Stages 116-118: Co. Kerry: Cahersiveen to Ballinskelligs: July 2025
From my base in Portmagee which is close
to the bridge to Valentia Island, I’m hoping to get three Kerry stages completed
over these few days. Of course you can never rush this adventure, and I like to make sure I don’t miss any of the coastline.
Despite the rain and wind, I try to stick as close to the shore as possible and
cover 87k (54 miles) over the three days. And Loretto joined me on Valentia
(Stage 117) when we circled the island.
Total distance around Ireland, so far: 4,431km (2,753miles)
Raising funds for Special Schools
www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/maureen-oboyle
Remember the crazy idea is to run around Ireland - strictly by the COAST- and once/twice/three-times a month since it all started back in Feb 2017. After completing the whole coast of ULSTER (2017-2019), I've since run around the coast of CONNACHT (2020-2023). I'm now in the province of MUNSTER (2024-2027). I've already completed Co. Clare & Co. Limerick and I'm tackling the coast of Co. Kerry (as per planned stages below) See also earlier blogs for full story since the beginning of this adventure. In the past my run has been dedicated to Clifton Special School in Bangor, Co. Down where my son Brian attended for fourteen years and I'm continuing this trend of supporting Special Schools in all four provinces in Ireland. Also, there are still signed copies of my books available in Charlie Byrnes in Galway City or you can get a book, directly from me (where I live) in the Bangor/North Down/Ards area (free delivery). WhatsApp me on 00-44-(0) 7725613308 for more details or buy book through Amazon. All profits to Special Schools in Ireland.
www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/maureen-oboyle
www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/maureen-oboyle
Next Stages:
Stage 119: Friday 22 August: Ballinskelligs to Caherdaniel
Stage 116 Co. Kerry: Cahersiveen to Portmagee: Wednesday 16 July 2025: 20.87km or 12.97miles
The original plan was to do this stage a few days ago, on
Sunday 13 July. We had then travelled down from Galway after a busy weekend
celebrating Maureen’s sister’s birthday. Up to Sunday afternoon the weather had
been sunny and warm – getting close to 30 degrees over the weekend. If
anything, it would have been too uncomfortable to run in that heat. However, it
all changed as we drove down to Kerry. The rain, that all the farmers had been praying
for, finally arrived. The wet weather remained with us for the next four or
five days. On Sunday, it was almost 6.00pm when we reached Cahersiveen and I
just felt it was too late and too wet to begin my run.
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| Ardcost, Co. Kerry: Always nice to get off the main road |
So here I am a few days later on a Wednesday morning getting ready to start a belated Stage 116, and it’s still raining! We’re staying in a lovely Airbnb about 5k east of Portmagee in a place called Aghanboy and this is where I set off from this morning. I’m running clockwise today with the sea on my left for a change and finishing in Cahersiveen. I sneak out of the house at about 8.00am while Maureen and Brian are sleeping and follow the R566 east. Crossing the Gougane River I then leave the main road, doing a loop towards the shore to a townland called Ardcost. The poet and song writer, Sigerson Clifford, who had a great affinity with Cahersiveen and its surroundings, was impressed with the strong oarsmen from the area and wrote as follows.
While winds do blow and storms rage and ships be tempest tossed
We’ll read your name on log of fame, with the boatmen of
Ardcost
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| Turf needs a few dry days |
The winds are not blowing this morning but there’s a trickle
of rain that doesn’t stop the whole day. It’s much prettier to step off the main
road and this loop is a good example of that - and there’s absolutely no
traffic. Also, it brings me closer to the coast which is always the important
part of this adventure. I return to the R566 and cross the Derreen (An
Dughlaise) River. Shortly I have to join the busy N70, which is the main ‘Ring
of Kerry’ road. It’s never pleasant trying to run on a road like this.
However, it’s just for 2km and my only time running on the busy N70 over the
three days. At a small crossroads I take a left on the L11552 towards Reenard.
This brings me onto a much quieter route. I’m close to a place called ‘Oghermong’
(plain of the otters) and in olden times otters lived by the banks of the
shore.
