Ireland to open its first ever Marine National Park in Kerry

The government will announce the creation of Ireland’s first Marine National Park in Co Kerry later today. The park will be placed in the Corca Dhuibhne area and countain 70,000 acres and seas and include a State purchase of Conor's Pass

The new national park, which will be called Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí, cover sites already under State ownership, such as the waters around the Blasket Islands and the limestone reefs of Kerry Head Shoals.

Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara….

The name of the new National Park on the Conor Pass that will be formally announced at a presentation on Monday in Óstán na Sceilge i nDaingean Uí Chúis.

Nach iontach an scéal é!#ConorPass #AnChonair pic.twitter.com/meI3H0pwxo

— Joe Ó Muirċeartaiġ (@muirioch) April 20, 2024

In addition, new acquisitions by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, will be brought together, such as Conor's Pass, the Owenmore River catchment, lands at Mount Brandon and the sand dune system at Inch Peninsula, as well as the Unesco World Heritage property of Sceilg Mhichíl.

The Conor Pass is a mountain pass in the Dingle Peninsula, which ends close to Dingle town. It was announced in January that the state was on track to purchase it.

The creation of Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara will represent Ireland’s seventh national park.