98-639: The Uaithni were a people of early Ireland, who in early medieval times lived in north-eastern County Limerick and the adjoining part of County Tipperary , and had traditions that they once lived west of the River Shannon . Their name derives from a reconstructed Proto-Celtic *Autēniī , and they have been identified as the Auteini (Αύτεινοι) referred to in Ptolemy 's 2nd century Geography as living in approximately County Galway . Two branches of
196-508: A Crossley tender were sent from Dublin. Listowel would remain a base for those supporting the treaty throughout the conflict. The town was eventually overcome by superior numbers of anti-Treaty forces belonging to the Kerry No. 2 and 3 Brigades in June 1922. In the ensuing civil war between pro- and anti-treaty elements, Kerry was perhaps the worst affected area of Ireland. Initially the county
294-792: A commercial radio station, Radio Kerry , which commenced operations in 1990. RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta has a studio in Baile na nGall in the west Kerry gaeltacht . Spin South West has a studio in Tralee , which commenced operations in 2016. The main National Primary Routes into Kerry are the N21 road from Limerick and the N22 road from Cork , each terminating in Tralee. Kerry Airport
392-518: A long period of persecution against the Catholic majority, many of whom lived in poverty. In spite of this oppression, however, the famous Maigue Poets strove to keep alive their ancient Gaelic Poetry in towns like Croom and Bruree . The Great Famine of the 1840s set in motion mass emigration and a huge decline in Irish as a spoken language in the county. This began to change around the beginning of
490-524: A masterpiece of metalwork, which was found in a west Limerick fort in 1868. It is believed that the chalice had been taken by raiding Danes during the 9th century, ending up in the territory of their Irish allies, the O'Donovans of the Ui Fidgenti. Following the establishment of the Ui Fidgenti circa 377 a.d., there were few significant changes in political control until the arrival of the Vikings in
588-427: A native of Listowel , is considered one of Ireland's greatest playwrights and is known for his works such as The Field , Sive and Big Maggie . The annual Listowel Writers' Week Festival serves as a celebration of Irish writers past and present. Kerry is known for its senior Gaelic football team . Gaelic football is by far the dominant sport in the county, and Kerry has the most successful of all football teams;
686-466: A region on the extremity of Ireland, the culture of Kerry was less susceptible to outside influences and has preserved the Irish language , as well as Irish traditional music , song and dance . The Sliabh Luachra area of northeast Kerry, that borders Limerick and Cork, is renowned for its traditional music, dance and song, especially its slides, polkas and fiddle playing. The Siamsa Tíre centre in Tralee
784-602: A secondary route travels from Limerick City along the Shannon Estuary through Clarina , Kildimo , Askeaton , Foynes & Glin and continues towards Listowel in County Kerry . It is the main road linking the Port of Foynes with Limerick city, although plans are in place to upgrade this road to motorway status. The county's regional/national bus hub is located beside Colbert Station and connects most parts of
882-820: A separate shire in 1232, and was at that time part of a royal grant given to the Earls of Desmond . The present-day county was divided for centuries between the Gaelic Kingdom of Desmond , ruled by the Mac Cárthaigh dynasty , and the Anglo-Norman Earldom of Desmond, ruled by the Geraldines . These two regions were merged in 1606 in the aftermath of the Nine Years' War . Kerry has two official Gaeltacht regions, Gaeltacht Uíbh Ráthaigh on
980-484: A series of massacres of republican prisoners by National Army soldiers, in reprisal for the ambush of their men—the most notorious being the killing of eight men with mines at Ballyseedy , near Tralee. The internecine conflict was brought to an end in May 1923 as the rule of law was re-established following the death of IRA Chief of Staff Liam Lynch , and the order by Frank Aiken to dump all arms. The local authority for
1078-808: A shoot-out in Castleisland on the day of the truce itself, indicating the bitterness of the conflict in Kerry. Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty , most of the Kerry IRA units opposed the settlement. One exception existed in Listowel where a pro-Treaty garrison was established by local Flying Column commandant Thomas Kennelly in February 1922. This unit consisted of 200 regular soldiers along with officers and NCOs. A batch of rifles, machine guns and
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#17327804450881176-559: A terminal was begun in 1935. The first transatlantic proving flights were operated on 5 July 1937 with a Pan Am Sikorsky S-42 service from Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador on the Bay of Exploits and a BOAC Short Empire service from Foynes with successful transits of twelve and fifteen-and-a-quarter hours respectively. Services to New York, Southampton, Montreal, Poole and Lisbon followed, the first non-stop New York service operating on 22 June 1942 in 25 hours 40 minutes. All of this changed following
