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Europe Ireland Kerry The Ring of Kerry Portmagee and The Skellig Islands

Overview

Portmagee and The Skellig Islands

The guide was updated: 2023-02-08

Further west of Ireland, out to sea, is an extraordinary, far-flung place of pilgrimage: Skellig Michael. 1300 years ago, early Christian monks built a remarkable hermitage at the top of this jagged ocean crag – then at the furthest limits of the known world. This mysterious and awe-inspiring place, described by George Bernard Shaw as “part of our dream world”, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It can be reached by the adventurous on a small boat, only when the weather allows, from the small picturesque fishing village of Portmagee. Portmagee was the winner of Ireland’s first ever Tourism Town in 2012, and once you arrive it’s easy to see why. You can really get to know people here. There are small family-run businesses, local food producers, artists and craftspeople, pubs with peat fires and traditional music sessions. Across the bridge there is the Skelligs Experience Visitor Centre, where you can follow an audio-visual tour recreating the magic of the Skellig region and enjoy its history.

Useful Information

Address: Coarha More, Valentia Island, Co. Kerry
Opening hours: Daily: 10am-5pm (visitor centre)
Website: www.skelligexperience.com
Phone: +353 66 947 6306
Email: info@skelligexperience.com

Our travel guides are free to read and explore online. If you want to get your own copy, the full travel guide for this destination is available to you offline* to bring along anywhere or print for your trip.

*this will be downloaded as a PDF.

Price

€4,95

Purchase

Derrynane House

Derrynane House

Derrynane House is the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell, and showcases memorabilia from the life and career of this famous statesman. Known as "The Liberator", O'Connell promoted Irish Emancipation and is a key figure in 18th-19th century history. Situated in Derrynane National Historic Park, the grounds boast 120 hectares of parklands and 1.5 km of coastline.

Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium

Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium

Located right by the sea, Dingle Oceanworld offers visitors a chance to learn more about the creatures which live so close by.. With over 1,000 species of marine life, including penguins, sharks, Loggerhead turtles, piranhas, as well as other native and tropical species, this family-friendly underwater world is ripe for exploration.

Crag Cave

Crag Cave

Crag Cave is a magical wonderland of stalagmites & stalactites, thought to be over one million years old. Here you'll find tours, a gift shop, a garden café, the Crazy Cave Play Centre and Kingdom Falconry, a new addition to Crag Cave.

Staigue Fort

Staigue Fort

More than 2,500 years old, Staigue Fort is an imposing circular stone fort. One of the largest ring forts in Ireland, it has a diameter of 27 metres, a square-headed doorway and two small chambers and stairways that lead to the top. This impressive structure has withstood the passing of time, although its history remains shrouded in mystery.

Celtic and Prehistoric Museum

Celtic and Prehistoric Museum

This local archaeological museum houses over 500 artifacts from the Stone, Bronze and Celtic Iron Ages, as well as Viking, Roman and Saxon antiquities. Among other things, it contains a dinosaur skeleton and a mammoth skull.

Dingle Dolphin Boat Tours

Dingle Dolphin Boat Tours

In 1983, a wild Bottlenose Dolphin named Fungie chose Dingle Harbour as its home. Boat trips leave Dingle Pier all day, every day, in order to see this very friendly dolphin wild and free in its natural habitat.

The Blasket Islands

The Blasket Islands

Off Slea Head – the most westerly tip of the Dingle Peninsula – lies a deserted archipelago with a poignant past: the mystical Blasket Islands, now an emblem of the Irish history of emigration. You can anchor a boat in the Blasket Sound on the edge of Europe, climb to the top of An Blascaod Mór, and explore the remote wilderness of this fascinating place. In Dingle, you can visit the Blasket Centre, an interpretive centre with a long, white hall ending in a wall-to-ceiling window overlooking the islands.

Portmagee and The Skellig Islands

Portmagee and The Skellig Islands

Further west of Ireland, out to sea, is an extraordinary, far-flung place of pilgrimage: Skellig Michael. 1300 years ago, early Christian monks built a remarkable hermitage at the top of this jagged ocean crag – then at the furthest limits of the known world. This mysterious and awe-inspiring place, described by George Bernard Shaw as “part of our dream world”, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It can be reached by the adventurous on a small boat, only when the weather allows, from the small picturesque fishing village of Portmagee. Portmagee was the winner of Ireland’s first ever Tourism Town in 2012, and once you arrive it’s easy to see why. You can really get to know people here. There are small family-run businesses, local food producers, artists and craftspeople, pubs with peat fires and traditional music sessions. Across the bridge there is the Skelligs Experience Visitor Centre, where you can follow an audio-visual tour recreating the magic of the Skellig region and enjoy its history.

The Slea Head Drive

The Slea Head Drive

The Slea Head Drive is a scenic route circumnavigating the western end of the Dingle peninsula. It begins and ends in the town of Dingle, and cascades quaint villages, rolling fields, mountains, monuments, and, of course, the ocean. For information, you can contact the Dingle Tourist Information Centre.

Waterville Golf Links

Waterville Golf Links

Ireland is a favourite of golfers the world over, and the spectacular coastal views of Kerry are the perfect backdrop for a good game. Waterville Golf Links is one of the country's most prestigious ones and conveniently situated on the Ring of Kerry.

Conor Pass

Conor Pass

One of few mountain passes accessible by road, Conor Pass is one of Ireland's most iconic and scenic drives. Craggier and rockier than previously thought possible, walking or cycling here is an undertaking for experienced climbers only. Those who dare will be rewarded with stunning views of cliffs, lakes, and rolling landscape.

Geokaun Mountain and Fogher Cliffs

Geokaun Mountain and Fogher Cliffs

Few hikes are so rewarding - from the summit of Geokaun Mountains, visitors can take in otherworldly views of the Skellig Islands, the Dingle Peninsula, the Blasket Islands, Beginish Island, Cahersiveen, Portmagee and MacGillycuddy's Reeks. With three viewing areas, these trails are open to hillwalkers, cyclists, or cars.

Brandon Group Mountains

Brandon Group Mountains

The Brandon Mountains consist of 7 major peaks, including the 2nd highest peak in Ireland (the highest being Carrantouhill, about 2 hours drive away). Composed of Old Red Sandstone, the mountains have a distinctive red, orange and purple hue. Local lore has it that St Brendan, a 5th century Irish saint, was born here and later went on to become a legendary seafarer. A pilgrimage inspired by his journey began here in the medieval times - and pilgrims still flock here today. The "Faha" (or Pilgrim's Path) takes around 4-5 hours to hike, while the most challenging route takes 6-7.

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