Holiday Tralee - Out and About


	Beaches “Golden Sands and Flags of Distinction” Nature has blessed Kerry with a wonderful number and variety of beaches, several of them just a short drive from Tralee. The vast expanses of Banna to the north and Derrymore to the west are hugely popular. Likewise Ballybunion and Maherees, where the delights of sea and sand are augmented by a diversity of entertainments and seasports. The bonus is that many of the county’s beaches have safety and cleanliness endorsement in the form of European Flags. The County Council has worked hard to secure those flags. Among other things, they have installed resident lifeguards at Maherees, Banna, Derrynane, Ventry, Inch, Ballybunion North and South, Ballyheigue, Fenit, Ballinskelligs, White Strand (Cahirciveen) and Rossbeigh. Understandably, the Council is proud that Kerry has more Blue Flags (14) than any other county. Note, by the way, that Fenit Marina also boasts a Blue Flag and is one of only four marinas in Ireland with the distinction.
	Golf “Champion Courses in a Splendid Setting” The Arnold Palmer designed Tralee Golf Club’s 18-hole course at Barrow, just outside Tralee, is Tralee’s best know course. Perched on the edge of the ocean, the setting of island, sea and mountain provide a magnificent backdrop to the game. Further along the coast, Ballybunion boasts two courses – the Old Course and the Cashen. The Old Course is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top 10 and golfers like Jack Nicklaus love to come to play here. American President Bill Clinton has enjoyed it too. US Open and Masters champion Tom Watson describes Ballybunion as his all-time favourite, “the best in the world” and “a true test of golf”. Ballyheigue offers a beautiful 9-hole course, its greens stretching below a ruined 18th century castle looking out over Tralee Bay. Ardfert also has a 9-hole course sited in undulating parkland, and there is a PGA qualified instructor a hand to help you perfect you game. It is easy to be distracted by the splendour of the surroundings as you play, but recollect that under an ancient law all golf balls lost in Barrow are forfeited to Geoffrey de Clahuill, to whom King John made a grant “forever” of local wrecks.
	Festivals *The Rose of Tralee International Festival* It said by many that Tralee is best known for the Rose of Tralee International Festival which takes place every year in August. It is one of Ireland’s premier flagship festivals where people come from far and wide to enjoy the best in Irish and international music acts and also enjoy events such as parades, an amazing fireworks display and nightly seisiuns. For more information on the Rose of Tralee Festival, please click here.
	Horses “The home of Great Horse-Racing” Tralee comes alive to the thrill of horseracing for the Guinness Ireland Group sponsored six day festival meeting at the end of August and the Whit weekend in June. The cream of the Irish track gathers in Ballybeggan, Tralee, in hopes of finding champions like the great Dawn Run who won her first race here before going on to take the Champions Hurdle and Golf Cup at Cheltenham. For information on training, trekking and riding holidays, please visit Tralee Equestrian Centre
	Fishing There are few things more satisfying than time spent on the edge of water. The sea is open to everyone while rivers are managed by clubs who provide permits at reasonable rates. The Feale River curls round Listowel and returns a good run of salmon and sea trout. The mouth of the river is a great place for flatfish – flounder, dab and plaice. The Smearla, a tributary of the Feale, is also good for salmon and trout. The season runs from 1 March to 30 September, and the sea or Fenit’s angling boats will take you further out. The west point of Kerry Head is a feeding ground for mackerel that come in from August on, and there are wrasse and pollock here and on the southern side of the Head. Ballybunion is especially good for turbot from May to late September and when the main beach is busy you can cross by the right-of-way through the Golf Club and onto the strand. Tralee Bay Angling Club holds competitions here in summer. You can take a rod onto Fenit pier, and two miles west of Ballyheigue, on the Kerry Head road is another pier which offers safe fishing.
	The North Kerry Way The overall development of the North Kerry Way stretches from Tralee town to Tarbert taking in Fenit, Ardfert, Banna, Ballyheigue, Kerry Head and other small villages along this very attractive scenic coastline. A total of 12 additional separate local shorter walks are also proposed throughout North Kerry. These walks will have a wide variety of interest and appeal with some involving forest, urban, town, historic and cultural walks. The walks will be located throughout North Kerry and will include some well-known towns and resorts such as Listowel, Castleisland, Ballybunion and Tarbert. This walk lies at the heart of one of the prime tourist locations in Ireland and contains an abundance of existing tourism facilities including a variety of types and standards of tourist accommodation, good quality restaurants, heritage attractions, leisure facilities and a well serviced public transport system which is vital for the long distance walker.
	The Dingle Way The Dingle Way is a 153kms. (95mls) circular walking route along the perimeter of the Dingle Peninsula, - some of Ireland's world-renowned scenery. The route, which starts and finishes in Tralee, traverses mountain passes up to 700 metres, old bog roads, sandy beaches, 'Green Roads' leading through a pastoral stretch from Slea Head to Dun Chaoin offers magnificent views of the Blasket Islands and great cliffs to the north. A high pass on the Brandon Mountain stretch is fairly strenuous and best suits competent walkers.
	Shopping Tralee has long been Kerry’s busiest market town, the shops and stores of the county capital drawing people from the districts all around. With a host of bookshops, antiques and craft shops tucked away in old lanes and stylish new arcades, shopping in Tralee offers choice in abundance whether you are looking to stock the larder or find a good book to read on the beach. The town boasts leading department stores, a plethora of new boutiques catering for all ages have opened alongside long established names. The ultra modern Manor West Retail Park features well-known shops such as Roches Stores and Tesco to mention but a few. For further information on any of the above, please contact Tralee Tourist Information Office, Denny St, Tralee, on (066) 7121288.

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