1274-561: A transfer of power from the Ui Fidgenti's leading families (O'Donovan and Collins) to the new landholders. The ancestors of both Michael Collins and the famous O'Connells of Derrynane were also among the septs of the Uí Fidgenti. As the Ui Fidgenti were the ruling clan in Limerick after 400 a.d., the Uí Fidgenti still made a substantial contribution to the population of the central and western regions of County Limerick. Their capital
1372-959: A wide variety of artistic and cultural events occurring at various locations around the city. The Limerick City Gallery of Art on Pery Square is the city's chief venue for contemporary art exhibitions. Theatres include the Limetree Theatre, Mary I; the University Concert Hall and the Millennium Theatre, LIT all in the city. Others include the Friar's Gate in Kilmallock and the Honey Fitz in Lough Gur. The city has an active music scene, which has produced bands such as The Cranberries . The Limerick Art Gallery,
1470-520: Is Colbert station , named after West Limerick man Con Colbert who was executed following the Easter Rising of 1916. Limerick has three operational railway lines passing through it, In addition, a line exists leading to Foynes however the last revenue service was in 2000. The M7 is the main road linking Limerick with Dublin . The M/N20 connects the county with Cork . The N21 road links Limerick with Tralee and travels through some of
1568-803: Is Kerry County Council . Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean , Kerry is Ireland's most westerly county. Its rugged coastline stretches for 886 kilometres (551 miles) and is characterised by bays, sea cliffs, beaches and many small offshore islands, of which the Blaskets and the Skelligs are the most notable. The county's peninsulas have a hilly to mountainous topography, with the MacGillycuddy's Reeks on Iveragh rising to over 1,000 m (3,300 ft). By contrast, its interior regions are mostly flat, interspersed with low mountain ranges such as
1666-623: Is a developing greenway network, known as the "Kingdom of Kerry Greenways", across the county. The North Kerry (part of the Great Southern Trail ), South Kerry and Tralee-Fenit greenways are under-development or in the planning phases. Kerry is served by rail at Tralee railway station , Farranfore railway station , Killarney railway station and Rathmore railway station which connect to Cork and Dublin Heuston , via Mallow . Branch line services existed to each of
1764-577: Is a hub of traditional Irish pastimes. Corca Dhuibhne and Uíbh Ráthach are considered Gaeltacht regions and Irish culture is also very strong in these areas. The Blasket Islands off the Dingle Peninsula are known for their rich literary heritage; authors such as Peig Sayers , Muiris Ó Súilleabháin and Tomás Ó Criomhthain have all written books about life on the islands, which were evacuated in 1953 due to increasingly extreme weather conditions that made them uninhabitable. John B Keane ,
1862-569: Is found in various -ry place names in Ireland, such as Osry — Osraighe Deer-People/Tribe . The county's nickname is the Kingdom . On 27 August 1329, by Letters Patent , Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond was confirmed in the feudal seniority of the entire county palatine of Kerry, to him and his heirs male, to hold of the Crown by the service of one knight's fee. In the 15th century,
1960-611: Is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". Kerry faces the Atlantic Ocean and, typically for an Eastern-Atlantic coastal region, features many peninsulas and inlets, principally the Dingle Peninsula , the Iveragh Peninsula , and the Beara Peninsula . The county is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on
2058-525: Is more popular in west Limerick, particularly along the Shannon Estuary west of Askeaton and along the Kerry border. There are also football strongholds in the southeast of the county and on the eastern edges of the city. Although one of the strongest teams in the country during the early years of the GAA, the game in the county was overshadowed by hurling throughout the 20th century and its last success in
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#17327804450882156-589: Is one of Ireland's most famous tourist destinations. The Lakes of Killarney , an area of outstanding natural beauty, are located in Killarney National Park . The Reeks District is home to Carrauntoohil , Ireland's highest mountain at 1,039 m. The tip of the Dingle Peninsula is the westernmost point of Ireland. There are nine historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes. Their official status
2254-523: Is owned by the Limerick Leader and is primarily a city paper. The Weekly Observer serves the western half of the county while the Vale Star covers South Limerick and North Cork. The song "Limerick You're a Lady" is traditionally associated with the county. It is sometimes heard at sports fixtures involving the county. " Seán South from Garryowen " is another popular Limerick song and tells
2352-596: Is served by Farranfore railway station . Fenit harbour near Tralee is a regional harbour capable of handling ships of up to 17,000 tonnes. Large container cranes from Liebherrs in Killarney are regularly exported worldwide. A rail-link to the port was closed in the 1970s. The harbour at Dingle is one of Ireland's secondary fishing ports. In the north of the county, a ferry service operates from Tarbert to Killimer in County Clare . Hospitals in Kerry include
