Shangri-La Bed and Breakfast
Things to Do and See
Tralee and Fenit Harbour
Tralee and Fenit Harbour is located adjacent to Fenit village, a small village with a grocery shop, two small hotels, two restaurants, pubs and guest-houses. Local activities include golfing at one 18-hole Arnold Palmer designed course and two 9-hole courses within 5 miles of Fenit, horse riding and swimming on the many beaches nearby including the Blue Flag beach beside FenitHarbour. What better way to relax after a day exploring Tralee and Fenit Harbour than in the comfort of a Bed and Breakfast such as Shangri La.
The nearest large town is Tralee located 8 miles away. Its attractions include the Aquadome, Mediaeval Tralee Exhibition, Kerry County Museum, National Folk Theatre, Steam Train and Blennerville Windmill. Activites in Tralee include tennis, golf, pitch and putt, indoor adventure playground, horse racing and greyhound racing. The famous Rose of Tralee Festival and Tralee Races take place each year in late August. Book Shangri La Bed and Breakfast online and receive instant e-mail confirmation.
Fenit Castle, a tower house, was built in the fifteenth or sixteenth centuries to protect the entrance to Barrow Harbour. The 130-berth marina has berths for all sizes of boats from 6m to 15m, in minimum water depth of 3m, with one berth capable of taking boats up to 25m. There is access in all tides, with minimum depth of 5m CD in the approaches. Shangri La Bed and Breakfast Accommodation in Tralee has got comfortable spacious ensuite guest bedrooms. Contact your host Mary Hannafin of Shangri La B&B for more information.
Tralee Golf Club
Designed and built by Arnold Palmer, this stunning setting represents a true paradise for those willing to challenge what is widely acclaimed as one of the finest links courses in the world. Smitten at first sight, Palmer would later go on record with this memorable quote: “I may have designed the first nine, but surely God designed the back nine”. It comes as no surprise to learn that, due to the majestic beauty of this setting, Palmer choose it to be his first and, arguably, his finest golf course in Europe.
Tralee, in addition to boasting a clear view of the Atlantic Ocean from every hole, has a fully qualified resident professional, fully stocked Pro Shop, a spacious and comfortable restaurant and bar and it has earned a reputation for having a most friendly and relaxed atmosphere for members and visitors alike. A trip to Southwest Ireland could not be complete without playing this most precious and unpretentious of golfing jewels.
Tralee Folk Theatre
Siamsa Tíre Theatre & Arts Centre in Tralee incorporates a 355 seat auditorium with a spacious stage area equipped with lighting and sound systems which are up to fully professional standards. If you are planning to visit Tralee Folk Theatre, why not book a Bed and Breakfast in Tralee and enjoy the comfort of our ensuite bedrooms and a hearty breakfast in the B&B in the morning.
The centre contains two Visual Art exhibition spaces and a large foyer, which doubles as a venue for small-scale performances and recitals. The centre is programmed on a year round basis presenting a full and varied programme of diverse art forms, such as:
Professional and community theatre, music (classical, traditional, jazz) dance (ballet, contemporary) opera and the literary arts in the theatre.
Tralee County Kerry
Tralee is the county town of County Kerry, in the southwest corner of Ireland. The name Tralee comes from the Irish ‘Trá Lí’, or ‘Trá Laoi’, which means ‘strand of the Lee’ (river), although some believe it comes from the Irish ‘Trá Liath’ meaning ‘grey strand’. The town is situated on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula. Tralee is the largest town in Kerry. Shangri La Bed and Breakfast in Tralee is an excellent touring base for Tralee and County Kerry. Book Shangri La B&B online for the best rates and availability.
History
Situated at the confluence of some small rivers and adjacent to marshy ground at the head of Tralee Bay, Tralee is located at the base of a very ancient roadway that heads south over the Slieve Mish Mountains. On this old track is located a large boulder sometimes called Scotia’s Grave, reputedly the burial place of an Egyptian Pharaoh’s daughter. The Norman town was founded in the 13th century by Anglo-Normans and was a stronghold of the Earls of Desmond. A medieval castle and Dominican order Friary were located in the town.
