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Glenbeigh · Kerry · Long ago

History in old Photographs.

Glenbeigh and the places around it, from Killorglin and Killarney to Kenmare, the Skellig coast, Dingle and Tralee, between about 1880 and the last train to Valentia in 1960, from the collections of the National Library of Ireland.

Glenbeigh and the Valentia Line

The Glenbeigh Hotel, about 1890 — The Glenbeigh Hotel About 1890
Said to have been a hotel as early as 1840, and mentioned in a guide to Killarney in 1858. The Lawrence studio marked the glass plate “Cahirciveen”; it is Glenbeigh.

A Train at Drung Hill, 1893 — A Train at Drung Hill 1893
Steam on the railway between Glenbeigh and Kells, cut into the side of Drung Hill above Dingle Bay. The line from Farranfore through Killorglin and Glenbeigh to Valentia ran until 1960; its track bed is now the South Kerry Greenway.

A Cabin near Mountain Stage, about 1880–1914 — A Cabin near Mountain Stage About 1880–1914
A family outside their cabin near Mountain Stage, west of Glenbeigh. Photographs like this one record how hard life was for many families in rural Kerry at the time.

The End of the Line: Valentia Harbour, 1901–1908 — The End of the Line: Valentia Harbour 1901–1908
Locomotive 107 at Valentia Harbour station, the western end of the line through Glenbeigh.

A Cottage in Ruins, Glenbeigh, about 1890–1910 — A Cottage in Ruins, Glenbeigh About 1890–1910
A cottage at Glenbeigh reduced to a pile of stones, photographed in the years after the Glenbeigh evictions of 1887. The story of this particular house is not recorded.

The Caragh River and the Railway, january 1960 — The Caragh River and the Railway January 1960
The Caragh River hurrying along beside the Valentia line, photographed a week before the railway closed on 1 February 1960.

The Last Day at Valentia Harbour, 30 january 1960 — The Last Day at Valentia Harbour 30 January 1960
Trains at Valentia Harbour station on the line’s last day, Saturday 30 January 1960, in the photographer’s own note.

Killorglin and Glencar

Puck Fair, about 1900 — Puck Fair About 1900
Puck Fair in full flight, with King Puck installed on his “throne” above the crowd. The fair is still held every August.

Cattle Fair at Puck, about 1880–1900 — Cattle Fair at Puck About 1880–1900
Puck Fair as a working fair: Killorglin full of cattle and dealers.

The Railway Viaduct, Killorglin, january 1960 — The Railway Viaduct, Killorglin January 1960
The viaduct over the River Laune that carried the line from Farranfore to Valentia Harbour, days before the railway closed in 1960.

The Ballaghbeama Pass, Glencar, about 1880–1914 — The Ballaghbeama Pass, Glencar About 1880–1914
The narrow road through the Ballaghbeama Gap, with a car from the nearby Glencar Hotel.

Killarney and the Lakes

Market Day, Killarney, about 1890 — Market Day, Killarney About 1890
Carts, stalls and dealers on a market day in the town.

College Street on a Market Day, 1900–1920 — College Street on a Market Day 1900–1920
A busy market day on College Street, Killarney.

A Picnic by the Upper Lake, about 1897 — A Picnic by the Upper Lake About 1897
Tourists at lunch where the Gearhameen River flows into the Upper Lake, watched over by a guide from Gaze’s Tours.

Riders at Kate Kearney’s Cottage, about 1900 — Riders at Kate Kearney’s Cottage About 1900
Men on horseback outside Kate Kearney’s Cottage at the entrance to the Gap of Dunloe, perhaps waiting as guides for the day’s visitors.

O’Sullivan’s Hotel, Killarney, about 1900 — O’Sullivan’s Hotel, Killarney About 1900
One of the town’s hotels in the early days of tourism to the lakes.

A Motor Bus on the Kenmare Road, about 1910 — A Motor Bus on the Kenmare Road About 1910
An early motor bus and its passengers on the Kenmare Road out of Killarney.

