Tralee Bay

Tralee Bay in 2004, looking towards Mount Brandon.

Tralee Bay

Tralee Bay is a bay on the west coast of County Kerry, in the north of the county, between Kerry Head on the north side and the Maharees on the west. It extends inland as far as the bridge at Blennerville. Several small rivers feed into the bay through the town of Tralee.

Forming the south shore of the bay is the Dingle Peninsula, which also separates Tralee Bay from Dingle Bay.

Villages around the bay include; Ballyheigue, Fenit, Kilfinora, Spa, Blennerville, Camp and Castlegregory.

The hinterland of Tralee Bay is rich in historic content covering most major eras in the origins and development of the Ireland, from the mythological history to modernity.

Place names and features

Generally, clockwise from Kerry Head;

Kerry Head Ballyheigue Pier Ballyheigue Blackrock Banna Strand Illaunnabarnagh (rock) Mucklaghmore rock Illaunnacusha, rock The Rose rock Barrow Golf Links Fenit Island Barrow Harbour

Little Samphire Island Samphire Lighthouse Wheel Rock Black Rock Spa Tralee Ship Canal River Lee Blennerville Bridge Blennerville Windmill Blennerville Bealathaleen Creek Derrymore Island

Derrymore Strand Carrigagharor Point Aughacasla Strand Castlegregory Lough Gill The Trench River Kilshshannig point Illaunlea rock Callahangrin headland Mucklaghbeg rock Minnaun Point Illaunturlogh island

Illauntannig island Reennafardarrig island Illaunboe island Illaunimmil island Inishtooskert island Magharee Islands or The Seven Hogs The Maharees Scraggane Bay Minnaun Illaunnanoon Doonagaun Island

Items of interest

• A bird sanctuary is located on the south side of the bay on the low-lying land of Derrymore Island.
• Little Samphire is a low-lying rock in the Bay on which a lighthouse stands. The lighthouse, operated and maintained by the Commissioners of Irish Lights also marks the limit of the harbour area under the control of Tralee and Fenit Harbour Board.
• Great Samphire Island is a small rock in the Bay around which is built the harbour and port of Fenit. The name comes from the rather rare yellow samphire plant that grows there. A monument to St Brendan the Navigator is located at the apex.
• Tralee Golf Club overlooks the whole bay from an elevated position at Barrow.
• Tralee Bay Sailing Club and a Sailing School, along with Fenit Marina provide leisure boating facilities.
• Shore based angling is a popular pastime practised from the viaduct leading out to the harbour.
• Several angling boats are licensed to take recreational anglers out on the bay.
• Tralee Bay Sea Angling Club, the largest sea angling club in Ireland, has its clubhouse in Fenit Harbour.

Vessels sunk and wrecked

• Integrity 13 March 1837. Lost off Brandon Head, en route from Tarbert to the Clyde.
• Audrey Anne 5 December 1998. 65 foot trawler lost off Brandon Head
• Brothers 4 May 1841. A Dingle hooker carrying potatoes for the Protestant colony at Dingle
• Saint Lawrence 7 February 1840. A barque went ashore at Ballyheigue Bay.
• Port Yarrock 29 January 1894. Sank in Brandon Bay, en route from Santa Rosilia, California. All 22 crew lost.

See also "http://www.irishwrecksonline.net/Lists/KerryListB.htm" for much more detailed information.

Adjacent bays

Brandon Bay is the next bay to the south west and the Shannon Estuary is located to the north. Barrow Harbour is a bay located in the bay, east of Fenit Island.

References

• Discovering Kerry, T.J. Barrington, 1976, Blackwater, Dublin ISBN 0-905471-00-8
• Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast, Vol 3. by Edward J Bourke.
• A Gallant Barque, by Sheila Mulcahy, Published and Printed by The Kerryman, 1999. ISBN o 946277 25 7 P