Caherciveen

At first the town of Caherciveen, with its single main street, may seem just like any other west of Ireland town, but it´s well worth stopping here to see some fascinating features.

On the approach to the town from Glenbeigh is the unmistakable power station with its large chimney stacks. This is one of two turf-burning stations in Ireland. Built by Swiss and German engineers in 1957, it burns 30,000 tonnes of turf annually. A little farther on, a bronze statue of Daniel O'Connell looks on the ruin of the house where he was born. According to the old school books, O´Connell (1775-1847) ´harnessed the power of the people and achieved Catholic Emancipation´. Membership of his Catholic Association cost just a penny a month, but the association forged an impoverished and dispossessed population into a force that rocked the ruling British government. The success of O´Connell´s policy of non-violence was to greatly influence other freedom-seeking peoples.

Opposite O´Connell´s likeness is a photogenic sculpture of monks in a boat, symbolising the contribution these holy men made to the spread of Christianity across Europe. Caherciveen itself is a busy market town. The O´Connell Memorial Church (1888) on the main street is one of the few Catholic churches in the world dedicated to a layman.

Don´t miss Kerry´s most unusual building, The Barracks is now an excellent information centre, museum and cafe. And make sure to visit Leacanabuaile Fort and Cahergeal Fort.

This area is sportsmad. Check out the sea fishing, horseracing, walking, seine racing, and beagling.

The town of Caherciven has witnessed many key events in Irish history. Daniel O´Connell was born here in 1755. He won Catholic Emancipation in 1832. During the Great Famine of the 1840´s the population dropped from 30,888 to under 8,000. To this day mariners on the Atlantic depend on reports from the town´s Coast Guard Station, established in 1851. In July 1866 the Transatlantic Cable arrived here, linking Europe and America. All this and more can be learnt at the town´s most impressive building, The Barracks Heritage Centre.

Where To Stay • Where To Eat • Where To Shop • Shows/Concerts • Events Diary • Maps • Getting Around Things To Do • Things To Know • News • Video Downloads • Sound Files • Your Comments