East Kerry – Vibrant communities, family fun & local villages! Around every corner is different - with its own individual character and sense of place.

Castleisland is renowned for the width of its main street - the second widest in Ireland and second only to the famous O'Connell Street in Dublin. Local activities include Castleisland’s 18 hole Golf Course and of course, the splendour of Crag Cave.

Discovered in 1983, Crag Cave is a magical wonderland of stalagmites and stalactites, displaying a wealth of truly wondrous subterranean geological treasures. It is one of Ireland's largest cave systems, totalling 3.81Km in length. Its educational value is enhanced by exciting children's attractions in the Crazy Cave.The latest addition is Crag Cliff, a seven metre mobile climbing wall suitable for children (over six) to adults!

The Patrick O’Keefe Traditional Music Festival is held in Castleisland every year and if you enjoy traditional music, it’s definitely worth a visit. Castleisland is also a great shopping town where everything and anything can be found on the one street.

Castleisland is also home to An Ríocht, a vibrant Athletics Club established in 1973. With an international standard 400-metre tartan athletics track and a soccer pitch, the club is renowned for the dedication of its officers to providing top class facilities for its athletes.

Some great walks in the region include the Castleisland River walk, the Glanageenty walk and the Kilcummin walk.

Farranfore, An Fearann Fuar, "the cold land", came into existence as a turnpike, a gate at the cross-roads in the village. Today, Kerry International Airport opens the boundaries to new destinations – Frankfurt-Hahn, London Stansted, London Luton, Alicante, Faro, Manchester, Dusseldorf - Weeze, and of course, Dublin for a full range of International destinations.

Scartaglin, together with 12 other football clubs ( Cordal, Dr. Crokes, Currow, Firies, Fossa, Glenflesk, Gneeveguilla, Kilcummin, Legion, Listry, Rathmore and Spa), form the East Kerry Division of the GAA. The most important competition is the O’Donoghue Cup which is awarded to the winners of the East Kerry Senior Football Championship.

Sliabh Luachra means “the mountain of Luachre”. Ciarraí Luchre was a pre-celtic god who gave Kerry and Sliabh Luachra their names. The Munster Blackwater rises and flows in the area which is bordered by Millstreet, Killarney and Castleisland, and contains the villages of Rathmore, Gneeveguilla, Barraduff, Knocknagree, Rockchapel and Ballydesmond. Rathmore, "the big Ringfort", is the gateway to Kerry and home to Cadburys Chocolate. Rockchapel has a fantastic cultural centre with regular performances of traditional Sliabh Luachra music, song and dance. The area  is scattered with evidence of ancient peoples; cairns, ring forts and standing stones. Aogan O’Rahilly, Eoghan Rua O’Sullivan, the great storyteller Eamon Kelly and traditional musicians, too many to mention all hailed from Sliabh Luachra.The most striking mountains, Na Cionna or “The Paps”, are two identical natural mounds representing Dana, goddess of the Tuatha De Dannan. Below The Paps is Cathair Cubh Dearg, “The City”, the remains of a stone ring fort that was used for pre Christian fertility worship, now Christianised with a holy well.

Things to See & Do

Activities

Nature, Cultural & Walking Trails

Horse Riding

Cycling

Mountain Biking

Golf

Athletics

Swimming

Children’s Play Activity Centres

Shopping

Farmers & Christmas Markets

Bird Watching

Archaeology Sites