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| Only one car on the ferry to Valentia Island |
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| Until 1960 this was the most westerly railway station in Europe |
It's still raining when I finally reach Reenard Point, which is the ferry connection for the crossing to Valentia Island. A young couple hop on board the ferry and a lone vehicle joins them as they head for Knightstown. It’s hard to believe that the train once came this far west. Until it closed in 1960, it was the most westerly railway line in Europe. I stay on the mainland as I had already circled the island on Monday. I turn around and head back up the hill towards Cahersiveen.
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| Happy to see this sign |
When I reach the town I run past the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church, which is by far the most dominant building in Cahersiveen and one of the few Catholic Churches in the world dedicated to a lay person. A marble block in the building was a gift from Pope Leo X111 in 1888. The last Leo before our new pope, Leo X1V.
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| The Pimpernel (a daring hero) |
Much more interesting than the chapel itself is a mural of Hugh O’Flaherty on the wall of the church. He was known as the ‘Pimpernel of the Vatican’. By all accounts he was a daring and brave hero during World War II. When the Nazis occupied Italy, O’Flaherty led an underground network that hid over 4,000 ex-prisoners in farms and houses. For his brave exploits he was awarded the highest honours, including a CBE (UK) and the Congressional Medal (USA).
I needed an inspirational character to motivate me over the
last few hundred metres as the rain continues to fall. Luckily for me Maureen
and Brian are there to meet me in Cahersiveen with a change of clothes. Warm
coffee soon follows.
Stage
117 Co. Kerry: Circling Valentia Island: Monday 14 July 2025: 34.0km or 21.13miles
It’s true what Micko, the great footballer, said about the island. If you look at a map of Valentia it could almost fit perfectly into the mainland, like a jigsaw piece. Mick O’Connell was probably my first sporting hero. I remember him as a key player in Kerry’s winning teams of 1969 and 1970 and was named on both the ‘Team of the Century’ and ‘Team of the GAA Millennium’.
He would often row back from the mainland to his home, sometimes
even in the dark. I was hoping I might bump into him - he’s now 88 years ago. The
Kerry poet, Brendan Kennelly described the great Mick O’Connell as follows:
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| With Eileen & Loretto - getting ready to cross over bridge to Valentia Island |
It’s an early start for me but the good news is that I have a running companion today. Loretto O’Sullivan has driven all the way from her home in Tralee to join me. Loretto also ran with me on a miserable Good Friday (Stage 105) in North Kerry. I’m afraid for Loretto’s sake, that today’s weather isn’t going to be much better. We’re privileged to have a welcoming party for us this morning, here at Portmagee. I’ve been in contact with Eileen Remedios who lives in Valentia. It seems that Eileen is a true water baby. She’s done some amazing swims all around the country and I’m sure she could easily swim around the coast of Valentia Island. I noticed that one of her favourite pastimes is underwater hockey! Eileen brings along her friends, Kathleen and Maeve. They give us a nice send off before we cross the bridge.
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| Eileen joins us for a while |
The bridge was opened in 1971 and blessed by the then the
Bishop of Kerry, Eamonn Casey. It was named the Maurice O’Neill Memorial
Bridge. O’Neill was executed in 1942 by the Irish Army for activities in which
a Garda Detective was shot dead. I’m not sure if either O’Neill or Casey
deserve this accolade. In hindsight it might have been more appropriate if it
was called the O’Connell Bridge and Micko himself had opened it!
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| With Loretto with Puffin Island behind |
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| The starting point for the first Trans-Atlantic Cable |
I pass a monument highlighting that Valentia played a key role in global communications. It was here in 1866 that it became the eastern terminus of the first transatlantic cable. Today 99% of our communication is still by electric cable that goes under the sea - so it’s fascinating to think that Valentia Island was chosen as the European connection point to America for the first ever cable crossing that is still so important for us all today. It put Valentia Island on the map and backs up Mick O’Connell’s opening comment about the island not being remote in any way.
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| With Loretto at Bray Head with Skelligs in background |
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| Building new Signal Tower |
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| Loretto sinking in the boggy terrain |
And just as we’re feeling that things might get easier, the rain comes down. So, no time to relax and Loretto and I start running again. We head for the coast again and shortly come to Kockaunaniller Cliffs. We’re able to stay by the shore now on a rocky/grassy kind of surface. After a while we meet two Norwegians – not the best weather to be holidaying - but they seem to be enjoying themselves. Later by the shore we bump into Maeve and Niamh, who were part of the welcoming group we met in Portmagee earlier. They’re having their own hiking adventure around the island.
