Holiday Home in County Kerry, Ireland
ABBEY VIEW, BALLINSKELLIGS

VALENTIA ISLAND

Valentia lies a short car journey across the mountain from Abbey View which brings you to the bridge at Portmagee, via St Finan's Bay and a truly wonderful view, from the top of the mountain, of the Skellig Rocks. The island can also be reached by a ten minute car ferry which leaves from a quay just outside Cahirciveen.

The island offers an endless number of spectacular views of the surrounding bays, none better than from the exquisite grotto to Our Lady situated in a disused slate quarry high up on the mountainside overlooking the Ocean below.  In its heyday, in the 19th century, the slate from this quarry was exported all around the world. Ironically, it was even used to roof the British Houses of Parliament in London.

The soft mild climate that prevails in this part of the world is ideal for the growing and cultivation of sub tropical plants, and Valentia is renowned for its variety of flora.

It has been a popular destination for years for visitors across the globe, but was thrust onto the frontpage in 1866 when Sir Robert Peel travelled to the island to officially open the first ever transatlantic communication cable between Europe and North America. The event was described in some detail in The Illustrated London News on August 5 of that year.