CASTLEGREGORY

'Castlegregory' (Irish: ''Caisléan Ghriaire'') is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Castlegregory has a population of 186 (CSO 2002).

Contents

Geography

History

Geography

The village is located at the foot of a sandy peninsula called the Maharees separating Brandon Bay to the west from Tralee Bay on the east, off the
peninsula are a number small islands, called the Seven Hoggs, or the Maharee Islands. A small fishing harbour is located at Fahamore on Scraggane Bay, about 5km outside the village at the tip of the Maharees peninsula.
The village is surrounded by the mountains of the Dingle peninsula and overlooked directly by Beenoskee and Stradbally Mountains. To the west is Brandon Mountain. Castlegregory is also the name of the parish which includes most of the north east area of the Dingle Peninsula. The village is renowned as a tourist destination as it is near to spectacular beaches located on the Maharees peninsula. Castlegregory Golf and Fishing club, a nine hole links golf course is also located nearby, to the west of the village on the shores of Lough Gill, a freshwater lake.

History

On the largest of the Magharee islands, Illauntannig (Irish Oileán tSeanaigh),
the ruins of a 7th century monastic site founded by St Senach, stand containing:

★ two oratories

★ three beehive (or Clochan) huts

★ three examples of a leacht (or altar)
castlegregory is the first recorded leper colony in westeren europe.