Overview
Reenard Point, also written Renard Point, is the mainland terminal for the ferry to Knightstown on Valentia Island, sitting on the coast about five miles west of Cahersiveen. The road here is part of both the Wild Atlantic Way and the Ring of Kerry, so plenty of drivers pause at the point for the view down the channel. The crossing takes about five minutes when the ferry is operating.
The ferry to Valentia Island
The ferry operator lists a seasonal shuttle from April to October. Check the actual sailing dates, fares and last return boat before travelling. Outside the sailing season, Valentia’s visitor information directs drivers to the road bridge at Portmagee, which is a longer drive round.
At the terminal, follow ferry queue signs and keep the slipway and nearby entrances clear.
The old railway
Reenard Point was once the end of the line, literally. Valentia Harbour railway station opened here on 12 September 1893 as the westernmost station in the British Isles, at the end of a 62 km line up to Farranfore. It closed on 1 February 1960, and a monument at the point now marks it. Across the water, Valentia had already made its name in 1865 as the landing point of the first transatlantic telegraph cable.
Reenard GAA has long fed players to the Kerry senior football team. Ned O’Neill of Reenard Point was the first South Kerryman to win an All-Ireland medal, in 1903, and the club took its first South Kerry senior championship in 1948.
A greenway in progress
The old railway line is planned as the South Kerry (Fertha) Greenway, a walking and cycling route between Cahersiveen and Reenard. There is no confirmed opening date, so check locally before you plan to walk or cycle it.
Eating at the point
O’Neill’s The Point Seafood Bar sits by the terminal and serves locally landed seafood. Check opening days and hours with the pub before you make a trip of it.
Nearby
- Rossbeigh Beach, a long crescent of sand for a coastal walk, lies a drive south.
- On Valentia itself, the tetrapod trackway preserves 385-million-year-old footprints in the bedrock, and Geokaun and the lighthouse are popular stops.
Practical information
- Ferry: April to October only; check the operator’s timetable. Out of season, use the Portmagee bridge.
- Public transport: check current bus services to Cahersiveen and onward connections before you travel.
- Planning Valentia: allow at least half a day if you are crossing, to take in Geokaun, the lighthouse and the coastal trails.