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Castleisland
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Castleisland is
situated in the valley of the River Maine, only 9km from Kerry
International Airport (Farranfore). The town is famous for the width
of its main street - the second widest in Ireland after O'Connell
Street in Dublin. The Glenaruddery mountains to the north and the
Stacks to the west define the beginning of the 'Vale of Tralee', at
the mouth of which Castleisland is situated.
his busy market town has only in recent years began to establish
itself as a major tourist attraction. This is mainly due to the
discovery of the "Crag Caves" in 1983. These caves which were opened
to the public in 1991, were found by accident when problems with
water pollution led to a search for the local river. The Caves,
which were formed of limestone, display a colourful wonderland of
Stalactites and Stalacmites. Over a million years old, there are
about 4km of caves although only 350 metres of these are open to the
public. Open from March to November with tours available daily
during this time.
Another historical site found in the Castleisland vicinity are the
ruins of "Desmond Castle". This castle was the Kerry stronghold of
the Earls of Desmond who ruled Kerry between the thirteenth and
seventeenth centuries.
Castleisland is frequently referred to as the "Gateway to Kerry".
This is because the main roads to all towns in Western and Southern
Kerry passes through here - the N21 from Limerick continues on to
Tralee while the N22 goes to Killarney and other towns in Southern
Kerry.
Castleisland hosts two major festivals each year. The first of these
festivals is "The Kerry Drama Festival" which is held annually
during March. During the month of September, the "Padraig O'Keefe
festival" is held. This is a traditional Music festival attracting
traditional music players from far and wide.The town also celebrates
its market tradition on 1st November with the annual Pattern Horse
Fair.
Castleisland Golf Club is a new parkland course, built on 200 acres,
with modern sand-based greens and tees. This excellent course is
built to the highest championship standards, which allows the course
to be played throughout the year. |
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Castleisland Holiday Homes - County Kerry, Ireland