Ballinskelligs got its name from Sceilg Mhichíl, one of the famous UNESCO World Heritage island rocks which stands nine miles off the Ballinskelligs coast.
MC CARTHY’S CASTLE
The iconic image of Mc Carthy Castle is a favorite to Ballinskelligs Beach visitors.
The awesome Mc Carthy Castle tower house is one of many such houses built in the early 16th century all around the Cork and Kerry coasts by McCarthy Mór, Chieftain of Munster, in order to protect the coast from pirates and to charge a tariff on incoming trade ships. The castle is in great dis-repair due to storm damage over the years and is in urgent need of renovation.
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STARGAZING
Ballinskelligs beach has a large car park and – though not inside the Core Zone – provides a good enough Stargazing site.
STARGAZING: Half of Ballinskelligs is in the Core Zone and Half is in the Buffer Zone. The Kerry Reserve Space tourist map marks out large parking areas by a large star, thus giving the false impression that all of Ballinskelligs in in the Core Zone which it isn’t due to the orangey glow of the street lights in and around the village of Dungegan which prevents quality Stargazing. Once away from these lights at the back-end near Sussa, the Dark-Sky night view improves considerably, and the Bolus Head dark-sky just has to be seen to be believed. Download the Kerry Reserve Space tourist map for more info here.
KERRY DARK-SKY OFFICE
The office is no longer in Ballinskelligs, we are currently looking for a new base of action
GREAT VIEWS
View from Ballinskelligs side of Bolus Head looking across the Bay toward Waterville and Caherdaniel.
