Sights in Northern Kerry
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Writers’ Exhibition
Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre, with its audiovisual Writers’ Exhibition, is an absolute gem that gives due prominence to Listowel’s heritage of literary observers of Irish life. Rooms are devoted to local greats such as John B Keane and Bryan MacMahon, with simple, haunting tableaux narrating their lives and recordings of them reading their work. There is a cafe and a performance space where events are sometimes staged.
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Kerry County Museum
An absolute treat, Kerry's county museum has excellent interpretive displays on Irish historical events and trends, with an emphasis on County Kerry. The Medieval Experience re-creates life (smells and all) in Tralee in 1450. Check out the deranged nights, a vision of horror right out of Monty Python. Children will love strolling the medieval streets and there's a commentary in various languages. The Tom Crean Room celebrates the local hero, an early-20th-century explorer who accompanied both Scott and Shackleton on epic Antarctic expeditions. It's housed in the neoclassical Ashe Memorial Hall.
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Visitor Centre
The modern visitor centre at Blennerville houses an exhibition on grain-milling, and on the thousands of emigrants who boarded ‘coffin ships’ from what was then Kerry’s largest embarkation point. There’s also a database of the Irish émigrés who flocked to America. Admission includes a 30-minute guided tour of the windmill.
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Listowel Castle
Behind the Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre, this 12th-century castle was once the stronghold of the Fitzmaurices, the Anglo-Norman lords of Kerry. It was the last castle in Ireland to succumb to the Elizabethan attacks during the Desmond revolt. What remains of the castle has been thoroughly restored.
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Garden of Europe
In Childers Park is the Garden of Europe, opened in 1995. Its 12 sections represent the 12 members of the EU of the day. There is a fine bust of the poet Schiller and, strikingly, Ireland’s only public monument to those who died in the Holocaust, and to all victims of injustice.
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Medieval Experience
The Medieval Experience, is an enjoyable multimedia presentation re-creating life (smells and all) in Tralee in 1450. Children love strolling the medieval streets and there's a commentary in various languages.
reviewed
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windmill
Blennerville used to be the chief port of Tralee, though it has long since silted up. A 19th-century flour windmill has been restored and is the largest working mill in Ireland and Britain.
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St Mary's Church
Built in 1829 in the neo-Gothic style, this church has some lovely mosaic work over the altar and a vaulted roof with timber beams.
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Tom Crean Room
The Tom Crean Room at the Kerry County Museum celebrates the local hero who accompanied both Scott and Shackleton on epic Antarctic expeditions.
reviewed
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St John's Theatre & Arts Centre
Located in a former church and now hosting art exhibitions as well as drama, music and dance events.
reviewed
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Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre
The audiovisual Writers' Exhibition at this gem of a cultural centre gives due prominence to Listowel's heritage of literary observers of Irish life. Rooms are devoted to local greats such as John B Keane and Bryan MacMahon, with simple, haunting tableaux narrating their lives and recordings of them reading their work. There is a cafe and a performance space where events are sometimes staged.
Keane is remembered with a statue on the opposite side of the square, in which he seems to be hailing a cab. He wrote with wry humour about subjects ranging from Limerick's beggars to the perils of giving up porter as a New Year's resolution.
On Church St, opposite the police station, …
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Childers Park
About 300 metres east of the Square, Childers Park spreads out to the east. Within the park is the Garden of Europe, opened in 1995. Its 12 sections represent the 12 members of the EU of the day. There's a bust of the poet Schiller and, strikingly, Ireland's only public monument to those who died in the Holocaust, and to all victims of injustice.
reviewed
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Blennerville Windmill & Visitor Centre
Blennerville, just over 1km southwest of central Tralee on the N86 to Dingle, used to be the city's chief port, though the harbour has long since silted in. A 19th-century flour windmill here has been restored and is the largest working mill in Ireland and Britain. Its modern visitor centre houses an exhibition on grain-milling, and on the thousands of emigrants who boarded 'coffin ships' from what was then Kerry's largest embarkation point. There's also a database of the Irish émigrés who flocked to America. Admission includes a 30-minute guided tour of the windmill.
reviewed
