Kerry

Músaem Chorca Dhuibhne Drone shot

County Kerry is located in the south west of Ireland. Tralee is the county town. There are two distinct Gaeltacht regions in Kerry – the western part of the Dingle Peninsula (Corca Dhuibhne) and a part of the Uíbh Ráthach peninsula. Daingen Uí Chúis is the largest town on the Dingle peninsula and Baile an Sceilg is the largest village in the Uíbh Ráthach Gaeltacht.

Tourism

County Kerry is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations because of its beautiful landscape and lively towns. The highest mountain in Ireland – Carrauntoohil – and the longest beach on the Wild Atlantic Way at Brandon Bay are located in county Kerry but these are just two of the many beauty spots in the area. The Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht is the most westerly inhabited place in mainland Europe and the Slea Head Drive in the area is renowned for its beautiful views and cultural and business points of interest. An Blascaod Mór is also situated out from the Corca Dhuibhne coast and this island is known for its rich literary and cultural history. Another famous island – Skellig Michael – is located off the coast of the Uíbh Ráthach Gaeltacht and this unique island is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. This part of the Kerry Gaeltacht is part of the Ring of Kerry – the established driving route on the Uíbh Ráthach peninsula that includes many different natural, cultural and business points of interest. Along with the beauty of the countryside, Kerry has many lively towns and one of the most famous towns in the Gaeltacht – Daingean Uí Chúis – is located on the Dingle peninsula.

Enterprise and Community

Among the industries and sectors that are based in Kerry are manufacturing, medical and health devices, engineering and food processing. The fishing sector is still strong in the county as well as the marine sector. The craft industry is also strong in Kerry and many artists are based in the county and take inspiration from the landscape around them. This Gaeltacht region depends on small and medium enterprises and Údarás na Gaeltachta along with other stakeholders is working continuously to drive enterprise in the Kerry Gaeltacht. Many innovative companies are now emerging in the area and a strong gteic – MolTeic – has been operating in Daingean Uí Chúis for some time. This network will be expanded in the future and the services and the business resources in the area are continuously growing. Excellent resources are also available in the Kerry Gaeltacht for the community of the region and many events are organised for local people and for visitors throughout the year. The people of Kerry have a strong identity, both local and county identity, but the community of the Kerry Gaeltacht is also one of great diversity and new locals are welcomed with open arms.

Facts

  • County Kerry, with a population of 155,258 (2022 Census) is located in the south-west of Ireland
  • The Kerry Gaeltacht has a population of 8,756 and this is equivalent to 8.8% of the whole population of the Gaeltacht
  • The Kerry Gaeltacht has an area of 642 km2. This is equivalent to 9% of the entire area of the Gaeltacht
  • In 2019, 695 people were employed full time in Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies in the Kerry Gaeltacht

Transport

The national primary roads to Kerry are:

  • The N21 from Limerick
  • The N22 from Cork

Air Services

• Kerry Airport
• Shannon Airport
• Cork Airport

Bus and Rail Services

County Kerry is accessible from Dublin, Cork and from other large towns and cities all over Ireland by bus and train services.
Further information: www.irishrail.ie or www.buseireann.ie

 

Local link Kerry https://www.locallinkkerry.ie/. They provide services from Killarney/ Tralee to West Kerry and much more.

 

Medical services in County Kerry

  • Tralee General Hospital
  • Bon Secours Hospital
  • Daingeán Uí Chúis Community Hospital
  • Naomh Áine Hospital
  • Dairbhre Community Hospital

Third Level Education

The following third level colleges serve the region:

• Munster Technological University
• University College Cork
• University of Limerick 
• Cork Institute of Technology
• Díseart

 

Leisure Facilities

Every leisure facility and activity that could be desired is available in County Kerry. For more information visit:

www.discoverireland.ie

gokerry.ie

Client-companies affiliated with Údarás na Gaeltachta in Kerry