2450-855: Is situated on the N23 road between Castleisland and Farranfore which connects the N21 and N22. Within Kerry the main National Secondary Routes include the well-known Ring of Kerry which follows the N70 road that circles the Iveragh Peninsula and links at Kenmare with the N71 road to west Cork . The N86 road connects Tralee with Dingle along the Dingle Peninsula, while the N69 road from Limerick links Listowel and Tralee through north Kerry. There
2548-553: Is the centre of the tourism industry, which is a significant element of the economy in Kerry. The Kerry Way , Dingle Way and Beara Way are walking routes in the county. The Ring of Kerry on the Iveragh Peninsula is a popular route for tourists and cyclists. The pedestrian version is the scenic Kerry Way which follows ancient paths generally higher than that adopted by the Ring of Kerry. Kerry has an abundance of archaeological sites. The earliest evidence of human settlement dates to
2646-417: Is the fifth largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties by area and the fifteenth largest by population . It is the second largest of Munster's six counties by area, and the fourth largest by population. Uniquely, it is bordered by only two other counties: County Limerick to the east and County Cork to the south-east. The county town is Tralee although the Catholic diocesan seat is Killarney , which
2744-670: The 2014 local elections held on 23 May 2014, Killarney , Listowel and Tralee each had town councils . They were abolished under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 . Following boundary changes in 2016, Kerry is represented in Dáil Éireann by five TDs returned from a single Dáil constituency of Kerry . The TDs elected to the 33rd Dáil at the 2020 general election were Pa Daly ( SF ), Norma Foley ( FF ), Brendan Griffin ( FG ), Danny Healy-Rae ( Independent ) and Michael Healy-Rae ( Independent ). As
2842-464: The 3rd-highest county peak in Ireland with Tipperary. The county is not simply a plain, its topography consists of hills and ridges. The eastern part of the county is part of the Golden Vale , which is well known for dairy produce and consists of rolling low hills. This gives way to very flat land around the centre of the county, with the exception being Knockfierna at 288 m high. Towards the west,
2940-704: The A Championship , while they and Killarney Celtic also competed in the Munster Senior League during the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2023 Kerry F.C. entered the League of Ireland First Division for the first time. Cricket is played in County Kerry by County Kerry Cricket Club. They play their home games at the Oyster Oval near Tralee . In 2011 there were 6,083 Irish language speakers in County Kerry, with 4,978 native speakers within
3038-742: The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship , was in 1896. However, Limerick footballers have seen a reversal of fortunes in recent years and contested successive Munster Senior Football Championship finals in 2003 and 2004. Treaty United play in the FAI First Division , the second tier of Irish soccer. The club has won the Premier Division twice in 1960 and 1980. They have also won the FAI Cup twice in 1971 and 1982. They currently play in
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3136-708: The Celts around 400 BC brought about the division of the county into petty kingdoms or túatha . From the 4th to the 11th century, the ancient kingdom of the Uí Fidgenti was approximately co-extensive with what is now County Limerick, with some of the easternmost part the domain of the Eóganacht Áine . The establishment of Limerick as a town and base by the Danes in the mid 900's, and their alliance with Irish families, including their alliance with Donnubán mac Cathail of
3234-471: The Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway as a service for tourists. Bus Éireann operates an extensive bus service network on routes throughout the county, with connection hubs in Killarney and Tralee. Various local link services also run throughout Kerry such as the soon to be launched 274 from Tralee to Tarbert via Ardfert, Ballyheigue, Ballyduff and Ballybunion. Note that this new Local Link 274 will replace
3332-612: The Desmond Rebellions , laid waste to the province and ended with confiscation of the vast estates of the Geraldines and other Irish families that had participated in the ten years of war. The county was to be further ravaged by war over the next century. After the Irish Rebellion of 1641 , Limerick city was taken in a siege by Catholic general Garret Barry in 1642. The county was not fought over for most of
3430-458: The Gulf Stream , flows north past Kerry and the west coast of Ireland, resulting in milder temperatures than would otherwise be expected at the 52 North latitude . This means that subtropical plants such as the strawberry tree and tree ferns , not normally found in northern Europe, thrive in the area. Because of the mountainous area and the prevailing southwesterly winds, Kerry is among
3528-632: The Institute of Technology, Tralee , is the main third-level institution in the county. It was established in 1977 as the Regional Technical College, Tralee but acquired its present name in 1997. The Institute of Technology, Tralee, merged with Cork Institute of Technology in 2019 to form the Munster Technological University. It has an enrolment of about 3,500 students. The institute has two campuses:
