Ard na Caithne
Encyclopedia
Ard na Caithne (ˈaːɾˠd̪ˠ nˠə ˈkanʲə), meaning height of the arbutus
or strawberry tree, known as Smerwick in English, in the heart of the Kerry Gaeltacht
is one of the principal bays of Corca Dhuibhne
. It is nestled at the foot of An Triúr Deirfiúr
and Cnoc Bhréanainn
, which at 952 metres (3,123.4 ft) is the highest mountain in the Brandon group. Bounded by the villages of Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Baile na nGall
and Ard na Caithne itself, the area is what has been known as the Fíor-Ghaeltacht, or true Gaeltacht
, in recent decades.
Ard na Caithne (old anglicised form Ardnaconnia) was also known in Irish as Iorras Tuaiscirt ("north peninsula") and Gall-Iorras ("peninsula of the strangers").
and An Riasc monastic site nearby are central archeological and tourist attractions.
Promontory fort
located near the harbour. It was the site of the Siege of Smerwick in 1580.
in 1587. The killing was later brought against Raleigh as one of the charges at his trial; he avoided conviction by pleading that he had to obey the orders of his superior officer.
. Feiritéar's life was anything but uninteresting and in both his poetry and actions he won enormous support and honour from his community. He was executed at the hands of the Cromwellians in Killarney in 1653, following the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
, for his part in the Irish Rebellion of 1641
. His death was known in the region, and he remains a folk hero in the local community today.
Arbutus
Arbutus is a genus of at least 14 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, and North America.-Description:...
or strawberry tree, known as Smerwick in English, in the heart of the Kerry Gaeltacht
Munster Irish
Munster Irish is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Munster. Gaeltacht regions in Munster are found in the Dingle Peninsula Gaeltacht of west Kerry, in the Iveragh Peninsula in south Kerry, in Cape Clear Island off the coast of west Cork, in West Muskerry; Coolea,...
is one of the principal bays of Corca Dhuibhne
Dingle Peninsula
The Dingle Peninsula is the northernmost of the major peninsulae in County Kerry. Its ends beyond the town of Dingle at Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of Ireland.-Name:...
. It is nestled at the foot of An Triúr Deirfiúr
An Triúr Deirfiúr
An Triúr Deirfiúr, are a group of three peaks at the northwestern end of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland, situated just to the north of the village of Baile an Fheirtéaraigh....
and Cnoc Bhréanainn
Mount Brandon
Mount Brandon or Brandon Mountain is a 952 m mountain on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. It is the highest peak of the unnamed central mountain range of the Dingle Peninsula and the ninth highest peak in Ireland...
, which at 952 metres (3,123.4 ft) is the highest mountain in the Brandon group. Bounded by the villages of Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Baile na nGall
Baile na nGall
Baile na nGall is a Gaeltacht village in the Ard na Caithne region of the Dingle Peninsula of County Kerry, Ireland. As the 2003 Official Languages Act revoked the status of the English language name "Ballydavid", this community's only official name is "Baile na nGall".The village is home to...
and Ard na Caithne itself, the area is what has been known as the Fíor-Ghaeltacht, or true Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
, in recent decades.
Ard na Caithne (old anglicised form Ardnaconnia) was also known in Irish as Iorras Tuaiscirt ("north peninsula") and Gall-Iorras ("peninsula of the strangers").
Early Christian history
Ard na Caithne has a significant place in both the history of south-west Munster and Ireland. The early Christian Gallarus OratoryGallarus Oratory
The Gallarus Oratory is believed to be an early Christian church located on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland...
and An Riasc monastic site nearby are central archeological and tourist attractions.
Dún an Óir
Dún an Óir, the "Fort of the Gold", is an Iron ageIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
Promontory fort
Promontory fort
A promontory fort is a defensive structure located above a steep cliff, often only connected to the mainland by a small neck of land, thus utilizing the topography to reduce the ramparts needed. Although their dating is problematic, most seem to date to the Iron Age...
located near the harbour. It was the site of the Siege of Smerwick in 1580.
Ard na Caithne Harbour
The harbour, where Fitzmaurice's invasion force landed, was also the landfall of the returning transatlantic expedition of Sir Martin FrobisherMartin Frobisher
Sir Martin Frobisher was an English seaman who made three voyages to the New World to look for the Northwest Passage...
in 1587. The killing was later brought against Raleigh as one of the charges at his trial; he avoided conviction by pleading that he had to obey the orders of his superior officer.
Piaras Feiritéar
In the nearby Caisleán Feiritéar lived the famous 17th-century poet and Hiberno-Norman lord Piaras FeiritéarPiaras Feiritéar
Piaras Feiritéar was an Irish poet.Feiritéar was a Norman-Irish lord of Baile an Fheirtéaraigh in Corca Dhuibhne. Although best known as a poet, it was his role as a leader of the nascent Catholic Irish community of Norman- and Gaelic- Irish origin which ultimately lead to his execution in...
. Feiritéar's life was anything but uninteresting and in both his poetry and actions he won enormous support and honour from his community. He was executed at the hands of the Cromwellians in Killarney in 1653, following the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland refers to the conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell landed in Ireland with his New Model Army on behalf of England's Rump Parliament in 1649...
, for his part in the Irish Rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
. His death was known in the region, and he remains a folk hero in the local community today.
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Kerry)
- Siege of Smerwick