Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [259]
PF McCarthy’s ( 064-664 1516; 14 Main St; dinner €13-27; noon-3pm Mon-Sat, plus 5-9pm Tue-Sat) This well-mannered spot offers meals about three notches above the pub-grub norm. Numerous sandwiches and hot specials are complemented by a varied selection of beers on tap – more than the Coors Light/Heineken juggernaut.
Horseshoe ( 064-664 1553; 3 Main St; mains €17-28; 5-10pm) Ivy frames the entrance to this gastropub, which has a short but excellent menu that runs from Kerry’s best burger to luscious scallops and hearty steaks. Vegetarian specials appear daily.
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D’Arcy’s Oyster Bar and Grill ( 064-664 1589; www.darcys.ie, mains €19-32; 6.30-9.30pm) ‘Eat fish – your heart will love you for it’ reads the sign in the window. It could also say, eat fresh! Local purveyors supply the best in organic produce, cheeses and fresh seafood, all served in modern, low-key surrounds. Needless to say the raw oysters capture the elusive scent of the bay. The accommodation is good also (see opposite).
Drinking & Entertainment
For good trad sessions try Crowley’s (Henry St), while Florry Batt’s (Henry St) sees a cheerful crowd and occasional singalongs. A wide range of acts plays PF McCarthy’s ( 064-664 1516; 14 Main St) Thursday to Saturday.
Shopping
Kenmare has many quality craft shops. On 15 August every year, marketers from throughout Ireland descend on town with crafts, local produce, ponies, cattle, sheep, bric-a-brac etc.
PFK Gold & Silversmith ( 064-664 2590; pfkelly@indigo.ie; 18 Henry St) Minimalist jewellery by Paul Kelly and contemporary Irish designers. Check out the salt servers with enamel linings by West Cork designer Marika O’Sullivan. Prices start at €80; Kelly also takes commissions.
Soundz of Muzic ( 064-664 2268; 9 Henry St) Has a selection of Irish and contemporary music.
Noel & Holland ( 064-664 2464; 3 Bridge St) Find that elusive favourite at this excellent second-hand bookshop, which sells some rare editions and also has a terrific range of paperbacks, all neatly collated.
The farmers market ( 10am-4pm Wed) also draws many artisans.
Getting There & Away
The 32km drive on the N71 to Killarney is surprisingly dramatic with tunnels and stark mountain vistas.
Twice-daily buses serve the transport hub of Killarney (€9, 50 minutes). Click here for service to Castletownbere, County Cork and other points during the summer. Buses stop outside Roughty Bar (Main St).
Getting Around
Finnegan’s Cycle Centre ( 064-664 1083; Shelbourne St) rents bikes for €15/85 per day/week. There’s free parking throughout town, with a two-hour limit between 9am and 6pm.
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NORTHERN KERRY
The landscape of Northern Kerry is often dull compared with the glories of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, Killarney and Kenmare. But there are some interesting places that should give you pause on your drive. Tralee has a great museum while Ballybunion and the blustery beaches south of the Shannon estuary are worth a look.
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TRALEE
pop 22,100
Despite being the county town, Tralee is dismissed in the rest of Kerry as an overflow valve for Limerick and its social problems. It’s certainly a down-to-earth place, more engaged with the business of everyday life than the tourist trade. Stop in for a stroll of an Irish town where you might have a hard time buying a shamrock-clutching teddy bear.
Founded by the Normans in 1216, Tralee has a long history of rebellion. In the 16th century the last ruling earl of the Desmonds was captured and executed here. His head was sent to Elizabeth I, who spiked it on London Bridge. The Desmond castle once stood at the junction of Denny St and the Mall, but any trace of medieval Tralee that survived the Desmond Wars was razed during the Cromwellian period.
Orientation
You’ll find most things you need along the Mall and its continuation, Castle St. Elegant Denny St and Day Pl are the oldest parts of town, with 18th-century buildings. Ashe St is home to