Tralee, Ireland

More than perhaps any other town in Ireland right now, Tralee has a feel of self-sufficiency and is making the best of its history, culture, and landscape to feed its economy.

Other cities and towns across the country, Dublin in particular, continue to move in a European direction. You see the same brands, franchises, and shop fronts as in any European city. Not so in Tralee.

The town’s architecture is well preserved. This is particularly visible on Denny Street, which runs up past Tralee Town Park to the Kerry County Museum and is lined with Victorian and Georgian buildings.

The ideal situation for the retiree in this historic corner of Ireland would be a home within good reach of Tralee town and with views over the patchwork fields all around and of the crashing waves of the nearby sea.

In Tralee, you’re enjoying a notably charming and authentic Irish country town and idyllic Irish countryside, and, as well, you’re on the doorstep of Banna Beach, an unspoiled, “blue flag” beach, 7 kilometers long, and a favorite with local runners, dog-walkers, and surfers.

In Tralee, the vast majority of people you find working in shops, restaurants, bars, and tourist sites are locals. As a result, this town offers a more authentic Emerald Isle experience.

Tralee town is one of the warmest spots to catch a fantastic Irish sunset. It’s about as far south as you can go along the western coast of Ireland.

The sunsets here are dramatic, reminding you of the centuries of unchanged landscape, with the winds and the rain adding to the feeling of timeless isolation… As the Irish blessing goes: May there be just enough clouds on your horizon to cause a beautiful sunset.