3626-726: The Irish Confederate Wars , of 1641–53, being safely behind the front lines of the Catholic Confederate Ireland . However, it became a battleground during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649–53. The invasion of the forces of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s included a twelve-month siege of the city by Cromwell's New Model Army led by Henry Ireton . The city finally surrendered in October 1651. One of Cromwell's generals, Hardress Waller
3724-541: The Kerry Gaeltacht . This does not count the 1,105 attending the four Gaelscoils (Irish language primary schools) and two Gaelcholáiste (Irish language secondary schools) outside the Kerry Gaeltacht. Kerry, with its mountains, lakes and nearly 1,000 kilometres of Atlantic coastline is among the most scenic areas in Ireland and is among the most significant tourist destinations in Ireland. Killarney
3822-464: The Limerick School of Art and Design , and Ormston House cater for painting, sculpture and performance art of all styles. Limerick is also home to comedians The Rubberbandits , D'Unbelievables (Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny) and Karl Spain. Its most famous acting son is Richard Harris . The city is the setting for Frank McCourt's memoir Angela's Ashes and the film adaptation. A limerick is a type of humorous verse of five lines with an AABBA rhyme scheme:
3920-462: The Markets Field . The city also has one of Ireland's two 50-metre (55 yd) swimming pools, at the University of Limerick Sports Arena, as well as one of Ireland's top basketball teams, the UL Eagles . The team plays in the Irish Premier League . Their home is also at the University Campus. Limerick is also the hometown of WBO World Middleweight boxing Champion Andy Lee , who defeated Matt Korobov on 13 December 2014, in Las Vegas. He became
4018-477: The O'Donovans , resulted in significant conflicts with neighbouring clans, principally the O'Briens of Dál gCais , who raided into the Limerick area on a regular basis. The O'Briens retained their political power until late in the 1100s. The establishment of King John's Castle in Limerick, and the granting of formerly Ui Fidgenti lands to the FitzGeralds , both circa 1200, and the resultant competition for Ui Fidgenti lands by other Anglo-Norman families resulted in
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4116-414: The Southern Region . It is bordered by two other counties; Limerick to the east, and Cork to the south and east. It is separated from Clare to the north by the Shannon Estuary . With an area of 4,807 square kilometres (1,856 sq mi) and a population of 156,458 as of 2022, it is the 5th largest of Ireland's 32 counties by land area, and the 15th most populous . The governing local authority
4214-429: The Stacks and the Mullaghareirks . The climate of Kerry is dominated by the North Atlantic Current and is usually mild and humid, with abundant precipitation. This allows for the growth of a wide variety of temperate and sub-tropical plants not typically found at such northerly latitudes. The county is named after the Cíarraige people, who were the region's dominant pre-historic sept. County Kerry first appeared as
4312-417: The local council for the county. The county's population at the 2022 census was 209,536 of whom 102,287 lived in Limerick City , the county capital. Limerick borders four other counties: Kerry to the west, Clare to the north, Tipperary to the east, and Cork to the south. It is the fifth-largest of Munster's six counties in size and the second-largest by population. The River Shannon flows through
4410-402: The 1,000 O'Sullivans who set out reached their destination. In the aftermath of the War, much of the native owned land in Kerry was confiscated and given to English settlers or 'planters'. The head of the MacCarthy Mor family, Florence MacCarthy was imprisoned in London and his lands were divided between his relatives and colonists from England, such as the Browne family. In the 1640s Kerry
4508-462: The 20th century, as changes in law from the British Government enabled the farmers of the county to purchase lands they had previously only held as tenants, paying high rent to absentee landlords. Limerick saw much fighting during the War of Independence of 1919 to 1921 particularly in the east of the county. The subsequent Irish Civil War saw bitter fighting between the newly established Irish Free State soldiers and IRA "Irregulars", especially in
4606-431: The 9th century, which ultimately brought about the establishment of the city on an island on the River Shannon in 922. The death of Domnall Mór Ua Briain , King of Munster in 1194 resulted in the invading Normans taking control of Limerick. In 1210, the County of Limerick was formally established as Ui Fidgenti lands were granted to what would become the Fitzgerald dynasty. Over time, the Normans became " more Irish than
4704-436: The Irish themselves " as the saying goes. The Tudors in England wanted to curb the power of these Gaelicised Norman Rulers and centralise all power in their hands, so they established colonies of English in the county. Distrust by England of the leading Fitzgerald families, and the execution of several of the Fitzgeralds of Kildare, precipitated a revolt against English Rule in 1569. Th resultant savage war in Munster, known as
