Kenmare, 25 miles from Fuchsia Cottage in the south of County Kerry, is a popular tourist destination on the Ring of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.
This small, traditional and picturesque coastal town features numerous superb restaurants, craft shops and pubs. The colourful buildings offer a delightful incongruity in one of Ireland’s few planned towns, laid out in 1670. However, Kenmare has an ancient history. One of the largest stone circles in the south-west of Ireland is close to the town, and was constructed in the Bronze Age (2,200-500 B.C).
The circle consists of 15 stones around the circumference with a boulder dolmen in the centre. Vikings are said to have raided the area around the town which at that time was called Ceann Mhara, which means “head of the sea” in Irish.
Since 1864, when a lace-working industry sprung up in the town as a response to the economic crisis of the famine, Kenmare has been famous for Kenmare Lace. The crafting of this lace has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years and older examples can be see in the Kenmare Heritage Centre and in the Kenmare Lace and Design Centre.