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| On the north shore of Valentia Island |
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| The sheep are not used to seeing humans in their territory |
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| A breakaway stack |
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| We meet Maeve and Niamh |
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| Loretti at Fogher Cliffs |
From the cliffs we follow a narrow and steep trail that
brings us up towards the summit of Geokaun. We’re almost at the top but instead
we ‘half loop’ around the mountain and rough it down to the Valentia Coastguard
building. When Sean Curran took me in his van on the preview tour of Valentia
on Sunday, he pointed out this road. He called it the low road, and I knew when
we reached it, we could follow this route all the way to Knights Town.
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| Taking the narrow path to Geokaun Mountain |
This area is called Dohilla, and we do a detour down to the shore
to see the famous Tetrapod Footprints. These imprints are reckoned to be 350
million years old and the oldest reliable evidence of four legged amphibians
moving over land. These were the first creatures to leave water and walk on
earth. For obvious reasons the footprints are protected behind a rope and hard
enough to spot which isn’t surprising, 350 million years later.
I give Maureen a ring and coincidentally she tells me she’s at the Slate Quarry which we can see on a hill just above us. It’s been a working quarry since 1816 producing quality slate which was used in Paris Opera House and London’s House of Parliament. Nearby there’s a grotto built into face of the quarry.
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| The Grotto in the Slate Quarry |
We arrange to meet Maureen and Brian later at the Lighthouse which is situated at the northern tip of the island at a place called Cromwell’s Point. The Cromwell connection is because, before the Lighthouse was built, there was a military base built here in 1653 by order of Oliver Cromwell.
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| Valentia Lighthouse at Cromwells Point |
For Loretto and me, it’s a bit of a detour to go down to the Lighthouse. However, it’s worth it as Maureen supplies us with water and crisps, and we have a wee break there. Loretto is so determined to keep going and once we leave the Lighthouse and come back to the top of the hill, we somehow get our second wind. We’re also able to get shelter from the rain as we run through Glanleam Gardens. I noticed that someone on Tripadvisor described the gardens as a ‘a lovely green jungle’. For us, it was the perfect route to get to Knights Town.
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| With Loretto's friend Kitty |
Just as we exit the ‘green jungle’ we meet Loretto’s friend Kitty who lives on Valentia. We’re soaked to the skin now, but Kitty’s flask of tea (and buns) is the perfect boost we need. Soon Maureen and Brian join us again. Meeting people along the way does help a lot. We keep going. In Knights Town we pass the Altazamuth Stone. I read that its some kind of telescope or surveying instrument and the reason it’s here is because in 1862 an Altazamuth was used here to help Greenwich in London measure the lines of Longitude that we all take for granted now.
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| Catching up with Eileen again in Knight's Town |
It seems that Valentia was such an important place in the
world – and where everything was happening - 175 years ago. Running along the
shore road we pass the old Victorian Cottages where the Cable operators lived.
They lived in luxury and apparently, they were well rewarded, ‘wages
similar to bank managers’, I heard. As it happens Eileen Remedios,
who met us in Portmagee earlier, now lives in one of these houses. Eileen told
us we would recognise her house as she would leave her bike outside with a Clifton
Coastal Shirt on it. We spotted it straight away and called in to see her in
her lovely home. I was impressed by the tennis court in front of the houses.
Another privilege of the Victorian cable families.
We would have liked to stay for the soup that Eileen offered us but at this stage we were wet and cold and really just wanted to finish our run.
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| Meeting Sean who had given me a preview tour (of the island) yesterday |
We follow the coast road west. I see there’s an area along here called ‘The Revenue’ on Google Maps, and me trying to forget about work. At Ballyhearny West the road turns inland and we join the R566. Running through Chapeltown, we pass the ‘Young Islanders GAA Club’, Mick O’Connells’s Club. We keep going and it was such a welcome sight to finally see in front of us, the bridge to the mainland.
We’re delighted with ourselves that we had circled all of Valentia
Island. Eileen, Maureen and Brian are there to meet us as we arrive back in Portmagee.
