Valentia, South West tip of Ireland & Europe
Valentia Island (Oileán Dairbhre in Gaelic meaning the Island of the Oak Woods) is one of Europe's westernmost inhabited locations, lying off the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest of County Kerry. It is linked to the mainland by a bridge at Portmagee, as well as by a ferry which sails from Renard Point to Knightstown. It is an island of unique scenic beauty, breath-taking views, tropical vegetation, amazing cliffs and magnificent seascapes.
It is comprised of two villages, Knightstown (Baile an Ridire) and Chapeltown. There is a grotto with a statue of the Virgin Mary, in a recently reopened slate quarry that provided slates for the UK's Houses of Parliament. Valentia is home to the site of the first permanent communications link between Europe and America. Transatlantic telegraph cables operated from Valentia Island for one hundred years until Western Union International terminated its cable operations in 1966.
There are fossilized dinosaur trackways, footprints in mud preserved in rocks on the north coast of the island.The road along the central highland spine of Valentia commands glorious elevated views, well worth taking the time to savour. These amazing views encompass from the Dingle Peninsula and on towards Dolus Head and the rugged mountains of Iveragh are breathtakingly beautiful.
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