Discover Ballyduff: Round Tower, Museum and Hurling

Ballyduff brings together several distinctive aspects of North Kerry’s history and sport. Rattoo Round Tower, North Kerry Museum and Ballyduff GAA’s achievements give a trip different points of focus: historic buildings and artefacts sit alongside a vibrant hurling tradition. If you’re looking for holiday accommodation in Ballyduff, these interests may play a part in choosing where to stay.

Museum and countryside on the Cashen

North Kerry Museum is set in natural rural surroundings and overlooks the historic River Cashen. Its historical artefacts span the early prehistoric and Neolithic periods through to the beginning of the 20th century and the Irish Civil War. The museum also features a picture gallery and a media room, as well as an extended exhibition area. There is also a tea and coffee area and a gift shop.

When planning a cultural stay, you can combine a museum visit with an interest in different historical periods. Those particularly interested in early history can focus on the prehistoric and Neolithic artefacts; those keen to explore more recent history will find further points of interest in the period up to the Irish Civil War. The rural surroundings and views of the Cashen also give the museum a distinctive landscape setting.

Rattoo Round Tower and the history of Rattoo

Rattoo Round Tower stands north of Ballyduff in County Kerry. It was built around 1100 and is very well preserved. The interior is not accessible: the round tower can only be viewed from the outside. It is the only completely intact round tower in County Kerry, making it a distinctive landmark for anyone interested in medieval buildings. The site also includes the ruins of a 15th-century church. Stones from an older place of worship were used in its construction.

Rattoo Round Tower also houses a Sheela-na-gig, which is considered the only example in an Irish round tower. Together, the preserved tower and church ruins offer several different ways to explore the past: the construction and preservation of the round tower, the later church, and a rare detail inside the tower.

Rattoo Abbey is also part of the area’s historical legacy. In 1205, Rattoo became the monastery of Saints Peter & Paul after the Normans granted lands in North Kerry to Augustinian monks. From the 13th century until the Reformation, the abbots of Rattoo were also rectors of the parish of Listowel and several other parishes in North Kerry. They also served as Lords of Parliament. These offices link Rattoo’s ecclesiastical history with a wider role in the region.

Hurling and Ballyduff GAA

Ballyduff GAA shows another side of Ballyduff: the club has won 25 County Senior Hurling Championships. This achievement gives sport a tangible place in the area’s history. Ballyduff GAA’s sports facilities include a ball wall and an artificial turf pitch, built in 2019. Anyone interested in hurling and sporting tradition has a separate reason to consider Ballyduff when planning a trip, alongside its historical attractions. The sports facilities are described as Ballyduff GAA facilities; this does not imply anything about access conditions.

When choosing somewhere to stay, you can consider whether you mainly want to explore historic sites and museum exhibits, or whether the hurling tradition is also of interest to you. Ballyduff offers a range of themes without requiring them to be combined into a single itinerary. A holiday apartment or holiday home in Ballyduff is a useful search option if you want to make the town itself your base for the trip; check the details of each listing for specific accommodation features.

If you’d like to discover more places, you can also find Lispole, Killarney, Glenderry, Muckross, Chapeltown, Tahilla, Faha and Lauragh here.

For the broader travel overview: County Kerry.