Overview
Portmagee is a single row of brightly painted houses along a working pier, home to just 116 people at the last count, and in summer one of the busiest small harbours in Kerry. From May to September it is the main departure point for boats out to Skellig Michael, the UNESCO-listed monastic island offshore that most people now know as a Star Wars location. The rest of the year it is quiet again.
If the weather cooperates and you have booked ahead, a landing trip to Skellig Michael is the reason to be here – only a limited number of permits are issued each day and they sell out months in advance, and the boats do not sail at all if the swell is up. Miss out, or come off-season, and the Kerry Cliffs give you the same view of the Skelligs from the mainland for €5 or €6. One practical warning: public transport barely reaches this corner of Kerry. The Local Link buses run only a couple of days a week, and the nearest trains are in Tralee or Killarney – you really need a car.
History
The village takes its name from Captain Theobald Magee, an 18th-century smuggler who used the maze of inlets here to run spirits, textiles and tea past the revenue men. Its Irish name, An Caladh, simply means ‘the ferry’ – for centuries this was the crossing point to Valentia Island. The ferry was replaced by the Maurice O’Neill Memorial Bridge, built in 1970 and officially opened at Easter 1971. It remembers Maurice O’Neill, a local IRA man executed in 1942. Portmagee also keeps up an unusual New Year custom, the ‘Old Year’ celebration, a torchlit procession that acts out the passing of the year.
What to see and do
Skellig Michael and the Skellig Experience Centre
Portmagee is the main launch point for trips to Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a 6th-century monastic settlement and, more recently, a starring turn in Star Wars. Landing trips run from May to September, weather permitting, and let you climb the ancient stone stairs to the beehive huts at the top. For a gentler introduction, the Skellig Experience Centre – a short walk over the bridge on Valentia – has a film, replica structures and displays on the sealife around the islands.
Kerry Cliffs
A few minutes’ drive south of the village, the Kerry Cliffs rise to 1,000 ft (305 m), some 400 million years old, with sweeping views of the Skellig Islands, Little Skellig and Puffin Island. Admission is €5 or €6 per adult, paid at the booth (there is a card machine), with a large free car park. From there it is a steep 10–15 minute walk up to the viewpoints; the best of them is on the left after you leave the car park. The site closes in severe weather.
Skellig Ring drive
The Skellig Ring (32 km) loops from Portmagee through St Finian’s Bay, Ballinskelligs, and back to the N70. Along the way you cross the Coomanaspig Pass, one of Ireland’s highest drivable points, and pass the Coom Wedge Tomb, a Neolithic burial chamber known locally as Diarmuid and Gráinne’s Bed. It is a favourite with cyclists and drivers alike for its constant changes in elevation and exposure.
Valentia Island
Cross the bridge to explore Valentia Island. Highlights include the Telegraph Field, where the first trans-Atlantic cable was landed in 1858, and coastal paths past signal towers and headlands. For hikers, Geokaun Mountain is the island’s highest point, with trails leading out to the Fogher Cliffs.
Portmagee Whiskey
The Portmagee Whiskey distillery sits at Barrack Hill, Gortreagh, on the edge of the village, and runs tours with tastings. The whiskey itself is still maturing – the plan is to have it ready for sale around 2028 – so for now the draw is the distillery story rather than a bottle of its own.
Pubs and food
- The Bridge Bar (part of The Moorings Guesthouse) – the heart of village nightlife, with live traditional music and set dancing on Friday and Sunday nights in summer, plus Tuesdays in July and August. It gets busy; book a table.
- Fisherman’s Bar – generous seafood platters and a relaxed room.
- Driftwood Surf Café – a seaside spot in St Finian’s Bay for coffee and light bites.
- K’s Golden Grill – a seasonal fish-and-chips trailer on the harbour.
Accommodation
- The Moorings Guesthouse & Seafront Restaurant – rooms above the pub, with harbour views and a long connection to visiting film crews.
- The Ferry Boat – a family-run B&B in the village centre, a short walk from the pier.
- Portmagee Seaside Cottages – self-catering with private moorings for small boats.
- John Morgan’s House – a beachfront B&B near the harbour.
Events and festivals
- Old Year Celebration – the New Year procession, with music, lanterns and the symbolic passing of the year.
- May the 4th Sci-Fi Film Festival – Portmagee leans into its Star Wars connection each spring with a small sci-fi festival on the harbour.
- Summer music sessions – informal trad sessions in the pubs from June to August.
Wildlife and stargazing
The cliffs and surrounding waters draw seabirds in numbers: puffins nest on Puffin Island, and the Skelligs hold large colonies of guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes. Dolphin-watching tours leave the harbour in summer, with a chance of common dolphins and the occasional whale. The area is also part of a Gold Tier Dark Sky Reserve, one of only three in the world, so clear winter nights here are as good for stargazing as anywhere in Europe.
Practical Information
| Service | Details |
|---|---|
| Boat trips to Skellig Michael | Seasonal (May–Sep); landing tours around 2.5 h; price varies by operator; book well ahead |
| Skellig Experience Centre | On Valentia, a short walk over the bridge; film and interactive displays |
| Kerry Cliffs admission | €5/6 (adult) – cash or card at the on-site booth; prices may change |
| Kerry Cliffs opening | Daily, closed in poor weather; steep 10–15 minute walk to the viewpoints |
| Local Link Bus 287A | Caherciveen ↔ Portmagee ↔ Chapeltown ↔ Knightstown; a few services Tue, Thu, Fri |
| Local Link Bus 287B | Caherciveen ↔ Dromid ↔ Ballinskelligs; 2 services Mon, Wed |
| Parking | Free at Portmagee harbour (central but limited), near the church at the eastern end of the village, and at the Kerry Cliffs car park |
| Accessibility | Kerry Cliffs are a steep climb, not suitable for wheelchairs; the Skellig Experience Centre is accessible |
Getting there
- By road – Follow the N70 Ring of Kerry to the R565; the village lies just before the turn-off to the Skellig Ring, on the same road as the bridge to Valentia.
- By public transport – Local Link services connect Portmagee to Caherciveen on set days only; the nearest railway stations are in Tralee and Killarney.
- By air – The nearest is Kerry Airport at Farranfore, about 80 km (an hour’s drive); Cork and Shannon are further but have more international routes.
Mobile coverage
Three and Vodafone provide signal in Portmagee, but coverage on Valentia Island and around Ballinskelligs can be patchy. Download offline maps before you head out.
Book your Skellig landing months ahead, and treat everything else – the cliffs, the drive, a session in the Bridge Bar – as the plan for the day the boats can’t sail.