A monument commemorating the 1798 rebellion – a statue of a Pikeman by Albert Power – stands in Denny Street. The modern layout of Tralee was created in the 19th century. Denny Street, a wide Georgian street was completed in 1826 on the site of the old castle.
Tralee courthouse was designed by Sir Richard Morrison and built in 1835. It has a monument of two cannons commemorating those Kerrymen who died in the Crimean War (1854–56) and the Indian Rebellion (1857).
The Dominican church of the Holy Cross was designed by the English Gothic Revival architect Augustus Pugin in the 19th century
Places of Interest
Kerry County Museum – incorporating the theme park ‘Kerry: The Kingdom’ and an exhibit which depicts life in medieval Geraldine Tralee.
Siamsa Tíre – Ireland’s National Folk Theatre, offering traditional music and plays in Irish.
Blennerville Windmill located about 2 km outside the town, Ireland’s largest still functioning windmill.
Tralee Aquadome – A large indoor water leisure facility with a mini-golf course, located near Fels point, just off the Dan Spring road, at the Western exit from the town. The Slieve Mish Mountains range acts as a pretty backdrop to the site.
Tralee-Dingle Railway – Departures also take place from the Aquadome site for trips on the restored part of the old Tralee to Dingle Railway. Local enthusiasts have brought back an original Hunslet steam engine from the USA to relive the days when the Tralee to Dingle line carried goods and passengers along the famous narrow-gauge picturesque route before it was finally closed in 1953. Visitors can take a short train ride in carriages imported from Spain pulled by the puffing Hunslet a few kilometres out to the Tralee Bay village of Blennerville. Here the restored Blennerville Windmill and Museum house a fascinating look into Tralee’s historical past as a gateway to the new world in the 19th century. Nearby the Windmill stands the yard where the Jeanie Johnston wooden sailing ship replica was completed in 2002. The new Jeanie Johnston ship is now based in Dublin city docklands.
Archaeological sites
Casement’s Fort – an ancient Ring Fort where Roger Casement was hiding when arrested.
Sheela na Gig – now located in the Christian Round Tower at Rattoo, a few km north of Tralee.
Monument to Saint Brendan the Navigator at Fenit – with reproductions of ancient Irish structures
Cathair Cun Rí – Iron Age Fort overlooking Tralee Bay
Transport
Roads
Tralee is served by National Primary and Secondary roads as well as local routes.
National primary routes: N21 east/north-east to Limerick, connecting to N22 south-east to Killarney, Cork.
National secondary routes: N69 to Listowel, Foynes and Limerick, N70 to Killorglin, Ring of Kerry on Iveragh Peninsula, Kenmare, N86 to Dingle.
Regional roads: R556 (north) to Ballybunion
Rail
There is a train service to Killarney, Cork and Dublin operated by the national railway operator Iarnród Éireann. Tralee railway station, originally named Tralee South, was opened on 18 July 1859.
Bus
A dedicated bus terminal was built in 2007. Tralee bus station is a regional hub for Bus Éireann who provide bus connections to Dublin, Limerick, Galway, Cork, Killarney and to Dingle.
Air
Kerry International Airport located in Farranfore between Tralee and Killarney provides air services to Dublin, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Frankfurt Hahn.
Sea
The local port for Tralee is Fenit, about 10 km west of the town on the north side of the estuary. Catering for ships of up to 17,000 tonnes, the port is a picturesque mixed-use harbour with fishing boats and a thriving marina (136 berths). Recently it has benn announced that the sea is eroding the road to Fenit and if nothing is done about it that there will be no Fenit Harbour.
Bed and Breakfast Tralee, B&B Tralee, Accommodation Tralee, Tralee B and B
SHANGRI-LA B&B, The Spa, Tralee, Co Kerry
Tel: 00353 (0) 066 7136214, E-mail: shangrila_spa@hotmail.com