4802-483: The Iveragh Peninsula and Gaeltacht Corca Dhuibhne on the Dingle Peninsula , the latter of which is the only Gaeltacht in Munster where Irish is the daily spoken language of the majority of the population. In the county as a whole, 40.2 percent of residents were able to speak Irish as of 2022. The regional dialect is Munster Irish , exemplified by the influential works of Blasket Islanders such as Peig Sayers , Muiris Ó Súilleabháin and Tomás Ó Criomhthain . Kerry
4900-450: The Kerry footballers have won the Sam Maguire cup 38 times, with the next nearest team Dublin on 30 wins. Hurling is popular at club level in north Kerry, although the county has only won one All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship , in 1891. The senior team currently compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup . The Kerry District League is the main competition for association football in the county. Tralee Dynamos have represented Kerry in
4998-410: The Mesolithic period. The county has a notably high concentration of open-air Atlantic rock art , which is believed to date to the Late Neolithic / Early Bronze Age period (2300-1500BC). This rock art is scattered throughout the county and exists in dense clusters on the Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas. These carvings form part of a tradition which stretches across Atlantic Europe and are distinct from
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#17327804450885096-427: The Mullaghareirk Mountains ( Mullach an Radhairc in Irish, roughly meaning "mountains of the view") push across the county offering extensive views east over the county and west into County Kerry . Volcanic rock is to be found in numerous areas in the county, at Carrigogunnell , at Knockfierna, and principally at Pallasgreen / Kilteely in the east, which has been described as the most compact and for its size one of
5194-464: The North Campus (opened in Dromtacker in 2001) and the South Campus (opened in Clash in 1977) approximately 2.4 km (1.5 mi) apart. A number of Irish surnames are derived from septs who hail from the Kerry area, such as Falvey , Foley , McCarthy , Murphy , O'Connor , O'Moriarty , Clifford , Kennelly , McGrath , O'Carroll , O'Sullivan , O'Connell , O'Donoghue , O'Shea , Quill , Scannell , Stack , Sugrue and Tangney . The area
5292-500: The Raheen Industrial Estate. West Limerick 102 is broadcast from Newcastle West and is a community station for the west of the county. The national broadcaster, RTÉ, has radio studios in the city, which are periodically used to broadcast programming from Limerick. The two main newspapers that service the city and county are the Limerick Leader and the freesheet Limerick Post . The Limerick Leader prints three different editions: City, County and West Limerick. The Limerick Chronicle
5390-404: The Shannon estuary. It is a general-purpose facility port. Plans to close the port and relocate all activity to the deepwater facility further downstream at Foynes have been abandoned. The plans included a major regeneration of the dockland area. Foynes is the main deepwater commercial port. SFPC is the second largest port facility in Ireland, handling over 10 million tonnes of cargo annually through
5488-400: The Uaithni Tire, in 1080; and of Cuilen Ua Cathalan, lord of the Uaithni Cliach, in 1107. County Limerick County Limerick ( Irish : Contae Luimnigh ) is a western county in Ireland . It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region . It is named after the city of Limerick . Limerick City and County Council is
5586-427: The Uaithni are known: the Uaithni Cliach, corresponding to the later barony of Owney in County Limerick, and the Uaithni Tire, corresponding to the barony of Owneybeg in County Tipperary. The Annals of the Four Masters record the death of Ainle, son of Cathan, lord of the Uaithni Cliach, killed by Vikings in AD 914; of Dubhdabharc, son of Maelmordha, lord of the Uaithni Tire, in 949; of Eochaidh Ua Loingsigh, lord of
5684-424: The account of the death of Limerick IRA member Sean South, who was killed during an attack on a Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks in County Fermanagh in 1957. 52°30′N 8°45′W / 52.500°N 8.750°W / 52.500; -8.750 County Kerry County Kerry ( Irish : Contae Chiarraí ) is a county on the southwest coast of Ireland , within the province of Munster and
5782-445: The chief of the Ui Fidgenti (who, though hosting St. Patrick, had his horses stolen as he journeyed into their territory) but was embraced by the brother of the chief. The adoption of Christianity resulted in the establishment of important monasteries in Limerick, at Ardpatrick , Mungret and Kileedy. From this golden age in Ireland of learning and art (5th – 9th Centuries) comes one of Ireland's greatest artefacts, The Ardagh Chalice ,
5880-471: The city (See Irish Free State offensive ). The local government area of Limerick City and County is under the jurisdiction of Limerick City and County Council . The council has responsibility for local services such as sanitation, planning and development, libraries, collection of motor taxation, local roads and social housing in the city. The council comprises elected councillors with an appointed full-time CEO as both city and county manager. Until June 2014
5978-415: The city and county. Although, no commercial airports are situated in County Limerick, the region's needs are serviced from Shannon Airport situated 25 km over the border in County Clare which has many flights to Europe and North America. However, some in the south of the county may also use Kerry Airport and Cork Airport which are also within 1 hour's drive. Coonagh Aerodrome located just outside
