21 Must-Visit Attractions in County Kerry, Ireland

A jagged, difficult-to-access island off the Kerry shoreline, Skellig Michael was once an isolated hermitage and is now almost as well known for its core role in two recent Star Wars movies. To get there, you’ll need good summer weather and your climbing legs, but toiling amid the puffins is well worth it for the rustic housing and glorious views. This famous spot was featured in the recent Star Wars trilogy and has become a setjetters dream ever since.

This Kerry gem is the kind of place you’ll want to drive around aimlessly – its quiet coastal roads are just that beautiful. You might also want to check out the astonishing dual-use pubs (think hardware store or bicycle rental shop and watering hole), an impressive local cheese store and the famous Murphy’s Ice Cream. To meet Dingle’s most famous resident, however, you’ll need to head out on a boat tour of Dingle Bay, where Fungie the Irish dolphin plays to the crowds. You can even swim with him if you like, and if he doesn’t show up, you don’t pay.

The highest peak of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range, Carrauntoohil is a challenging climb for intermediate-level hikers. It rises to just over 1,000m (3,280ft) via the dramatic, slippery Devil’s Ladder. At its peak, you’ll find a huge iron cross and spectacular views across the Kerry countryside.

If you’ve heard of Kerry, this might very well be why. The infamous Ring of Kerry tour is one of Irish tourism’s mainstays for a very simple reason: with its winding roads, Atlantic views, and soaring peaks, it represents the image of Ireland you’ve been sold in the brochures. You can drive the 179-kilometre (111.2-mile) loop of the Iveragh Peninsula, explore it by one of the ample tour buses (which all go the same way round the loop – they can’t fit past each other on the narrow roads) or, for the brave, cycle it over the course of a couple of days. There’s no single standout site, really, just a lot of breathtaking concentrated rural beauty and little villages. Check out the castles, stone circles and gorgeous Valentia along the way. The Ring of Kerry, Co. Kerry, Ireland

A 15th-century lakeside castle in Killarney National Park, Ross Castle gives a taste of rural life centuries ago with its old-world charm. The stark structure contrasts nicely with the gentle lake before it, and when it’s lit up at night, the castle is quite a sight to behold.

More uninhabited islands mean more great opportunities for exploration. The Blasket Islands once had a thriving Irish-speaking population, but they were evacuated due to harsh Atlantic conditions in the ’50s. Jokingly called “next parish America”, this spot is as “battered west coast” as you can hope to see. There’s beauty in that.

A glance at life in Kerry centuries ago, the Kerry Bog Village Museum follows a simple concept, but it’s a great way to understand some of Ireland’s old difficulties and explore the way the land was once used. Delve into the whitewashed houses to learn about a way of life that’s long since left the island.

Sure, Kerry has to play their bigger Gaelic football contests up in the capital at Croke Park, but Killarney’s Fitzgerald Stadium is the home of Kerry GAA. As Kerry is historically the king of the sport, it’s a great spot to get to know Ireland’s beloved traditional leisure offering, still going strong.

A Neolithic stone circle on the Beara Peninsula, this is a worthy detour. It’s easy to imagine how this isolated spot overlooking Lough Inchiquin might have integrated into ancient lives as you stand among the towering stones –the largest around 3m (10ft) – and stare down at the hills and lake that form its backdrop.

The former home of key revolutionary Daniel O’Connell, Derrynane House is a majestic mansion with plenty of historical areas of interest to explore, as well as a surprisingly international garden. Bring a picnic and explore the surroundings – they’re gorgeous, especially the quiet nearby beach.

A tiny village most just pass through on the way to its neighbour Dingle, Annsacaul has one major attraction, but it’s a great one. Antarctic explorer Tom Crean comes from here, and he’s commemorated passionately in the local pub that’s colourfully dedicated to him, as well as in a new statue. With under 300 residents, Annascaul is the definition of rural, but Crean even has his own beer.

A dramatic defensive bastion that was once the last spot in the region to hold out against British rule, Listowel Castle has been restored to its former glory in recent years. Tours are small (book ahead) and take you around the 15th-century fortress and its quirky facilities, from the towers to the old-world toilets.

Sitting on the border between County Kerry, County Limerick and County Clare, the Shannon Estuary isn’t commonly frequented by tourists, but it does have plenty to offer. With day-trip experiences that range from dolphin-spotting estuary tours to boat hire, there’s also some great fishing to be had near the mouth of the longest waterway in Britain and Ireland.

A clunky stone tower overlooking Dingle, Eask Tower is a 19th-century structure that later became a World War II bay guardian. The structure is historically interesting, as lugging the solid stone up the hill provided work during Ireland’s deadly famine in the mid-19th century. At 184m (604ft) tall, Carhoo Hill offers far better panoramic views than you might expect from such a modest exertion.

A fantastic drive into the Kerry Hills will lead you to the Gap of Dunloe, a narrow mountain pass through the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks – it’s a tough trail by car, but easily passable in the popular horse-pulled jaunting cars that are abundant in Killarney National Park. It’s popular to hike or bike the route, with Kate Kearney’s Cottage – a 150-year-old pub-meets-craft shop – a popular launching spot.

An Atlantic Ocean beach (which means that even on a perfect summer’s day, this spot is a push for the casual swimmer), Banna Strand is associated with Irish revolutionary Roger Casement and his rendezvous with a German U-Boat and subsequent capture in 1916. It’s a gorgeous, rugged white-sand spot that’s become a minor surfing destination in recent years, and a great break from the more cultural side of the county – a place where you can simply chill out for a few hours. In short, it’s more great scenery!

A poorly named spot if ever there was one, Inch Beach is a huge, sandy bar stretching between two hilly peaks. It’s a relatively isolated rural spot that’s perfect for those looking for some proper Kerry isolation. You’ll have to be brave to swim here, given the local weather, but yes, you should do it anyway.

Located in tourist-loving Killarney (where half the town is brimming with movie-like Irish pubs and souvenir shops), Muckross House is both a towering 19th-century mansion set amid the hills and lakes and home to a working farm. For all its internal opulence, the farm aspect of the property is a lovely sideways glance at the Ireland of old, while there are lots of local treats available in the craft shop. The abbey, just down the road, dates back to the 15th century and features an oak tree embedded in the heart of its cloisters that sometimes theorised to date back to the abbey’s very construction. It’s said to be haunted too.

The walk to Mount Brandon from the coast is one of a number of walks that now make up the Irish Camino, where you’ll find trails even older than the Spanish equivalent. If you’re ambitious about hill walking, we’d highly recommend the Cosán Na Naomh as an approach to the 953m (3,127ft) peak, an enticing challenge on Ireland’s ninth-highest hill.

Another walk (but hey, they’re one of the best things about the county), this medieval pilgrimage trek towards Brandon Mountain dates back to pre-Christian times, having almost certainly been adapted from Irish pagan rituals. It now forms part of the ‘Irish Camino’, an increasingly popular set of paths around the country that offer a stunning historic glance at ancient Ireland. On this one, you’ll find the delicate stone Gallarus Oratory that’s somehow remained water tight for a century as you pass over a gentle, rugged route. The full path, which has quite a few relics to uncover, goes from the Vartry Strand to the base of Brandon Mountain, covering 18 kilometres (11 miles).

Sure, the Cliffs of Moher, to the North of Kerry in County Clare, are Ireland’s most famous seaside drop-offs. But Portmagee’s cliffs offer incredible walks, dramatic drops and views out to Skellig Michael. Why are they less popular than Moher, yet 85m (279ft) higher? Because buses can’t get here. In other words, they’re a lesser-known treat – just avoid them in strong winds.