Facing the sports field in the South Square of Sneem Village in County Kerry, sits a life size statue of John Egan. The statue commemorates local man John Egan, who is considered to be one of the all time greats of Kerry GAA football. A gifted corner forward, John was a former captain of the Kerry football team and winner of six All Ireland Senior Football medals.
The bronze statue is sculpted by renowned artist, Alan Ryan Hall. It captures John sitting on a bench with a football in hand.
Inchinaleega East, Co. Kerry
Writers Wall
Writers Wall, situated in Ashmount, Dingle Town, features quotes from the famous Irish language writers of the Chorca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht region.
One of the writers from the Blasket Islands included on the wall is Peig Sayers, who is possibly the most renowned of the three Blasket writers featured. Her autobiographical book entitled 'Peig', is well known due in part to its place in history on the Irish school curricular. Another Blasket writer featured is Muiris Ó Súilleabháin, author of 'Fiche Blain ag Fás', as well as author Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha who wrote ‘An Seabhac’. Also featuring on the wall is Séamus "An Spailpín" Ó Muircheartaigh, who composed 'An Baile atá Láimh léi Siúd', a song telling of emigration. Séamus, like so many at the time, emigrated to America in 1898 and never returned to his native home west of Dingle.
This is a special tribute piece in the town, finally giving these great local Irish writers the recognition they deserve.
Church Island on Lough Currane is believed to have religious settlements on site since around the 6th century. The current ruins on this County Kerry island are believed to be dated from the 12th century. The ruins are Romanesque in style and claim their origin from Saint Fionán Cam. Church Island is known by several other Irish names including Inis Uasal or The Island of the Nobles, and is referred to as Inis Ausail in 1058 in the Annals of Inishfallen, which are currently housed in the Bodleian Library in Oxford.
This is an impressive archaeological site with ruins of a church and a surrounding graveyard. There are 11 cross slabs and pillar stones as well as burial tombs. It is believed that Fionán himself may be buried on the island. There is also a small number of beehive huts on the island and one has recently been found to be aligned to the midwinter sun for illumination. Of significant importance is a 12th century carved sandstone that depicts a musician playing a bowed lyre. The carving is similar to figures carved on the Porta de la Gloria of the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Access to Church Island is by boat only, and can be arranged locally, but it can also be viewed from the shore.
