BLOCK THE WATERMARQUE CAHERCIVEEN SERIES

The hiking route and pilgrimage trail is from St Fursey's Holy Well on the lane to Coonanna, ascending east past 'Stations of the Cross' markers 9 km there and back. At 690 m / 2260 ft and rising prominently from the coast it's a 'Marilyn'.

BLOCK THE WATERMARQUE CAHERCIVEEN SERIES

It's a place of pilgrimage, where the copious rainfall emerges from the mountain in a series of springs and holy wells.

51.993 -10.175 4 Knocknadobar ( Cnoc na dTobar, 'hill of the wells') is the top of the coastal ridge northeast of the village.

The usual hike is a circuit rather than an ascent.

51.955 -10.305 3 Killelan is the 275 m hill on the peninsula that ends at Doulus Head.

There's the remains of a Viking settlement.

51.933 -10.3 2 Beginish Island further west has no permanent inhabitants but has holiday homes.

Church Island 200 m off the point has the remains of a monastic settlement.

Whitestrand is the fine beach southwest of the ringforts.

Findings on site indicate that both structures were more like fortified farmsteads than warrior castles. Leacanabuaile another 400 m north is similar but 9th century, more fully restored and with 30 m internal diameter.Cahergall north of Ballycarbery is a stone ringfort from the 7th century, with 25 m internal diameter.So you can admire it from the car park 200 m away, from where it looks more like prize topiary than a castle.

Until 2017 you could walk around it, but the landowner then blocked public access, mindful no doubt of the legal repercussions if someone stubbed their toe. The masonry was recycled into a house, but this was demolished in the 20th century. Dilapidated remains of a 16th century castle, blasted by Cromwell in 1652.

51.949 -10.259 1 Ballycarbery Castle, Ballycarberry East.

It's now a heritage centre with museum exhibitions on Daniel O'Connell, local history and the Royal Irish Constabulary. It was torched in 1922 during the Irish civil war but rebuilt from 1992 and refurbished in 2013. 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair - Jaysuz it's the cops!' This police barracks was built in schloss or baronial style in 1870-75: the authorities were anxious about Fenian attacks on the new transatlantic telegraph cable, which came ashore at Valentia Island. O'Connell's parents are buried in the graveyard of the former church, a humble affair since it dates from the Penal era which curbed RC worship.

Old Abbey of the Holy Cross is a ruin 100 m west of the church.

The marble foundation stone was a gift from Pope Leo XIII, sourced from the catacombs in Rome.

The church, built 1888-1902 of granite from County Down, is a mix of neo-gothic and cod-medieval, and still in use as the parish church. It gave him a lifelong determination to overturn the repression of Ireland and especially of its Catholics solely by legal and constitutional means. In 1791 he joined the Jesuit college at Douai, but fled from revolutionary violence back to Britain. O'Connell (1775-1847) 'The Great Liberator' was born at Carhan and grew up at Derrynane House. Daniel O'Connell Church, Church Street.Monuments at Carhan Bridge as you enter the village on N70 commemmorate St Brendan the Navigator and the birthplace of Daniel O'Connell.Bus 287B runs from Caherciveen to Dromid and Ballinskelligs twice M and W.Ĭasey Cycles on New St hire bikes. Local Link Bus 287A runs from Caherciveen to Portmagee then crosses the bridge to Chapeltown and Knightstown on Valentia Island. There are two or three daily on the Caherciveen-Waterville section, but fewer at the ends of the route. Local Link Bus 285 runs from Killorglin to Glenbeigh, Caherciveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel and Cahercove. But you'll need wheels to explore further along the coast. Ballycarbery and the ringforts are within hiking distance across Castlequin Bridge.

Block the watermarque caherciveen