Church and hiking trails

St Brendan’s Curaheen is a modern interpretation of a traditional Irish church at the foot of the Slieve Mish Mountains. Church architecture and hiking thus offer two distinct perspectives on Curraheen. Curaheen is a named point on the Tralee–Camp section of the Dingle Way; the Kerry Camino leads from Curaheen Church through the Slieve Mish range and offers a walking route to Dingle.

A trail from Curaheen Church provides access to the Slieve Mish Mountains and leads into the Curaheen Valley. From the church car park, you can reach the valley and the start of the Kerry Camino. Trail conditions may vary. If you plan to hike there, check route access and parking arrangements before setting off.

Heritage and refreshments

Curraheen’s cultural heritage also includes Curraheen Enclosure and Curraheen Souterrain. Together with the modern interpretation of the traditional church, these archaeological features add further cultural and historical themes to the picture of the area.

Keanes of Curraheen is a traditional pub and restaurant in Curraheen, 7 km from Tralee on the N86 on the Dingle Peninsula. A garden terrace offers outdoor seating; the restaurant has panoramic views of Tralee Bay and the Slieve Mish Mountains. If you are planning a visit, check the visitor listing before setting off.

County Kerry on a larger scale

In the wider destination of County Kerry, the view expands from the trails around Curraheen to larger landscapes. 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 Ring of Kerry is a scenic circular route around the peninsula. Check road conditions and seasonal traffic before setting out.

Killarney National Park in County Kerry offers a different perspective on the landscape. It covers 10,000 hectares of lakes, mountains and woodland. Killarney’s three main lakes lie in a broad valley within the park. The peninsula drive and the national park therefore represent different landscapes within the wider destination.

County Kerry also offers further cultural attractions: the Blasket Centre in Dunquin is a heritage centre and museum. It tells the story of the Blasket Islands and the Irish-speaking community that lived there until the mid-20th century. The centre has renewed interactive exhibitions and a fully accessible cliff-top viewing platform.

Direct access to Gallarus Oratory via an OPW public path is free. The oratory is a state-owned National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works. Check access information before setting off, as operating conditions may change.

Discover more destinations: Killarney, Waterville, Tralee, Killorglin, Ballyduff, Dingle, Fybagh, Chapeltown.

Return to the wider travel overview: County Kerry.