Ventry facts for kids
Ventry, officially called Ceann Trá, is a lovely village in County Kerry, Ireland. It's located on the Dingle Peninsula, about 7 kilometres west of Dingle town. Ventry is known for its long, sandy beach, which makes it a popular spot for visitors.
Ventry is also a special place because it's in a Gaeltacht area. This means that the Irish language is still spoken every day by many people who live there.
Quick facts for kids
Ventry / Ceann Trá
Fionntrá
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Village
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The village centre
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 Ventry / Ceann Trá
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Kerry |
| Population
(2011)
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423 |
| Irish grid reference | Q381006 |
| Ceann Trá is the only official name. | |
Contents
Exploring Ventry's Past
Ventry has a rich history with many old ruins and stories. You can find ancient forts and castles nearby.
Dunbeg Fort: An Iron Age Mystery
About six kilometres west of Ventry, you can find the ruins of Dunbeg Fort. This fort is very old, from the Iron Age, which was thousands of years ago. It's a type of fort called a promontory fort, built on a high cliff edge. This made it very hard for enemies to attack.
Near Dunbeg, in an area called Kilvickadownig, there are more old ruins. These include examples of beehive houses, which are round stone huts shaped like beehives. There's also a grave linked to an old Irish story. It's said to be the grave of Caol, the last person to die in the Battle of Ventry. This battle is part of the Fenian Cycle, a famous set of tales from Irish mythology.
Rahinnane Castle: Home of the Knight of Kerry
Ventry parish is also home to Rahinnane Castle. This castle used to be where the Knight of Kerry lived. The Knight of Kerry was a title given to a local leader. They lived there until the time of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, a big war in Ireland's history.
The castle was built on top of an even older structure called a ringfort. A ringfort was a circular area surrounded by a wall or ditch. The castle walls were very thick, about six metres (20 feet). Even though it looks like it might have had a moat (a water-filled ditch), it never did. You can still see some of the castle's original features, like narrow stone stairs connecting its floors.
Getting Around Ventry
The village is connected to Dingle by the R559 road. This road goes from Dingle through several villages along the beautiful Slea Head drive. If you don't have a car, there are daily bus services that connect Ventry to Dingle.
Famous People from Ventry
Ventry has been home to some well-known people.
One famous person was Páidí Ó Sé. He was a very well-known footballer from Kerry. He owned a pub right across from the church in Ventry until he passed away in 2012.
Another notable person was Canon James Goodman. He was a music collector and a professor at Trinity College in Dublin. He grew up right here in Ventry.
Ventry Bay: A Safe Harbour
Ventry Bay is a good place for boats to anchor safely. It's used by both sailing boats and fishing boats.
Something interesting happened here during World War II. On October 4, 1939, a German submarine, the U-35, entered Ventry Bay. It landed 28 Greek sailors whose ship, the MV Diamantis, had been sunk by a torpedo.
This event was remembered with a special plaque in October 2009. Important guests attended the ceremony, including the German Ambassador to Ireland and the mayor of the Oinousses Islands from Greece.
