Exploring the greenway, museums and Celtic traditions of family-friendly Co Kerry
By David Young, PA
Our eldest Martha zips under the old railway bridge at pace, holding off a spirited challenge from her younger sister Rose. Behind them, their two-year-old brother charts an altogether more erratic course.
George isn’t interested in the race ahead; instead concentrating his efforts on ramming his scooter into my ankles.
We’re on the last stretch of the delightful greenway that runs from Tralee, the largest town in Co Kerry, to the seaside village of Fenit.
As we reach the end of this former rail track, Martha, nine, claims victory as she sweeps by the platforms where passengers boarded steam train carriages 100 years previously.
Rose, seven, disputes the result, making several unspecified allegations of cheating.
George secures his own form of victory by crashing into my shin a final time.
As my wife Kerri conducts a steward’s inquiry, I clear the debris field of discarded helmets and scooters.
The backdrop for this typically chaotic family scene is a spectacular one.
Shafts of autumnal sunshine dance across Tralee Bay while, on the other side of the water, low-hanging clouds rest atop the Slieve Mish Mountains on the Dingle Peninsula.
That tranquil picture is in striking contrast to the post-scoot tumult at Fenit’s old terminus station as we attempt to marshal the kids toward the nearby Boat House Café for lunch.
It’s happy pandemonium though, with red cheeks and broad grins evidence of a morning well spent on our greenway adventure.
The Tralee to Fenit rail line opened in the 1880s with the intention of establishing the village’s harbour as a key hub for trans-Atlantic trade.
That boon did not materialise and the track ceased running regular passenger services in 1935, albeit it stayed open for another four decades for freight transportation and holiday excursion trips.
In 2010, Kerry Council County decided to reimagine the derelict line as a sustainable travel route.
Fifteen years on, visitors and locals alike enjoy the almost 14km-long greenway that winds its way through this idyllic corner of southwest Ireland.
It is enclosed, smooth and safe throughout – welcome features when you have three children who specialise in heading in three different directions at the same time.
Kerry is well catered for when it comes to greenway provision. Further north, a 16km route meanders along the River Feale from the historic town of Listowel to connect with neighbouring Co Limerick’s greenway network near the market town of Abbeyfeale.
At the other end of the county, the South Kerry Greenway is being built. When completed, it will offer 32km of coastal pathway running from Glenbeigh to Reenard.
Back in Fenit, we enjoy lunch gazing out at the café’s unspoilt view of the bay.
The centrepiece is the whitewashed peak of the Fenit Lighthouse, which has guided passing ships from atop Little Samphire Island for more than 170 years.
Closer to shore a hardy group of sea swimmers bob among the Atlantic waves – each one bearing an expression of shivering contentment that comes with experiencing nature so untamed.
Our three-day visit to Tralee comes in the run-up to Halloween and Kerry is at the forefront of a tourist drive to establish Ireland as the global home of a festival rooted in ancient Celtic tradition.
According to Irish folklore, the Goddess of Winter (An Cailleach) emerges at this time of the year to mark the end of harvest and beginning of winter.
Kerry now hosts the annual festival of Samhain Chiarraí (Kerry Halloween), with a packed programme of activities and events spanning the county across three weeks.
The offering includes lantern-making classes in Tralee’s Siamsa Tíre theatre and arts centre, and that’s where we spend the afternoon, fashioning beacons from willow sticks and craft paper under the watchful eye of local model maker Phillip McSweeney.
The classes ensure there are plenty of lanterns lighting the way for the colourful Samhain processions staged across Kerry during the festival.
Back at our room in the Manor West Hotel, chaos reigns once again as the kids lay claim to the prized top bunk. Rose prevails – her limpet-like grip proving decisive.
The bunkbed room is indicative of a hotel well-suited to families with young children.
As too is the entertainment staged every evening. Comedy magician Steve Mills proves a real hit with our three, particularly George, who tests his balloon animal-making skills to the limit by asking for a pink pig.
I feel the need for some of Steve’s boundless energy the next morning, as I stand at the start line of the Tralee Half Marathon questioning my decision to secure a late entry.
I ultimately manage to shuffle my way round all 21 kilometres, and am cheered over a rain-swept finish line by Kerri and the kids, who are damp and enthusiastic in equal measure.
Notwithstanding the aching legs, it was wonderful way of taking in Tralee and its surrounds, especially the closing downhill stretch that is framed by the bay and mountains.
After some recuperation time at the hotel – the kids allowing me all of 10 minutes to soak in the Jacuzzi – we are off to the Kerry County Museum (adults €5, children free).
On arrival, George shows little concern for my tender hamstrings as he whacks me with a play sword from the medieval exhibition.
After Rose and Martha don tunics to act out their own combat scene, all three redirect their energy digging for plastic bones in the interactive archaeological experience.
It makes for an enjoyable afternoon in a museum that presents Kerry’s rich history in ways accessible to both children and adults.
Our trip ends the following morning at the Tralee Bay Wetlands eco and activity park, which is hosting a spooky Halloween scavenger hunt (self-guided tours at the park are €4 for adults, children free).
The park is also home to the Lakeside Wetlands Café – a gem of restaurant where visitors can fuel up ahead of their explorations.
Our exploration involves a frenetic search for clues to uncover the whereabouts of an unfortunate local farmer who has been captured by a giant spider.
It is mystery trail that ends at the top of the park’s 20-metre observation tower, where we find the poor missing farmer, motionless and encased in spider webs.
He clearly had not enjoyed his Halloween in the Kingdom. Unlike us, who had an absolute blast.
How to book
For more information about the Kerry greenways and the Samhain Chiarraí festival, visit discoverykerry.com
Family bunk bed rooms at the Manor West Hotel are from €166 a night, including breakfast (manorwesthotel.ie)
The next Tralee Half Marathon will take place in October 2026. Entry costs €40 (official-tralee-marathon.com/half-marathon)
