Best things to do in Bantry Bay

Bantry Bay's Essential Wonders

Bantry Bay encompasses a diverse landscape ranging from the formal Italianate gardens of Bantry House to the 16th-century ruins of Carriganass and Dunboy Castles. The region is defined by the rugged Beara Peninsula, home to Bronze Age archaeological sites like the Ardgroom Stone Circle and the industrial heritage of the Allihies copper mines. Natural landmarks include the 140-meter waterfall at Gleninchaquin Park and the high mountain pass of The Priest’s Leap, which offers expansive views across the Atlantic coastline and Caha Mountains.

Bantry Bay's Essential Wonders — Map

Schorle / CC-BY-SA-3.0

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Bantry House

Bantry House is a historic house with gardens in Bantry, County Cork, Ireland.

Josep Maria Peralta / CC-BY-SA

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Gleninchaquin Park

A private park featuring a 140-meter waterfall, glaciated valleys, and mountain trails with views over Kenmare Bay and the Caha Mountains.

Philip Halling / CC BY-SA 2.0

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Carriganass Castle

Carriganass Castle is a 16th-century tower house in County Cork. It is situated about 8 kilometres north-east of Bantry, close to the…

El Gringo / CC BY 2.5

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Dunboy Castle

Dunboy Castle is a ruined 15th-century castle on the Beara Peninsula in south-west Ireland near the town of Castletownbere.

El Gringo / CC BY 2.5

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Dunboy Castle

Dunboy Castle is a ruined 15th-century castle on the Beara Peninsula in south-west Ireland near the town of Castletownbere.

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Beara

Beara or the Beara Peninsula is a peninsula on the south-west coast of Ireland, bounded between the Kenmare "river" to the north side and…

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wegde grave

A megalithic burial structure dating to the Bronze Age, consisting of a stone gallery often used for communal prehistoric interments.

Heather Myers / CC-BY-SA

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Ardgroom Stone Circle

A Bronze Age megalithic site featuring nine upright stones and an outlier, overlooking the Kenmare River and surrounding mountains.

Peter Clarke / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Castle Donovan

Castle Donovan or Castledonovan or O'Donovan's Castle refer to the remains of an Irish tower house or túrtheach, in a valley near…

Andreas F. Borchert / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Dunmanus Bay

Dunmanus Bay is a bay in County Cork, Ireland. The bay lies between Mizen Head to the south and Sheep's Head to the north with the small…

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Altar

A scenic viewpoint overlooking Toormore Bay, home to a Neolithic wedge tomb that served as a Mass Rock during the 18th century.

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Trawnablaha

A sheltered shingle beach and swimming spot located on the northern coast of the Beara Peninsula.

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Bearhaven Copper Mines

Ruined 19th-century industrial structures, including stone engine houses and chimney stacks from the region's historic copper mining industry.

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Allihies Copper Mine Museum

The Allihies Copper Mine Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of copper mining in the Allihies area in County Cork, Ireland.

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The Priest's Leap

The highest mountain pass in Munster at 463 meters, offering steep gradients and panoramic views across the counties of Cork and Kerry.

Other Lists

Peaks and Panoramic Views Ancient Ruins and Historical Sites Lakes and Waterfalls Sacred Sites and Places of Worship