Kenmare

Kenmare is a village in County Kerry in southwest Ireland. It's at the head of Kenmare Bay: north of the bay is Iveragh Peninsula, and its coast road is the popular Ring of Kerry tourist route. South is Beara Peninsula, marking the boundary with County Cork. Kenmare's resident population was 2600 in 2022, but it has lots of tourist accommodation and other facilities and gets busy in summer.

Kenmare's Irish name is An Neidín, "the little nest". It was laid out as a planned town in 1670 by Sir William Petty, who'd been awarded the land by Cromwell for mapping Ireland. Subsequent landowners promoted tourism, which boomed once the railway reached Killarney in the 1850s. Kenmare also became famous for the lace sewn at its convent.

Kenmare Tourist Information Centre is north side of the main square, open daily 9AM-5PM.

The closest airport is Kerry (KIR ^IATA), midway between Killarney and Tralee. It has limited flights and you might do better to fly into Dublin, Shannon or Cork.

By road from Dublin follow M8 to Fermoy then N72 west through Mallow to Killarney then N71 south through the National Park.

Bus Éireann 270 runs hourly from Killarney (the nearest railway station) via Glenfesk and Kilgarvan, taking 45 min to Kenmare. Five per day continue south to Glengarriff, Bantry and Skibbereen.

Local Link Bus 281 runs four times a day from Waterville, taking 80 min via Caherdaniel and Sneem.

Bus 282 runs four times a day from Castletownbere, taking 70 min via Laragh.

Motorists should use the main car park on Railway Rd by Holy Cross Church. There are public toilets here. Avoid the congested Square.

Taxi firms are Kenmare Taxi (+353 87 349 9567), Brown's (+353 87 145 5413) and Kenmare Coach and Cab (+353 87 248 0800). You could negotiate a tour of the sights.

Bike hire is available from Finnegan's Cycles on Henry St, open M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 11AM-5PM.

• 51.88-9.5831 The Square is the colourful centre of Kenmare, lined by pubs and shops along Henry St, Main St and Shelbourne St. Yes, it's a triangle. The Tourist Office is at the north end.
• Holy Cross Church (Roman Catholic) just north on Railway Rd was completed in 1864 along with the Poor Clare's Convent adjacent. Here the nuns developed the techniques of needlework that made Kenmare lace famous. You can visit the church but the convent closed and became a school. The Poor Clares continue elsewhere, and you can see the legacy of their craft in the Lace and Design Centre, described below.
• Kenmare Stone Circle is 300 m west along Market Street. It's a ring of 15 stones around a central boulder, from the Bronze Age 2200-500 BC. River Finnihy is the stream and scenic dell further west.
• Ardtully Castle 1 km west of Kilgarvan is a cod-castle of 1847, a mansion torched during the war of 1921. It's on private land, you see enough from the road.
• 51.8891-9.43422 Kilgarvan Motor Museum, Slaheny, Kilgarvan V93 PW28, ☏ +353 64 668 5346. Mon-Sat 9:30AM-12:45PM, 1:45-5:30PM. A personal collection of vintage and classic cars, including Rolls Royce, Bentley, Alvis and Armstrong Siddeley. If you happen to own one yourself, the boss can do repairs and servicing.  (updated Jul 2026)

• Battle of Callann in 1261 was fought a short way west of Slaheny. Finghin MacCaura or McCarthy was King of Desmond, and with his Gaelic allies routed the Anglo-Normans here. He died shortly after the battle but his victory meant Desmond remained an independent kingdom for another 300 years.
• 51.838-9.93 Sneem is a village west on N70 with a scenic inlet of the sea. Its name An tSnaidhm means "the knot", the explanation of which depends entirely on which garrulous codger has bent your ear with the tale. Charles de Gaulle holidayed here, and it's the burial place of the fifth Irish President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (Carroll O'Daly, 1911 – 1978). There's accommodation and a golf course.
• 51.8051-10.01554 Staigue Stone Fort is an Iron Age ringfort of circa 300-400 AD. It has sturdy drystone walls and an encircling ditch. It's at the head of a valley and commands great views yet can't be seen from below, clearly no accident. Drive up the 4 km access lane from Castlecove, which is narrow but in good repair, to the car park. The site is free to access 24 hours.