Stage
118 Co. Kerry: Portmagee to Ballinskelligs: Tuesday 15 July 2025: 32.63km or 20.28miles
‘I dreamt I was a boy once more in my own dear Portmagee. In that fond dream I had a gleam of sixty years away where the sunny sky enarches high on my dear Finian’s Bay’ John Feeney, Portmagee
We’re staying in a cozy Airbnb (hosted by Mary & Mike) in Aghanboy, about 5k east of Portmagee. As I leave the house at 7.40am I’m met very quickly by a strong wind and lots of rain. It’s tough going on the R566 as I battle my way along the road. I’m exhausted by the time I reach Portmagee, and I know I still have a long way to go.
The village is called after Captain Theobald Magee, a notorious 18th century smuggler. Portmagee is also the main departure point for visiting ‘Skellig Michael’ which is a steep rocky island about 14km off the Kerry coast. Between the 7th and 13th century monks have lived on the island. Their homes which were circular huts still remain there. The huts are actually square on the inside. Even back in the 11th century pilgrimages to Skellig were very popular as Christianity spread in Europe.
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| Great to meet Kathleen again |
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| Not too many on the roads this morning |
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| A tough climb ahead |
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| No surprise that cliffs are closed on such a windy day |
There are big signs everywhere
encouraging me to go and see the ‘Kerry Cliffs’ but when I get to
the entrance point, the cliffs are closed to the public. Not surprising at all
with these strong winds. I’m now in an area called Coomanaspig and I’m reminded
off a poem by local writer Brendan O’Neill
‘Over cloud chased Coomanaspig curlews
answered shrill’
Yes, it’s definitely cloudy today but I think all the curlews are sheltering for the moment. I finally reach the top of the hill, and I enjoy a nice run down the other side with ‘Ba Fhionan’ (St Finian’ Bay) on my right-hand side. Soon I leave the A566, but I stay by the coast along a road towards Killonecahga, heading south to the bottom of the peninsula.
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| Continuing on the Skellig Ring |
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| This is where I leave the main road and head to bottom of peninsula |
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| Puffin Island |
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| The ancient Skelligs in the distance |
When the road comes to an end there’s a marked path. It’s a dotted line on the
OS map too and called ‘Lub Bheairic Bholais’ or the ‘Bolus
Barracks Loop Walk’. I feel very satisfied with myself when I reach
Pointe Bholais (Bolas Head) at the very bottom of the peninsula. Although it’s
a cloudy day there are still great views of the Skelligs across the bay. I loop
around following the rough path that I reckon not too many have taken before me.
It gets quite steep, and I try not to go too close to the cliffs as there’s
still a strong wind. This Bolus trail is not for the faint hearted and involves
a lot of climbing. Now I know what the farmer meant by ‘going over the
mountain’
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| View of Skelligs from Bolas Head |
It is a tough ascent even though I don’t
need to complete the whole Bolas loop. Instead, I climb over a farm gate and branch
off at ‘Sraith Ghallan’ and join the country road on the SE side
of the peninsula.
At least I have a downhill run for a few
miles and for the first time today I have the wind behind me. And it’s not
raining anymore! I pass the pre-famine village of Cill Rialaig. It’s very sad
to see these type of deserted villages and crumbling old houses, that are all too
common in the west of Ireland. I’ve spotted them so many times on my coastal
adventure. I sometimes imagine what it would be like doing this run two hundred
years ago, pre-famine, when the rural areas would have been swarming with families.
These days I meet so few people on my travels.
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| Cill Rialaig Famine Village - now deserted |
However, there is a positive story about this particular deserted village. A lady called Noelle Campbell-Sharp purchased the site in the 1980’s with help from her friends and a grant from the National Lottery. She built eight new cottages, reusing stone from the original village site. In addition, an Arts Centre and shop called ‘Cill Rialaig’ was opened just outside Ballinskelligs, and that’s exactly where I finished today’s stage (see later). However, I still have some running (about 6k) to do before I get to the Arts Centre. I take a road that brings me down to the coast and later onto Ballinskelligs beach. So pleasant to be running on sand again.
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| Ballinskelligs Strand |
I did wonder earlier if I could keep running as far as
Waterville today, but that Bolas Loop section (over the mountain) did take a
lot out of me and I’m feeling quite exhausted. I’m satisfied to finish here in
Ballinskelligs, and I enjoy a delicious latte at the Cill Rialaig Centre while waiting
for Maureen and Brian to come and collect me.
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| Cill Rialaig Arts Centre, Ballinskelligs |
