County Kerry – the Kingdom, land of the people of Ciar
Kerry takes its name from Ciarraighe, the 'people of Ciar', a Gaelic tribe whose legendary founder Ciar was said to be the son of Fergus mac Róich. The word ciar meant dark or black in Old Irish, and the suffix -raighe, meaning people, appears in other Irish place names too. Fittingly, the county's nickname is the Kingdom.
In 1329, Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond, was confirmed as lord of the entire county palatine of Kerry, and the Desmond family shaped the region for generations. Today Kerry, on Ireland's southwest coast, is famous for its mountains, peninsulas and living Irish language and music. Do you have a Kerry story or legend? Share it with the community!