Valentia Island
Just across the water
Valentia Island lies across the harbour from Cahersiveen. It is about 11 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide, and around 650 people live there. Much of our fishing happens in the sheltered water around the island, so you will get a good look at it from the boat.
You can drive to Valentia over the bridge at Portmagee. From April to October there is also a car ferry from Reenard Point, just outside Cahersiveen, to Knightstown on the island. The crossing only takes a few minutes.
History
A small island with a big history
The transatlantic cable
In 1866 Valentia became one end of the first lasting telegraph cable across the Atlantic. It ran from Foilhommerum Bay to Heart’s Content in Newfoundland. For the first time, a message could get from Europe to North America in minutes rather than weeks. The cable station stayed open until 1966.
The tetrapod tracks
In 1992 a student found a line of fossil footprints on the rocks at Dohilla, on the north side of the island. They were left by an early four legged animal around 385 million years ago. They are some of the oldest tracks of their kind anywhere in the world.
Valentia slate
Slate has been cut from the quarry on the island since the early 1800s. Valentia slate was used in the Houses of Parliament in London. The quarry closed for many years and reopened in 1998.
Explore
Things to do on the island
Geokaun Mountain and the Fogher Cliffs
Geokaun is the highest point on Valentia. From the top you can see the Skelligs, Dingle Bay and the Blaskets on a clear day. The Fogher Cliffs below drop around 180 metres to the sea.
Cromwell Point Lighthouse
The lighthouse stands at the mouth of the harbour near Knightstown. You will pass it on the way out to sea. It is also a nice walk from the village.
Glanleam
The gardens at Glanleam were first planted in the 1830s. The mild climate lets plants from much warmer parts of the world grow here.
Knightstown
The island’s main village sits beside the ferry slip. Its neat rows of houses date from the 1800s and it is a good place to start a walk.
On a trip
See Valentia from the sea
Our half-day and family trips spend most of their time in the sheltered water close to Valentia. It is calm, it is scenic and it holds plenty of fish. It is a great way to see the island from a different angle.