County Kerry

By: IRISHCENTRAL.COM | Published Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 5:06 PM | Updated Friday, April 29, 2011, 4:41 PM

Irish Name: Ciarraí - "people of Ciar"

County Town: Tralee

Nickname: The Kingdom

GAA Colors: Green and Gold

Famous People with Kerry roots: Gregory Peck, St. Brendan the Navigator, Daniel O'Connell, Thomas Ashe, Tom Murphy, Mike Quill, Jerome Connor, Tom Crean, Dick Spring, Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty

Known as the 'Kingdom' the county of Kerry is rightly famous about the world as one of Ireland's most popular tourism spots. The jagged coast of the country long battered by the Atlantic makes for fantastic scenery. The mountains and peninsulas make for an unusually shaped county wherein it is easy for the traveller to get lost in the splendour of the region.

The lakes and rivers of Killarney are famous the world over. The three biggest lakes in the county make up the Lakes of Killarney. Part of the Killarney National Park the lakes are studded with islands and Muckross Abbey and Ross Castle are sites of historical interest. The awe-inspiring beauty of the Lakes and the tranquillity of the area make it one of the most magical spots in the country.

But scenery aside there is plenty of things to do in the county. Golfers will love the Championship course at Waterville, rated as one of the top five courses in the country. Angling is intensely popular in a county, which has so many lakes as well as the Atlantic coast for sea fishing.

Kerry's nickname of the 'Kingdom' is one well earned through its history. The western end of the Dingle peninsula provides a great many monuments dating back several centuries. Early Christian sites sit down the road from Celtic ring-forts and burial sites.

The Blasket Islands are an essential stop for any visitor. The most westerly island in Europe are unique and were inhabited for thousands of years, they were finally abandoned in 1953, when the last inhabitants were moved to the mainland. On the Great Blasket, life has stood still, there is no electricity, no phone, no television, no cars, only the sound of the sea, the cry of the gulls, unspoilt beaches, extraordinary bird life an a uniquely peaceful atmosphere.

The Ring of Kerry is one of the most scenic tours in Ireland with the drive from Tralee and Brandon particularly amazing. Mount Brandon itself provides stunning views for those willing to climb it.

With the bustling towns of Tralee, Killarney and Listowel providing a great nightlife spiced with the particular Kerry charm that makes the county so unique you can be sure of a great time every night of the week. And it's that quality that gives the 'Kingdom' the magnetic quality that makes it so special.

Common Surnames in Kerry: Brennan, Browne, O'Sullivan, O'Connor, Shea, Murphy, McCarthy, Moriarty, Fitzgerald, O'Connell, Donoghue, Griffin