Ventry

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Ventry
Ceann Trá

Location

WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
52°08′00″N 10°21′59″W / 52.133383, -10.366459

Irish grid reference
Q381006

Statistics

Population (2006)

405

Dunbeg Fort

Ventry (Ceann Trá in Irish) is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Located on the Dingle Peninsula, 7 kilometres west of An Daingean, the village of Ventry was once the main port of the peninsula.^{[citation needed]} Due to its long sandy beach Ventry is now a popular tourist destination.

Six kilometres west of Ventry are the ruins of Dunbeg (An Dún Beag), an Iron Age promontory fort located on the edge of a steep cliff. Close to Dunbeg is Kilvickadownig, home to other archeologial ruins, including examples of the beehive house and the grave of Caol or Cháil Mic Crimthainn, the last to die in the Battle of Ventry from the well-known Fenian Cycle myths.

Ventry is home to Páidí Ó Sé, the footballer, who owns a pub across from the parish church. Canon James Goodman, the music collector, was raised in Ventry.

A site of interest in Ventry parish is Rahinnane Castle, which was the residence of the Knight of Kerry. The Knight of Kerry lived there until Cromwellian times. The castle was built on the site of an old ringfort. The ringfort was built up and a second added with walls of six metres (20 feet), giving the appearance that there may have been a moat, although there never was one. Rahinnane Castle still has its very tiny, narrow, stone stairs, from the first to second floors, which can be (very carefully!) climbed.

[edit] Ventry Bay

The bay or harbour is a suitable anchorage for sailing and fishing boats.

Ventry is also the site of a yearly pilgrimage made by four Faithful men from Cork who believe it is a promised land where all that is right with the world comes together. A place where Pro Ev can be played until 5 or 6 in the morning, where good music reigns supreme, a place that as long as you respect it will provide you with free food and drink for as long as you stay there.