VENTRY

VENTRY, a parish, in the barony of CORKAGUINEY, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 4 ½ miles (W.) from Dingle; containing 2596 inhabitants. The parish is situated in the interior of a harbour of the same name, on the northern shore of Dingle bay and near Dunmore Head, the most western point of Ireland: it contains 7087 statute acres, of which 2268 are coarse mountain land and bog. The harbour is spacious and is considered to be a dependency on the port of Dingle, being separated from it by a narrow peninsula, concerning which there is a tradition that it was the last ground possessed by the Danes in Ireland, which is somewhat corroborated by a statement given by Hanmer in his Chronicle from the "Book of Howth," that a great battle was fought here between the Irish and the Danes, The harbour is exposed to the gales from the south-east. On its western point, called Cahir Trant, is an ancient Danish intrenchment, and at Rathlanane are the remains of an old castle of the Knight of Kerry. At a place called Fane, or Fahan, is a small cell or hermitage with a pointed roof of stone. There is a coastguard station at East Coumtra, belonging to the Dingle district.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe, and in the patronage of the Representatives of the Rev. John Crosbie: the tithes amount to £120; the glebe, which is in three portions, contains 4a. 3r. 25p. The clerical duties are performed by the curate of the neighbouring parish of Dunurlin.

In the R. C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Dingle, and has a chapel in the village of Ventry. About 30 children are educated in a private school. Ventry gives the title of Baron to the family of Mullins.