Designated
2014
Category
Dark Sky Reserve
Address
County Kerry, Republic of Ireland
Contact
Land Area
700 km2
Documents
About
Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve sits on the Iveragh Peninsula, home to nearly 4,000 residents, and incorporates approximately 700 square km of territory along the Wild Atlantic Way tourism trail. Its location between the Kerry Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean provides some natural protection against light pollution.
The night sky has captivated the people of Ireland for millennia. Nearly 6,000 years ago, the Neolithic inhabitants of the Iveragh Peninsula built stone monuments incorporating alignments to track cycles of the Sun, Moon, and stars. According to some experts, ancient Ogham-language inscriptions found in the region may depict celestial observations.
