Beautiful County Kerry is well known for its stunning landscape that includes the scenic Ring of Kerry and Ireland’s highest mountain range, the MacGillyCuddy’s Reeks. But it’s not all about the great outdoors. With indoor attractions ranging from brewery tours to heritage museums, there’s plenty to do in in County Kerry on a winter visit.
In the picturesque town of Kenmare, sitting on the Wild Atlantic Way, you can visit a craft beer brewery inspired by Antarctic explorer, and Kerry man, Tom Crean. The Tom Crean Brewery produces ten different beers inspired by the explorer’s achievements, which included several expeditions to the South Pole. You can take a tour of the brewery to find out how the beers are sustainably created and hear about his life and adventures.
If whiskey or gin is your tipple, head to SkelligSix18, Caherciveen, to enjoy a distillery tour. The distillery takes its name from the number of steps needed to reach the summit of the legendary Skellig Island which lies off the coast. The distillery produces artisan, premium, handcrafted gin, distilled in small batches and using botanicals from the surrounding landscape. It has recently released its single pot still whiskey.
One of Kerry’s most popular destinations is the pretty town of Dingle on the peninsula. A mixture of old-style Ireland and trendy restaurants and coffee shops, it has long been a magnet for musicians and artists. Here you can drop into Dick Mack’s award-winning pub for a pint and a tour of the brewery or browse the local art galleries or eclectic range of shops.
Dingle is also home to WAVE: The Dingle Heritage Experience, a unique celebration of the culture, traditions and maritime heritage of the Dingle Peninsula. The immersive experience takes you through a series of spaces housing large-scale projections and soundscapes to discover the under-water sea life of Dingle Bay, the shipwrecks that lie beneath and the myths and legends of the ocean.
Inland, the market town of Listowel is known for its annual literary festivalOpens in new window which takes place in May. The literary credentials continue in its first-class Kerry Writers’ Museum celebrating the county’s writers, which is open all year round. You can book a Windows of Wonder guided tour during which you will be immersed in the words of its famous sons including John B Keane, Brendan Kennelly and Bryan MacMahon. The tour is led by a costumed character and the writings brought to life in readings performed by a Seanchaí (Irish storyteller).