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#17327804450886076-545: The city close to the Clare border is used for light pleasure craft. Foynes , a village in the west of the county, had a unique part to play in the development of aviation. During the late 1930s and early 1940s, land-based planes lacked sufficient flying range for Atlantic crossings. Foynes was the last port of call on its eastern shore for seaplanes. As a result, Foynes would become one of the biggest civilian airports in Europe during World War II. Surveying flights for flying boat operations were made by Charles Lindbergh in 1933 and
6174-420: The city of Limerick into the Atlantic Ocean at the far western end of the county. Below the city, the waterway is known as the Shannon Estuary . Because the estuary is shallow, the county's most important port is several kilometres west of the city, at Foynes . Limerick City is the county town and is also Ireland's third-largest city. Newcastle West , Kilmallock and Abbeyfeale are other important towns in
6272-439: The construction and opening in 1942 of Shannon Airport on flat bogland on the northern bank of the Estuary. Foynes flying-boat station closed in 1946. Originally Limerick port was located near the confluence of the Abbey and Shannon rivers at King's Island. Today the port is located further downstream on the Shannon alongside the Dock Road and is operated by the Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC) who operate all marine activities in
6370-427: The county is Kerry County Council . The council provides a number of services including planning, roads maintenance, fire brigade, council housing, water supply, waste collection, recycling and landfill, higher education grants and funding for arts and culture. The county is divided into five municipal districts with local responsibility: Corca Dhuibhne–Castleisland, Kenmare, Killarney, Listowel, and Tralee. Prior to
6468-409: The county was divided into two separate local government areas, administered by separate authorities: Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council . In October 2012 the Government of Ireland published Putting People First: Action Programme for Effective Local Government which set out Government policy for reforms across all the main areas of local government in Ireland. Among the recommendations
6566-519: The county's name in Irish Luimneach is "the flat area"; this description is accurate as the land consists mostly of a fertile limestone plain. Moreover, the county is ringed by mountains: the Slieve Felims to the northeast, the Galtees to the southeast, the Ballyhoura Mountains to the south, and the Mullaghareirk Mountains to the southwest and west. The highest point in the county is located in its southeast corner at Galtymore (919 m), which separates Limerick from County Tipperary . Limerick shares
6664-449: The county. Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) games are more popular in the parts outside of the city. Hurling is popular in east, mid and south Limerick. Limerick GAA board plays its home games at the Gaelic Grounds in the city. The county hurling team has won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship twelve times, the last in 2023. The county has also won 20 Munster Championships , last in 2019 and 12 National Hurling Leagues ,
6762-424: The county. There are fourteen historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". Limerick City is the county town and is shown in bold . One possible meaning for
6860-479: The first Irishman to win a world title on American soil since 1934. RTÉ Lyric FM, a state-run classical music radio station and part of RTÉ, broadcasts nationally from studios in Limerick city centre. Limerick's local radio station is Live 95FM, broadcasting from 'Radio House', near the waterfront at Steamboat Quay. Spin Southwest, owned by Communicorp, broadcasts to Counties Kerry, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and southwest Laois from its studios at Landmark Buildings in
6958-406: The island's cliffs. The county contains the extreme west point of Ireland, Dunmore Head on the Dingle Peninsula, or including islands, Tearaght Island , part of the Blaskets. The most westerly inhabited area of Ireland is Dún Chaoin , on the Dingle Peninsula. The River Feale , the River Laune and the Roughty River flow through Kerry, into the Atlantic. The North Atlantic Current , part of
7056-675: The last success coming in 2019. The Limerick Senior Hurling Championship is also one of the strongest club championships in the country. Historically it has been dominated by two clubs, Ahane and Patrickswell . Clubs from the county have won the Munster Senior Club Championship six times, with Na Piarsaigh becoming the first team from the county to win the All-Ireland Senior Club hurling final when they beat Cushendall of Antrim 2–25 to 2–14 on 17 March 2016. The other GAA sport of Gaelic football
7154-547: The main county towns such as Adare , Rathkeale , Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale . The N/M18 road links the county to Ennis and Galway while the N24 continues southeastwards from Limerick towards Waterford travelling through villages such as Pallasgreen and Oola . The R513 is a spur road off the N24 and links up with the villages of Caherconlish , Hospital and Ballylanders before continuing on to Mitchelstown . The N69 ,
