On the edge of Kenmare town, within walking distance of the town centre, stands one of the most impressive Bronze Age stone circles in southwest Ireland. Fifteen standing stones arranged in a near-perfect circle, with a central boulder cist — a burial chamber — at its heart. It is approximately 4,000 years old and remarkably well-preserved, set in a small park that makes it accessible and visible in a way that many prehistoric sites in Kerry are not.
Kenmare Stone Circle — at a glance
- Age Approximately 2,000 BC — Bronze Age
- Stones 15 standing stones in a circle
- Diameter Approximately 17 metres
- Central feature Boulder cist — a Bronze Age burial chamber
- Location Edge of Kenmare town — 30km from Killarney
- Entry Free — open year round
The circle
The Kenmare Stone Circle consists of fifteen standing stones arranged in a circle approximately 17 metres in diameter. At the centre sits a boulder cist — a box-like structure made of large flat stones that would have contained a burial, though any remains were removed long ago. The stones vary in height from around one to two metres and are of local sandstone, probably quarried from the hillsides nearby.
Stone circles were built across southwest Ireland during the Bronze Age, typically between 2500 and 500 BC. Their precise purpose remains debated — ceremonial, astronomical, territorial and funerary functions have all been proposed, and they were likely used for several of these purposes over the centuries. The Kenmare circle is one of the largest in the southwest and among the best preserved.
Four thousand years of rain, wind and Kerry weather — and the stones still stand exactly where Bronze Age hands placed them.
Kenmare town
The stone circle is an easy addition to a visit to Kenmare — a picturesque market town 30km south of Killarney on the N71. Kenmare is worth the journey in its own right: good restaurants, independent shops, a farmers market and the starting point for the Beara Peninsula drive. The stone circle is signposted from the town centre and a 5-minute walk.
Practical information
Location
Edge of Kenmare town — signposted from the town centre, 5-minute walk from the main street
Getting There
Kenmare is 30km from Killarney on the N71 — 35 minutes by car via Ladies View and Moll's Gap
Entry
Free — open year round, no facilities on site
Combining
Combine with Ladies View and Moll's Gap on the N71 for a half-day scenic drive from Killarney