesake national park.
Entertainment in County Kerry
Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is the longest and the most diverse of Ireland's big circle drives, combining jaw-dropping coastal scenery with emerald pastures and villages.
Shopping in County Kerry