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Cahirciveen
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Cahirciveen is a
picturesque market town located on the Iveragh Peninsula in
southwest County Kerry. The town is situated on the River Fertha
beneath Benetee mountain and overlooks Valentia Harbour.
This small but historical town provides the western entrance to the
Ring of Kerry, perhaps the most popular tourist route in all of
Ireland today. The Ring travels around the Iveragh Peninsula, giving
visitors the opportunity to see some of the most spectacular scenery
in the country. Cahirciveen is a town full of brightly painted homes
and is the central market area for the south of County Kerry
Cahirciveen's most famous historic figure is undoubtedly Daniel
O'Connell, who was born in the town on 6 August 1775. In the first
half of the 19th century O'Connell placed himself in the service of
non-violence, political reforms and he was co-founder of the
Catholic Association in 1823. Already in his lifetime Daniel
O'Connell was known as The Uncrowned King of Ireland and The
Liberator. After his death in 1847 the body of O'Connell returned to
Cahirciveen and buried in the Abbey of the Holy Cross. the town was
also the birthplace of the writer Sigerson Clifford whose poem "The
Boys of Barr na Sraide" has been immortalised in song.
A popular attraction situated at the bottom of Bentee Mountain, is
the Cahirciveen Heritage Centre. The building once served as the
barracks of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). The structure itself
can best be described as intimidating and fortress-like. Reputedly
it was based on a blueprint designed for India and not Ireland.
Today it serves as a centre for learning, featuring displays on
topics such as the effects of the famine on the local area, the
achievements of Daniel O’Connell, and the restoration of the
building that houses the centre itself, after it was destroyed by
fire.
The other main building dominating the town is is the O’Connell
Memorial Church, the only church in all of Ireland named in honour
of a lay person and not a saint. It is an impressive structure in
the neo-Gothic style and built in 1888. The church’s design is very
elaborate, and the building is made from mostly black limestone and
Newry Granite.
The bridge across the river offers fantastic views of Valencia
Harbour and the ruins of Ballycarbery Castle where the O’Connell’s
had a stronghold. The town also has a marina and a ferry service to
the Skelligs.
For the outdoor person there is a huge range of sporting activities
on offer including walking, mountaineering, windsurfing,
water-skiing, sailing, cycling, horse riding, golf and also deep sea
angling for which Cahirciveen has an good reputation. This is
mirrored by the Angling Competitions held in Cahirciveen annually
and indeed the International Deep Sea Fishing Festival in August.
Every August the town also hosts a Celtic Music Festival.
A few kilometres outside the town on the opposite side of the Ferthy
River are the ruins of Ballycarberry Castle. This fifteenth century
castle, which was once owned by the McCarthy Mores clan and
subsequently by the ancestors of Daniel O'Connoll, is still
impressive, despite the devastation caused by Cromwellian forces in
1652. The ivy covered ruins are situated in a breathtaking scenery.
There are plenty of lively spots to be found in Cahirciveen for an
evening's entertainment and some excellent seafood restaurants too. |
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Cahirciveen Holiday Homes - County Kerry, Ireland