Ballynaskreena can be understood through historical contrasts. In 1745, Robert Gibson described the north as good grazing land, while the south was considered heath-covered upland with plenty of peat and water. In 1775, Richard Frizzell characterised the townland as “upland with considerable potential for improvement”. The sea was a mile away; sand and seaweed from there could be used to improve the soil. The two descriptions place different emphasis on the landscape and its cultivation, without taking the same perspective.
Landscape and Living Conditions in Ballynaskreena
Population figures also offer insight into the history of the area. During the Great Famine, between 1841 and 1851, Ballynaskreena lost 60 percent of its population. Records show that in 1843, 228 people lived on Trinity College Dublin’s estate in the townland; most lived in mud huts. These details provide two specific historical reference points: a sharp population change over a decade and living conditions on the estate at a particular point in time.
Another chapter concerns the cultivation of the land and the transition to ownership. In 1923, Thomas Horgan of Ballynaskreena became the first member of his family to own the farm that his ancestors had worked for generations. The land was transferred to him from Trinity College Dublin under a land act introduced by the new Irish Free State. His youngest surviving daughter, Bridget, also known as Bridie, was born that year. In the local history, the farm, succession through generations and the legal change in land ownership are thus intertwined.
Traditions from the Wider Area
Historical descriptions of dwellings refer to the wider district, not Ballynaskreena alone: in the past, houses there were small and usually round or oval, built of stone and clay. Local traditions from the surrounding area also tell of holy wells. In Ballyheigue, Lady Well was associated with the relief of various kinds of pain. Glen-Dahalan was named as a spring whose water was believed to help heal eye problems. These are traditional beliefs, not claims about any healing effects today.
A traditional devotional practice at holy wells involved walking around them in prayer, with people reciting a rosary on each circuit. The prayer ended on the knees near the well; the water was drunk or rubbed onto the affected area. This practice adds insight to local traditions, showing how people incorporated wells into religious observances.
County Kerry: Culture and Landscape in a Wider Context
Beyond Ballynaskreena, County Kerry offers its own cultural attractions. The Blasket Centre is a heritage centre and museum in Dunquin. It tells the story of the Blasket Islands and the Irish-speaking community that lived there until the mid-20th century. Another historic destination is the Gallarus Oratory: this state-owned National Monument is in the care of the Office of Public Works. It can be accessed directly and free of charge via a public OPW path; check the access conditions before travelling in case of operational changes. The Gallarus Oratory Visitor Centre also features an audiovisual presentation of the surrounding landscape.
County Kerry’s landscapes also vary in scale and character. The Iveragh Peninsula is the largest of Kerry’s Atlantic peninsulas: it extends 60 kilometres from the mainland into the ocean and is 32 kilometres wide. The scenic Ring of Kerry route loops around it; check road conditions and seasonal traffic before setting out. Killarney National Park covers 10,000 hectares of lakes, mountains and forests. Its three main lakes lie in a broad valley within the park. The monastery of St Fionán and many of the surviving beehive-shaped stone huts stand at the summit of Skellig Michael.
When planning your trip, it helps to think of Ballynaskreena’s local history and County Kerry’s wider attractions as distinct points of interest. The local history explores landscape descriptions, living conditions and land ownership; the regional examples add museums, monastic and national park history, and the vast landscape of a peninsula.
Discover more destinations: Glenbeigh, Knight's Town, Dingle, Fieries, Ballyduff, Castleisland, Kilgarvan, Ballylongford.
For the broader travel overview: County Kerry.