• 51.77-10.15 Caherdaniel is a village near the south point of Iveragh peninsula. Its sights are a ring fort, Derrynane Beg Ogham Stone, Derrynane House the home of liberation lawyer and politician Daniel O'Connell, and the fragmentary remains of an abbey on a tidal island. Boat trips to the Skelligs sail from Bealtra just west.
• Waterville and other points further along the peninsula are described as part of Caherciveen.
• 51.7628-9.77926 Lauragh is a village along R571 on Beara peninsula, which extends south of Kenmare. Dereen Garden is open daily 10AM-6PM, adult €12 child €6 (2026).
• 51.74-9.8947 Ardgroom is the main village on the north side of Beara peninsula and has two stone circles. It's across the boundary into County Cork but easier to reach from the Kerry side, following R571.
• See Castletownbere for the tip of Beara peninsula, including Dursey Island, which is reached by cable-car.

• Ring of Kerry is the 214-km circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula, a comfortable day-trip by car or tour bus. Buses tour anti-clockwise so Kenmare comes near the end of their circuit, then they climb N71 over Moll's Gap to return to Killarney. Independent travellers starting from Kenmare are probably better going clockwise, though you'll have to dodge all the oncoming buses somewhere on the road beyond Waterville.
• Wild Atlantic Way is the coastal route all the way down from Donegal to Kinsale. On Iveragh Peninsula it's one and the same as the Ring of Kerry. South it hugs the coast of Beara Peninsula, eventually reaching Bantry.
• Carnegie Arts Centre on Shelbourne St is the village performing arts venue, with film, theatre, music and comedy.
• Horse riding: there are centres at River Valley (within Sheen Falls Hotel) and at Dromquinna 10 km west on N70.
• Boat trips: Kenmare Bay Cruises and Kenmare Bay Boat Tours sail from the village jetty.

• Kenmare Bay Diving, Pier Rd, ☏ +353 87 699 3793, kenmarebaydiving@gmail.com. They offer try-dives, training, kit hire and dives for every skill level: see Scuba diving for what's involved. They're open for business May-Oct, the rest of the year they just dive for fun in a grey heaving Atlantic. (updated Jul 2026)
• Kissane Sheep Farm, Foardal, Moll's Gap V93 D621 (12 km on N71 towards Killarney), ☏ +353 87 260 0410, info@KissaneSheepFarm.com. Mar-Oct daily. Working sheep farm, where you watch the collies herd the sheep, and lambing and sheep-shearing in season. Adult €10, child €5. (updated Jul 2026)
• Golf: Kenmare GC lies east side of the village. Blue tees 6086 yards, par 71.

Ring of Kerry GC is 5 km west on N70. Blue tees 6663 yards, par 73.

• Supermarkets are northeast edge of the village, with Lidl, Aldi and Murphy's SuperValu.
• ATMs are outside Bank of Ireland and AIB, both on The Square.
• Kenmare Lace and Design Centre, The Square V93 H68P (above Tourist Office), ☏ +353 87 234 6998. Mon-Fri 10:30AM-1PM. Craft shop for lace plus a small museum. Needlepoint lace was handmade by the nuns of Poor Clare Convent from the 19th century, winning acclaim for its innovative designs. The convent declined in the late 20th century but the nuns taught a local craftswoman their skills and she founded an artisan co-op which became this centre. It occasionally has demonstrations, classes and promotional events. (updated Jul 2026)
• Farmers Market is in The Square every Wednesday 10AM-4PM.

Sneem Black Pudding has protected geographical status. It's square rather than the usual rings, uncased and tray-baked, and made of beef suet, onions, oat flakes, spices and the blood of sundry animals.