7252-792: The majority of the area now known as County Kerry was still part of the County Desmond , the west Munster seat of the Earl of Desmond , a branch of the Hiberno-Norman FitzGerald dynasty , known as the Geraldines . In 1580, during the Second Desmond Rebellion , one of the most infamous massacres of the Sixteenth century, the Siege of Smerwick , took place at Dún an Óir near Ard na Caithne (Smerwick) at
7350-630: The megalithic art of the type found at Newgrange. Kerry has many Bronze Age monuments including standing stones, wedge tombs, boulder burials, and stone circles, along with Iron Age forts. Like the rest of Ireland, Kerry has large numbers of monuments from the Early Christian period, such as ring forts, churches, cross-inscribed stones, holy wells, saints' graves, and ogham stones, along with Medieval castles and churches. Attractions: County Kerry has two local newspapers, The Kerryman and Kerry's Eye , both published in Tralee. The county has
7448-635: The most varied and complete carboniferous volcanic districts in either Britain and Ireland. Tributaries of the Shannon drainage basin located in the county include the rivers Mulcair , Loobagh , Maigue , Camogue , Morning Star , Deel , and the Feale . It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC. The arrival of
7546-765: The night before. On 10 December 1920 Martial law was declared in the Counties of Kery, Cork and Limerick. Another incident was the Headford Junction ambush in spring 1921, when IRA units ambushed a train carrying British soldiers outside Killarney. About ten British soldiers, three civilians and two IRA men were killed in the ensuing gun battle. Violence between the IRA and the British was ended in July 1921, but nine men, four British soldiers and five IRA men, were killed in
7644-489: The north by the River Shannon . Kerry is one of the most mountainous regions of Ireland and its three highest mountains, Carrauntoohil , Beenkeragh and Caher , all part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks range. Just off the coast are a number of islands, including the Blasket Islands , Valentia Island and the Skelligs . Skellig Michael is a World Heritage Site , famous for the medieval monastery clinging to
7742-455: The older spelling Ciarraighe ) means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar , son of Fergus mac Róich . In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective describing a dark complexion. The suffix raighe , meaning people/tribe ,
7840-636: The other LEAs forms its own municipal district. The county is part of the South constituency for European elections . For elections to Dáil Éireann , the county is part of two constituencies: Limerick City (4 seats), and Limerick County (3 seats). There are 2,322 Irish speakers in County Limerick attending the six gaelscoileanna (Irish language primary schools) and three gaelcholáistí (Irish language secondary schools). In 2014, Limerick became Ireland's inaugural National City of Culture, with
7938-463: The peninsulas (Beara, Iveragh and Dingle) and also to the north of the county. They were closed during the rationalisations of the 1950s and 1960s. Listowel to Ballybunion had the distinction of operating experimental Lartigue Monorail services from 1882 to 1924. A 500m section was re-established in 2003. A road-car route, the Prince of Wales Route , was a link from Bantry to Killarney, operated by
8036-567: The poem's connection with the city is obscure, but the name is generally taken to be a reference to Limerick city or County Limerick, sometimes particularly to the Maigue Poets who were based in Croom and its environs, and may derive from an earlier form of nonsense verse parlour game that traditionally included a refrain that included "Will [or won't] you come (up) to Limerick?" Riverfest is an annual summer festival held in Limerick. The festival
8134-812: The population, had eagerly supported the Jacobite cause, however, the second siege of Limerick resulted in a defeat to the Williamites. Sarsfield managed to force the Williamites to sign the Treaty of Limerick , the terms of which were satisfactory to the Irish. However, the Treaty was subsequently dishonoured by the English and the city became known as the City of the Broken Treaty. The 18th and 19th centuries saw
8232-605: The public University Hospital Kerry which is the second-largest acute hospital in the Health Service Executive South Region. It serves as the main hospital for County Kerry and also serves the people in parts of north Cork and west Limerick. Other hospitals include the private Bon Secours Hospital in Tralee and community hospitals in Cahirciveen, Dingle, Kenmare, Killarney and Listowel. The Munster Technological University (MTU), former
8330-444: The regions with the highest rainfall in Ireland. Owing to its location, there has been a weather reporting station on Valentia for many centuries. The Irish record for rainfall in one day is 243.5 mm (9.59 in), recorded at Cloore Lake in Kerry in 1993. In 1986 the remnants of Hurricane Charley crossed over Kerry as an extratropical storm causing extensive rainfall, flooding and damage. Kerry ( Irish : Ciarraí or in
