Pairc na Realta is Irish for "the field of the stars".  When Dan Riordan sold us the site thirty years ago he told us that this was the name of the field in which we were applying to build our house.  One evening as the sun was setting Oonagh and I were sitting at the top of the field and realised that we should build up there, rather than at the bottom, even if we had to construct a steep winding drive to get there.  The views and the sunsets would be so spectacular.  The sun went down, and the stars shone brightly on a clear night before the moon rose.

Dan had given us the name of our field, and was pleased when we decided to keep it for the house.

The house is in the townland of Coolnaharragill Upper.  If that's a little difficult to get a handle on, Mountain Stage will find us.  An Italian named Bianconi used to run stage coaches all over the west of Ireland before the railways came.  The Mountain Stage, where horses could be changed, is a few hundred yards down the lane, now a shop, also with the name of Riordan.

There is still a bar - once a coaching inn - with Bianconi's name in Killorglin, which is a small town 20 minutes from the house by car.  Killorglin has most of the shops you'll need on holiday, including a couple of supermarkets as well as doctors' surgeries, a dentist and two banks.  It is a busy, prosperous place.  Nearer to the house, about five minutes in the car, is our local village of Glenbeigh, also with a supermarket, a handful of other shops, a couple of pubs and a post office.  Going west from the house is Cahirciveen, about the same distance as Killorglin from Pairc na Realta.  It has the same sort of facilities as Killorglin.

The area near the house is agricultural with mainly livestock farming carried on

An ancient field system near Pairc na Realta.

Getting there

Kerry airport is a 45 minute drive.  There are daily flights to and from Dublin, London Luton and Frankfurt Hahn.  There are also flights four times a week to and from London Stansted.  Ryanair is currently the airline which serves the airport.

At two hours and two and a half hours respectively are Cork and Shannon airports.  They both serve many more destinations than Kerry.

The nearest railway stations, both serving Dublin, are at Killarney and Tralee, around 45/55 minutes away by car. 

The best ferries linking the UK at present run from south Wales to Rosslare.  We are waiting for the Swansea Cork ferry to start operating again.  This is scheduled for the Spring of 2010.  Ferries linking Northern France run from Roscoff and Cherboug to Rosslare.  Cork is a two hour drive and Rosslare approaching five hours.  

Once at the house, a car is essential.  There are many car hire options at the airports or major towns.  If you are out and about and not looking to drive, one of our neighbours runs a taxi and minbus service.

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