County Kerry, Ireland is home to a wide range of fortified castle structures. The castles below are referenced by the Irish National Grid on Ordnance Survey maps.
Overview Castles and maps listed below are sourced mainly from the Discovery (Irish TV) series. The series attributed the maps below (Scale: 1:50 000) to Ordnance Survey Ireland, the former Irish national mapping agency. Most of the listed castles and forts clearly indicated on the maps and are accessible to walkers and the general public. Some maps use the older SCALE 1:126,720 from the series published in 1986.
Map Sheets Covering Kerry O.S. Sheet 63 - North West Kerry & Shannon Estuary, Listowel. O.S. Sheet 64 - North East Kerry, Tarbert & Newcastlewest. O.S. Sheet 70 - Dingle Peninsula O.S. Sheet 71 - Tralee & Tralee Bay O.S. Sheet 72 - Cork, Kerry & Limerick Borders O.S. Sheet 78 - South Kerry, Killarney & Kenmare O.S. Sheet 79 - South East Kerry, Cork & Kerry Borders. O.S. Sheet 83 - Caherciveen & Valentia. O.S. Sheet 84 - Kenmare River O.S. Sheet 85 - South Kerry, Bantry
Editions O.S. SCALE 1:126,720 Edition, published 1986 (Half Inch to One mile) Discovery Series, 3rd Edition, published 2005 (2 centimetres to 1 Kilometre) Discovery Series, 4th Edition, published 2010
Key to column headings Structure Listed as "Castle" or "Promontory Fort", markings of "Dun Cinn Tire" and "Signal Tower" are also included. O.S. Sheet Refers to the Ordnance Survey sheet on which the structure can be found. N.G. Segment National Grid segment in which the structure is located. Each grid segment covers an actual area of 1 square kilometre. V The number of the Vertical, N-S, line of the National Grid system. H The number of the Horizontal, E-W, line of the National Grid system. The structure to be located will then lie in the square to the North East of the intersecting H/V lines. Type "Castle" - generally of Celtic or Norman construction "Promontory Fort"- generally built about 1500 BC, "Dun Cinn Tire" is the Irish language translation of "Promontory Fort" "Signal Tower" - These are probably of Norman Construction Near Some general reference point clearly marked on the map or generally, well known; a town, village, harbour, headland or road etc. Comment Nearest main road or road, e.g. N 22 or R 559. If structure is easily accessible? Visibility of site from road. Marked As some castles are obliterated, the location of the sites are listed, as in the case of Tralee Castle. Because their position and prominence was historically important, the known information is entered so that a more comprehensive understanding of the area and era may be obtained.
Table Structure OS Sheet N.G. Segment Vert. Horiz. Type Near Comment Marked Y/N Dunquin 70 V 31 99 - Dunquin - Y Shrone Point 83 - 35 76 Prom Fort Portmagee Valentia Island - Raheen (near) 70 V 35 97 Prom Fort Slea Head R 559 - Foilnanean Cliffs 83 - 36 76 Prom Fort Portmagee Valentia Island - Ventry Harbour - - 37 97 - - - - Cahertrant 70 V 37 97 Prom Fort Leckeel off R 559 - Gallarus Castle 70 Q 38 5 - Murreaght R 559 - Alachai Mor 83 - 38 65 Prom Fort St. Finan's Bay - - Cloghanecanuig 83 38 68 - - - - - Ballymore Point - - 39 99 Prom Fort Ventry Harbour R 559 - Feonanagh 70 - 40 9 - - - - Ballinskelligs Castle - - 43 65 - Ballinskelligs - - Cooncrome 83 - 43 81 Prom Fort Caherciveen - - Ballymacadoyle Hill 70 V 43 98 Prom Fort Dingle Beyond Colaiste Ide Y Ballycarbery Castle 83 - 44 79 - Caherciveen off N 70 - Emiaghmore 83 - 45 70 - Ballinskelligs R 566 - Beenbane Cliffs 70 V 45 98 Prom Fort Dingle E. harbour entrance Y Doonsheane 70 V 47 98 Prom Fort Dingle Short Strand Inlet Bulls Head 70 V 49 97 Prom Fort Lispole off N 86 - Minard 70 53 97 Minard Head Anascaul/Dingle Y Caherdaniel 83 - 54 58 off N 70 Example Cill Muire 83 Example 54 58 Example Minard East Example Example Castle Cove 83 Example 59 60 Example Castle Cove N 70 Example Straigue Fort 83 Example 61 63 Stone Fort Caherdaniel Example Example Kilshannig 71 Q 62 19 Signal Tower Castlegregory Example Example Knockglass More 71 Example 70 10 Prom Fort Camp Example Example Fenit Island 71 Q 72 17 Example Fenit R 558 Example Yes Barrow 71 Q 72 18 Example Golf Club Example Example Caherconree 71 Q 72 96 Hill Fort Camp R 560 Example Yes Ballyheige Fortification 71 Q 73 28 Example Ballyheige Example Example Rahoneen 71 Q 75 20 Example Ardfert Example Example Rathmoral 71 Q 79 29 Example Ballyheige Example Example Ballymaquim 71 Example 82 26 Example Abbeydorney Example Example Tralee castle 71 Example 83 14 Example Town center No trace No Dromaloughane 78 Example 85 91 Example Beaufort Example Example Ballybeggan 71 Example 86 15 Example Tralee Racecourse N 69 Example Dromreag 71 Example 88 4 Example Fieries Example Example Lixnaw Tower 71 Example 88 29 Example Lixnaw R 557 Example Kenmare Castle 78 V 88 70 Example Tubrid off N 70 Example Dromore Castle 78 Example 88 91 Example Beaufort off N 72 Example Doonimlaghbeg 71 Example 89 11 Example Example N 22 Example Lixnaw Bridge 71 Example 89 29 Example Lixnaw R 557 Example Fieries Example Example 90 2 Example Example R 561 Example Roxborough 71 Example 91 4 Example Farranfore N 22 Example Aghadoe Castle(Parkavonear Castle) 78 Example 93 92 Example Example R 562/ N 22 Example Ross Castle 78 Example 94 88 Example Killarney Example Example Castlelough 78 Example 97 88 Example Killarney N 71 Example Ardea Castle Example Example Example Example Example Example Example Example Ballybunion Castle Example Example Example Example Example Example Example Example Ballingarry Castle Example Example Example Example Example Example Example Example Ballymalis Castle Ballyseedy Castle Sheet Sgmt V H Tralee Hotel
Further reading Discovering Kerry by T.J. Barrington, Blackwater Dublin (1976) Kerry Landing, August 1922 by Niall C. Harrington. Anvil Books Limited (1992). The Castles of the Kingdom of Kerry by Michael J. Carroll. Bantry Designs (2004) A Pictorial History of Tralee by Russell McMorran and Maurice O'Keeffe. Kingdom Printers Ltd. (2005) The Dingle Peninsula - 18 walks Through its Heritage by Maurice Sheehy. Kingdom Printers Ltd, Tralee. (1986) No ISBN