• PF McCarthy's, 14 Main St V93 D7YF, ☏ +353 89 964 2414. Food daily noon-9PM. Pub and restaurant with good pub food. (updated Jul 2026)
• Mulcahy's, Main St V93 W35F, ☏ +353 64 664 2383. Tue-Sat 5-11:30PM. Pub-restaurant serving great trad-continental food. (updated Jul 2026)
• Lime Tree, 3A Shelbourne St V93 A462, ☏ +353 64 664 1225. Wed-Mon 6-9:30PM. This cosy restaurant get great reviews for its modern Irish cuisine. (updated Jul 2026)
• Kenmare Brewhouse, The Square V93 VK02, ☏ +353 64 664 2357. Wed-Thu noon-11:30PM, Fri-Tue 9AM-11:30PM. It's not a microbrewery as the name implies, but a pub-restaurant with a decent menu. (updated Jul 2026)
• Lily House does Thai and Chinese food at 26 Main St. It's open W-M 5-10PM.
• No. 35 is Irish fare at 35 Main St, open F-Tu 5-9PM.
• Boxed Wood Fired Pizza on The Square is open Tu-Su 5-9PM.

• The Square is walled by pubs; most do food and several have rooms. Weave your way between Atlantic Bar, O'Connor's, Foley's, Crowley's, Davitt's, Florry Batt's, Mulcahy's and Roughty Bar / Eamon's.
• Top of Coom claims to be Ireland's highest pub. It's in the hills on the Cork-Kerry boundary along a lane to Macroom, and open M-Th 2-11PM, F-Su noon-11PM.
• Tom Crean Brewery on Kenmare Main St is named for the Antarctic explorer born in Annascaul on the Dingle Peninsula.

• Kenmare Aire is a motorhome park on Market St. No camping, toilets or hook-ups.
• Davitt's, Henry St V93 TX40, ☏ +353 64 664 2741. Friendly restaurant with rooms in town centre. B&B double €160. (updated Jul 2026)
• B&Bs in town centre also include Bridge St Townhouse and Coachman's.
• B&Bs east on R569 include Neidin House, White House, Golf Course View, Abbey Court and Ashfield.
• Brook Lane Hotel, Killarney Road V93 T289 (opposite Kenmare Bay Hotel), ☏ +353 64 664 2077. Friendly small hotel. No dogs. Live music in Casey's Bar. B&B double €270. (updated Jul 2026)
• 51.8826-9.59081 Kenmare Bay Hotel, Sneem Road V93 HY28, ☏ +353 64 667 9300. Slick modern hotel. B&B double €170.  (updated Jul 2026)
• B&Bs west on N70 Sneem Road include Happy Pig, Kenmare House, Gortnamullen House and Druid Cottage.
• 51.863-9.7092 Greenwood Hostel, Capparoe Cottages V93 WC83, ☏ +353 89 208 1009. Clean, friendly hostel west along N70.  (updated Jul 2026)
• B&Bs south across the bridge are Muxnaw Lodge and Watersedge.
• 51.8745-9.56383 Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare V93 HR27, ☏ +353 64 664 1600. Now you've really arrived: the summer residence of the Marquis of Landsdowne is now a plush resort hotel and country club south shore of the bay. B&B double €550.  (updated Jul 2026)
• Self-catering: lots of properties. Local agencies are Kenmare Rentals and Kenmare Lodging.

As of July 2026 Kenmare and its approach roads have 4G from Three and Vodafone, and 5G from Eir. Lots of dead spots along N71 from Killarney.

• Following the Ring of Kerry clockwise takes you west on N70 through Sneem and Caherdaniel to Waterville, Portmagee and Caherciveen.
• Following it anti-clockwise, N71 climbs Moll's Gap (for Gap of Dunloe) then comes into Killarney through the National Park.
• South is Beara peninsula, with routes via Ardgroom to Castletownbere or through the N71 tunnel (unsuitable for high vehicles) into Glengarriff and Bantry.
• East the R569 through Kilgarvan leads onto the N22 to Macroom and Cork.