Ballinskelligs Beach is a beautiful Blue Flag Beach

Ballinskellig’s Beach is a beautiful Blue Flag Beach about 1 kilometer in length with it’s iconic picture postcard McCarthy Mór Tower right on the beach, also known locally as Ballinskelligs Castle. The castle was constructed in the 16th century to protect the bay from pirates, and possibly in order to charge a tariff on passing ships.

It is a great beach for swimming, running, paddle boarding and kayaking. Kayaks and paddle boards can be hired during the high season and a lifeguard is on duty.

The local village of Ballinskelligs gets it’s name from the nearby Skelligs Islands, the location of one of the highest grossing Star Wars movies: The Force Awakens. “Baile” is the Irish for town and hence “Baile na Skelligs” is the “Town of the Skelligs”.