Oak Island

There is an island off the west coast of Ireland that is rich in natural beauty, history, culture, community and soul-restoring recreation.

In the English language, this island is called Valentia (pronounced 'VA-len-cha'). In the native Irish language it is called Dairbhre (pronounced 'DAR-vrah'), which means, 'Island of Oaks'.

People have inhabited this island for thousands of years, as evidenced by the Neolithic burial sites which are still intact. In the area around Valentia you will find early Christian hermitages, medieval castle ruins, historic sites from the Great Famine as well as from the Irish War of Independence.

Of course, the most wonderful thing you will find on Valentia are genuine people with warm hearts and keen wit. They will take you fishing, golfing, horseback riding; they will cook you fabulous meals, tell you amazing stories, pour you fantastic pints, and make sure your bed is nice and ready for what may be the best night's sleep that you have ever had.

So please visit Valentia to taste and enjoy the good life given to us, because we have plenty to go round.

Attractions

Ballyhearney House

Also known as the 'Famine Hospital', located along the main road between Knightstown and Chapeltown.

Valentia Island Dairy

A genuine island dairy exporting fresh milk, cultured milk, yogurt and ice cream regionally. Also home to the Farmhouse Ice Cream Shop.

Bray Head

Bray Head is a coastal mountain overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It is the site of Bray Tower, which is a ruined Napoleonic lookout tower. [1]

Knightstown

An Chois in Irish - is the largest settlement on Valentia Island, County Kerry, Ireland. Knightstown has a population of 172 (CSO 2002). In the 1830s the then Knight of Kerry commissioned Scottish Engineer Alexander Nimmo to draw up plans for a village. Development began in the 1840s. [2]

Chapeltown

The peaceful and pretty little village of Chapeltown is located in the centre of Valentia Island halfway between Knightstown and Portmagee.[1]

Geokaun Mountain and Fogher Cliffs

The highest mountain on Valentia Island and the sea cliffs of 600 feet (180 m) on its northern face. [3]

Sub-tropical Gardens

On the northeast of the island stands modest Glanleam House amid its famous sub-tropical gardens; protected by shelterbelts from Atlantic gales and never touched by frost, these gardens provide the mildest microclimate in Ireland. Starting in the 1830s, Sir Peter George Fitzgerald, the 19th Knight of Kerry (1808 - 1880), planted these gardens and stocked them with a unique collection of rare and tender plants from the southern hemisphere, normally grown under glass in Ireland. The gardens are laid out in a naturalistic style as a series of walks. [3]

The Grotto

A cave featuring fountains and a statue of the Virgin Mary, in close proximity to the slate Quarry. [3]

The Quarry

Famous Valentia Island slate is mined from the north face of Geokaun Mountain. [3]

Heritage Centre

Tells the story of the Geology, Human, Natural and Industrial History of the island, with exhibits on the Cable Station, the Marine Radio Station and the RNLI lifeboat.[3]

Telegraph Field

The site of the first permanent communications link between Europe and America. Transatlantic telegraph cables operated from Valentia Island from 1866. [3]

Dolmen Rock

Also known as the 'Wedge Tomb', this is a south-west facing Neolithic burial site on the southern slope of the lsland, between Geokaun Mountain and Bray Head. Sheep prints in the interior mud give evidence of more recent inhabitants.

Tetrapod Tracks

In 1993, an undergraduate geology student discovered fossilised tetrapod trackways, footprints in mud preserved in Devonian rocks on the north coast of the island. About 385 million years ago, a primitive vertebrate passed along a muddy shoreline in the equatorial swampland that is now southwestern Ireland and left prints as if in wet concrete. The prints were preserved by silt overlying them, and were converted to rock over the ages. The Valentia Island trackways are among the oldest signs of vertebrate life on land and have been studied extensively by the paleontologist Dr Stössel. [3]

Lodging

Chapeltown

Chapeltown lodging information

Knightstown

Knightstown lodging information

Portmagee

Portmagee lodging information

Reenard

Reenard lodging information

Cahirsaveen

Cahirsaveen lodging information

Glen Beigh

Glen Beigh lodging information

Transit

Valentia Island

Chapeltown transit information

Cahirsaveen

Cahirsaveen transit information

Dining

Chapeltown

Chapeltown dining information

Knightstown

Knightstown dining information

Portmagee

Portmagee dining information

Reenard

Reenard dining information

Cahirsaveen

14 Main Street. Traditional Irish Breakfast; Paninis; Sanwiches

Glen Beigh

Glen Beigh dining information

Entertainment

Chapeltown

Chapeltown entertainment information

Knightstown

Knightstown entertainment information

Portmagee

Portmagee entertainment information

Reenard

Reenard entertainment information

Cahirsaveen

Cahirsaveen entertainment information

Glen Beigh

Glen Beigh entertainment information

About Us

Shannon Douglas Ware

Although working principally as a Japanese-English technical documents translator, Shannon has also worked in a broad range of technical and administrative positions including QA tester, video game developer, and English language tutor.

Shannon has followed his wife Kate to Valentia Island; the experience has surpassed his expectations and he has fallen in love with the Island and it's people.

Katharine "Kate" Margaret Ware

A midwife by training, Kate has been engaged in a broad range of creative and entrepreneural activities.

Kate's passions include renewable energy, ecologically sustainable enterprise, as well as mother and child health in developing nations.

Kate discovered Valentia Island while conducting a comprehensive Internet research project in search for a place to raise her family that was more sustainable than the North American Metropolis from which she came.