Saleen Pier

Overview

Saleen Pier was built in 1843–44, and among its builders were Alexander Nimmo, the Scottish engineer behind piers all along the west coast, and the Shannon Commissioners. It sits on Ballylongford Bay near the mouth of the Shannon, a stone finger reaching out over the tidal mud. There’s no visitor centre and nothing to pay – it’s a working pier that people fish from, launch boats from, and walk out on to watch the tide. If you have twenty minutes and a pair of binoculars, come at high tide: that’s when the birds are worth stopping for.

From grain harbour to boat club

In the 19th century this was a genuine trading point between Kerry, Clare and Limerick. Grain was landed here and moved up to the mills at Ballylongford, back when North Kerry’s grain trade was a real business. The pier outlasted the trade by a long way – records show the St Senan leaving Limerick for Kilrush and Ballylongford with 55 tons of general cargo on 29 September 1953, so cargo was still moving through here well within living memory.

The clearest reminder of that working past is the old crane still standing on the pier, once used to unload boats. These days the pier is home base for the Ballylongford Boat Club, and the traffic is recreational rather than commercial.

Birdwatching

The pier looks out across Ballylongford Bay and its mudflats, and at high tide the diving birds come in close to shore – great northern divers and grebes are regular, and often near enough to watch without a scope. Sunrise and sunset are the productive windows, both for the birds and for the light on the water. If you’re only passing, this is the reason to time it rather than just pull in mid-afternoon.

Walking and the heritage trail

The pier is the far end of the Ballylongford Heritage Trail 2 (the Blue line), which runs 1.9 km from the Tara Cinema on Main Street in the village out to the water. It’s an easy way to link the pier to the village rather than just driving to the edge and back. One honest caveat: the stone surfaces get slick when wet or foggy, so wear something with grip in autumn and winter, and keep an eye on children near the edge – the tidal currents here are strong and it’s no place for a swim.

Visiting Ballylongford and nearby

The village itself is compact and easily walked. For wider Kerry trips, the Kerry County Museum in Tralee fills in the region’s maritime and farming history, and the Dingle Peninsula lies west. If you like this kind of quiet working structure, Ballykissane Pier near Killorglin – with its 1916 memorial – is a natural pairing.

Getting there and facilities

The pier is open around the clock, year-round, with no fees. There’s ample parking on the pier itself, handy if you’re bringing fishing gear or a boat.

There are no toilets, cafés or shelters at the pier, so sort those in the village before you head down. Check the tide table before you go: high tide brings the birds and the full sweep of the bay, low tide lays the mudflats bare, and the two are completely different visits.