8428-539: The return journey on the Bus Eireann 274. See Local Link Kerry for all buses operated by them throughout the county. Kerry Airport is located at Farranfore in the centre of the county and has operated scheduled services since 1989. Destinations served as of 2014 are London ( Stansted & Luton ), Frankfurt-Hahn Airport , Faro, Portugal and Alicante all operated by Ryanair . Aer Lingus Regional also operate an all-year-round service to Dublin. The airport
8526-470: The six terminals currently operational. Rugby union is popular in the county. Some of Ireland's most celebrated teams are situated in the city; Garryowen, Shannon, Old Crescent, Young Munster and UL Bohemians. Bruff RFC , another AIL team, are located near the village of Bruff in the south of the county. Thomond Park is the home of the Munster Rugby team, who enjoy enthusiastic support throughout
8624-475: The tip of the Dingle Peninsula . The 600-strong Italian, Spanish and Irish papal invasion force of James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald was besieged by the English forces and massacred. In 1588, when the fleet of the Spanish Armada in Ireland were returning to Spain during stormy weather, many of its ships sought shelter at the Blasket Islands and some were wrecked. During the Nine Years' War , Kerry
8722-655: The war of Independence, the Irish Republican Army fought a guerilla war against the Royal Irish Constabulary , and British military. One of the more prominent incidents in the conflict in Kerry was the siege of Tralee in November 1920, when the Black and Tans placed Tralee burned many homes, and shot dead a number of local people in retaliation for the IRA killing of five local policemen
8820-570: Was Dún Eochair , the great earthworks of which still remain and can be found close to the modern town of Bruree , on the River Maigue . Bruree is a derivation of Brugh Righ, or Fort of the King. Catherine Coll , the mother of Éamon de Valera , was a native of Bruree and this is where he was taken by her brother to be raised. St. Patrick brought Christianity to Limerick area in the 5th century. Various annals record that St. Patrick quarrelled with
8918-546: Was Ross Castle , near Killarney. In the 18th and 19th centuries Kerry became increasingly populated by poor tenant farmers, who came to rely on the potato as their main food source. As a result, when the potato crop failed in 1845, Kerry was very hard hit by the Great Irish Famine of 1845–49. In the wake of the famine, many thousands of poor farmers emigrated to seek a better life in America and elsewhere. Kerry
9016-459: Was again the scene of conflict, as the O'Sullivan Beare clan joined the rebellion. In 1602 their castle at Dunboy was besieged and taken by English troops. Donal O'Sullivan Beare, in an effort to escape English retribution and to reach his allies in Ulster , marched all the clan's members and dependants to the north of Ireland. Due to harassment by hostile forces and freezing weather, very few of
9114-795: Was begun in 2004. Other festivals include the Knights of Westfest in Newcastle West , Fleadh by the Feale in Abbeyfeale and the Ballyhoura International Walking Festival. The west of the county is known for its Irish music, song and dance and is part of the Sliabh Luachra area of traditional Irish music along the borders of County Cork and County Kerry . The main railway station in Limerick
9212-547: Was engulfed by the Irish Rebellion of 1641 , an attempt by Irish Catholics to take power in the Protestant Kingdom of Ireland . The rebellion in Kerry was led by Donagh McCarthy , 1st Viscount Muskerry. His son the Earl of Clancarty held the county during the subsequent Irish Confederate Wars and his forces were among the last to surrender to the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1652. The last stronghold to fall
9310-537: Was granted lands at Castletown near Kilcornan in County Limerick. During the Williamite War in Ireland (1689–1691) the city was to endure two further sieges, one in 1690 and another in 1691 . It was during the 1690 siege that the infamous destruction of the Williamite guns at Ballyneety, near Pallasgreen was carried out by General Patrick Sarsfield . The Catholic Irish, comprising the vast majority of
9408-696: Was held by the Anti-Treaty IRA but it was taken for the Irish Free State after seaborne landings by National Army troops at Fenit , Tarbert and Kenmare in August 1922. Thereafter the county saw a bitter guerilla war between men who had been comrades only a year previously. The republicans, or "irregulars", mounted a number of successful actions, for example attacking and briefly re-taking Kenmare in September 1922. In March 1923 Kerry saw
9506-497: Was the merging of the city and the county of Limerick into a single local government area. The Local Government Reform Act 2014 implemented this change, which came into effect on 1 June 2014. This change saw a reduction in five in the total number of councillors representing the city and county. The current local electoral areas are: The three city LEAs form the Metropolitan District of Limerick City. Each of
9604-514: Was to remain a source of emigration until recent times (up to the 1980s). Another long term consequence of the famine was the Land War of the 1870s and 1880s, in which tenant farmers agitated, sometimes violently, for better terms from their landlords. In the 20th century, Kerry was one of the counties most affected by the Irish War of Independence (1919–21) and Irish Civil War (1922–23). In
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