Area & Population

The area of Kerry is 1,189,786 acres with a population of 132,527.

Geography

Kerry is the fifth largest county in Ireland, 38% covered by mountains and lakes, 11% covered by bog and 51% by lowland mineral soil.

Economy

Based on the 2002 census Kerry's working population is 57,935 employed as follows: Farming/fishing/forestry 5,900; Manufacturing 6,772; Construction 5,566; Clerical/managing/government workers 7,344; Communications/transport 2,573; Sales/commerce 7,595; Professional/technical/health 8,371; Service 6,987 (largely tourism); Others 6,827.

Medical Treatment & Medicine

British visitors holding a current national health card or EHI Card are entitled to emergency medical treatment. Other EU visitors with an EHI Card are also entitled to emergency medical treatment. Non-EU visitors will be charged and given a receipt which they can claim back against their own national health or medical insurance as appropriate. In cases of Emergency telephone 112 or 999

Money

The unit of currency is the Euro, divided into one hundred cent. Banks are open Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm with late opening until 5pm on Wednesdays. Bureau De Change facilities in Killarney are available until much later and seven days a week.

Postal Charges

Postal charges are: Ireland: postcards or letters 48c; Airmail to rest of world: postcards or letters 75c. Killarney Post Office is open from 9am - 5.30pm Monday and Wednesday to Friday, from 9.30am - 5:30pm on Tuesday and 9am-1pm on Saturday. Post Offices

Telephone Charges & Enquiries

Standard land line charges within Ireland are 4.92c per minute (minimum charge 6.35c) - local call; up to 8.17c per minute for a long distance call (direct dial). Cheaper rates are available after 6.00pm and at weekends. Directory Enquiries for Ireland dial 11811; International Enquiries 11818

Electrical Current

The standard electrical supply is 220 volts AC (50 cycles). To use small appliances, you may need a plug adaptor (3-pin flat or 2-pin round wall sockets).

Public Transport

CIE, the national transport company, provides bus and train services to, from and within Kerry through two of their subsidiaries ­ Iarnrod Eireann (rail) and Bus Eireann.

Weather

Local weather on the hour on Radio Kerry. Met Eireann Munster forecast 1550 123 850.

Shopping

The opening hours of most shops are 9am until 5.30pm or 6.00pm Monday to Saturday. In Killarney, in the Summer/Autumn period, quite a number of shops remain open until 9 or 10pm and most shops are also open on Sundays.

Pubs

The social hub of Irish life is the pub, and Kerry is no different. Pub opening hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 10.30am until 11.30pm: on Fridays & Saturdays until 12.30am, and on Sundays from 12.30pm until 11pm. Closing time on the eve of public holidays is 12.30am. Children/under 18 are not allowed in pubs after 9pm (10pm during June, July & August). No smoking in pubs/restaurants or any other enclosed public space.

Media

Four national daily papers, two evenings and five Sundays.

Four weekly papers are published in Kerry.

Radio Kerry (97FM - also 97.6 & 96.2) broadcasting in Killarney on 96.6FM - 24 hours. Mix of music and talk programmes. National and international news every hour. Local news and weather (Monday to Friday) 8.30am and every hour from 9am with last local news 5.30pm. Saturday and Sunday local news 1pm and 6pm. Special visitor Signpost to Kerry Attractions at 12.30pm daily during Summer season. For detailed national (& cross-channel) radio & TV see national papers.

Kerry Library

The following is a haphazard selection from the very many books

written about Kerry or by Kerry people - all are available through the public libraries in Kerry and Kerry bookshops.

Topography

'Discovering Kerry' by T.J.Barrington - the definitive book on Kerry ... legend ... history ... topography, hardback, €24.99.

Also interesting works on the Blaskets (Joan & Ray Stagles), paperback €19.03; Skellig (Des Lavelle), paperback €11.41; the Dingle Peninsula (Steve MacDonagh), paperback €9.99. Killarney National Park - A Place to Treasure (Editor Bill Quirke) €31.74. A very authorative and informative publication, Killarney History & Heritage from pre-history to the 20th centry (edited by Jim Larner) €25.

Archaeological Surveys

'Ross Island Mining, Metal and Society in Early Ireland' by William OÕBrien, 800 pages, €80

'Dingle Peninsula' , 1,572 sites, 462 pages, hardback €32.

'Iveragh Peninsula', 1,486 sites, 461 pages, hardback, €32

'West Cork', 3,662 sites, 478 pages, hardback, €25.39

'North Kerry', 1133 sites, 355 pages, paperback, €18.98

'Illaunloughan Island: Excavation & Conservation of 7th century monastic site', by Jenny White-Marshall and Claire Walshe, 256 pages, hardback, €40.

Flora & Fauna

'Flora Chorca Dhuibhne' (Dingle Peninsula) 300 flowers, 288 pages, 375 colour photographs, 75 line drawings, hardback ¤25.39.

'The Wild Red Deer of Killarney' by Sean Ryan, hardback ¤25.

Biography

'An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor' by Michael Smith (€16.99) - superb telling of Kerryman Crean's Antarctic journeys with Scott and Shackelton.

Fauna

irish red deer

The largest native Irish mammal, the Irish Red Deer, has

survived only in Killarney where it has been for over 12,000 years (since the end of the last Ice Age). There are around 800 - principally in the valley between Torc and Mangerton mountains. Best seen early morning.

kerry cattle

The only surviving native Irish breed of cattle is the all-black Kerry. There is a pedigree herd in the Killarney National Park at Muckross.

fish

There are thirteen recorded species of fish in the Killarney Lakes. Salmon and brown trout are best known. Char is a survivor of the last ice age. The Shad whose only other freshwater populations are in the River Rhone and some Italian lakes.