Firies ( officially Fieries; ) is a village in
County Kerry
County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
, Ireland in the
historical barony of
Magunihy. It is situated midway between the hub towns of Killarney (14.5 km), Tralee (16 km), Castleisland (16 km) and Killorglin (13 km). It is on the
R561 road between
Farranfore
Farranfore () is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. It lies on the N22 road approximately midway between Tralee (10 miles or 17 km) and Killarney (9 miles or 15 km) and on the railway line connecting the two towns.
Farranf ...
and
Castlemaine. The population at the
2022 census was 573.
[ There are two principal rivers, namely the Maine and its chief tributary, the Brown Flesk.
]
History
Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ring fort
Ringforts or ring forts are small circular fortified settlements built during the Bronze Age, Iron Age and early Middle Ages up to about the year 1000 AD. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are also many in S ...
, enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is a term, used in English landownership, that refers to the appropriation of "waste" or "common land", enclosing it, and by doing so depriving commoners of their traditional rights of access and usage. Agreements to enc ...
and holy well
A holy well or sacred spring is a well, Spring (hydrosphere), spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christianity, Christian or Paganism, pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualitie ...
sites in the townland
A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...
s of Firies and Killahane.
In Firies townland, on a rock outcrop approximately 850 meters south of the village, are the remains of a rectangular tower known as Firies (or Fieries) Castle. The ground-floor appears to be occupied by a single chamber which was covered by a rounded vault which is almost entirely fallen. Only part of the walling above ground-floor level survives. This tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountainous or limited access areas, to command and defend strategic points ...
was built by the O'Connors. It is in the townland
A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...
of Firies, in the parish of Firies, in the barony of Magunihy. It was built in the thirteenth century and it was knocked in the sixteenth century. The small castle has been in ruin for over two hundred years. A number of woods flourished for miles around it. It is from these woods that Firies got its name.
Saint Gertrude's Catholic Church, in Killahane townland, was built .
Education
In 1991, Firies National School moved to a new location beside the church. It is a rural school with, as of 2024, 19 teachers and 8 special needs assistants.
Notable people
* Eamonn Casey (1927–2017), Catholic prelate who was bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh from 1976 to 1992, was born in Firies.
* Donal Daly
Donal Daly is a former footballer with the Kerry senior football team in the 1990s and 2000s. He played his club football with Firies and East Kerry.
Club
He played club football with Firies and East Kerry. With East Kerry he won three ...
, former Gaelic footballer.
* Jack Sherwood
Jack Sherwood (born 17 February 1991) is a footballer with the Kerry senior football team. He has played with Kerry at all levels from minor to senior. He then moved on to the Under 21 team and played in the Munster final in 2012 but lost ou ...
, former Gaelic footballer.
See also
* Ballyhar
References
External links
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Towns and villages in County Kerry