The Lower Lake, about 1880–1914 — The Lower Lake About 1880–1914
Lough Leane, the Lower Lake of Killarney.

Killarney House, about 1877–1914 — Killarney House About 1877–1914
Killarney House, as the Lawrence studio titled it, on the Earls of Kenmare’s estate beside the town.

The Ruins at Aghadoe, 1900–1939 — The Ruins at Aghadoe 1900–1939
The ruined church on the hill at Aghadoe, above the lakes.

The Queen’s Oaks, Muckross, about 1865–1914 — The Queen’s Oaks, Muckross About 1865–1914
Old oaks in the parkland of Muckross, titled “The Queens Oaks” on the glass plate.

Mrs Moriarty’s, Gap of Dunloe, about 1880–1914 — Mrs Moriarty’s, Gap of Dunloe About 1880–1914
A cottage in the Gap of Dunloe, one of the Moriarty households that served the visitors riding through the Gap.

Tourists at Moll’s Gap, about 1910 — Tourists at Moll’s Gap About 1910
Tour cars stopped at Moll’s Gap under heavy clouds: by the signpost, 15 miles back to Sneem and 14 on to Killarney.

Kenmare and Sneem

Main Street, Kenmare, about 1887–1901 — Main Street, Kenmare About 1887–1901
Main Street, Kenmare, with a cyclists’ touring club sign on one of the buildings.

The Suspension Bridge, Kenmare, about 1865–1914 — The Suspension Bridge, Kenmare About 1865–1914
The old suspension bridge across the Kenmare River.

Sneem, about 1880–1900 — Sneem About 1880–1900
The village of Sneem on the Ring of Kerry.

Cahersiveen, Valentia and the Skellig Coast

Fair Day, Cahersiveen, about 1880–1914 — Fair Day, Cahersiveen About 1880–1914
Cattle, horses and dealers fill the fair field on a fair day.

Fish Curing at Portmagee, about 1880–1914 — Fish Curing at Portmagee About 1880–1914
Women gutting and salting fish beside the barrels on the quay at Portmagee.

Main Street North, Cahersiveen, about 1902–1910 — Main Street North, Cahersiveen About 1902–1910
A busy day on Main Street; most of these buildings still stand today.

Cliffs on Valentia Island, about 1880–1914 — Cliffs on Valentia Island About 1880–1914
The cliffs of Valentia Island above the Atlantic.

The Strand, Ballinskelligs, about 1900 — The Strand, Ballinskelligs About 1900
The long strand at Ballinskelligs Bay.

Waterville, about 1880–1900 — Waterville About 1880–1900
Waterville, between Lough Currane and Ballinskelligs Bay.

Staigue Fort, about 1880–1914 — Staigue Fort About 1880–1914
The great drystone ring fort of Staigue, above Castlecove.

Derrynane House, 1900–1939 — Derrynane House 1900–1939
The home of Daniel O’Connell, “the Liberator”, at Derrynane.

The Dingle Peninsula

Main Street, Dingle, about 1880–1900 — Main Street, Dingle About 1880–1900
Main Street, Dingle, climbing up from the harbour.

The Horseshoe Road, Annascaul, about 1880–1900 — The Horseshoe Road, Annascaul About 1880–1900
A road curving round a horseshoe bend across a valley near Annascaul, Tom Crean’s home town.

Tralee and North Kerry

Blennerville, about 1900 — Blennerville About 1900
Blennerville on Tralee Bay, home of the windmill.

The Mall, Tralee, about 1905 — The Mall, Tralee About 1905
The Mall in Tralee, Kerry’s county town.

Market Day, Listowel, about 1900 — Market Day, Listowel About 1900
A busy market day in Listowel, with farm machinery on show.

The Lartigue Railway, Ballybunion, about 1888–1914 — The Lartigue Railway, Ballybunion About 1888–1914
The unusual single-rail monorail that ran from Listowel to Ballybunion from 1888.

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