Kenmare (Irish: Neidín, meaning 'the little nest')[8][9] is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland.

Evidence of ancient settlement in the Kenmare area includes one of the largest stone circles in the south-west of Ireland.

[10] Vikings are said to have raided the area around the town which at that time was called Ceann Mhara, which means "head of the sea" in Irish.

The entire area was granted to the English economist and scientist Sir William Petty by Oliver Cromwell as part payment for completing the mapping of Ireland, the Down Survey in 1656.

Under the guidance of Mother Abbess O'Hagan in 1864 a lace-working industry was established and Kenmare lace became noted worldwide.

[14][15] The library building is now home to the Carnegie Arts Centre and theatre, hosting a local drama group and a number of travelling productions each year, as well as music and comedy nights.

Buried in the church grounds is Monsignor Francis Cremin (died 2001), who was a periitus or theological expert at Vatican II.

He was a native of Kenmare and had been Professor of Canon Law and Moral Theology at St Patrick's College, Maynooth from 1949 until 1980.

Since the late 1990s the tourism industry has driven local construction work,[citation needed] with land being sold at high prices to developers wishing to build estates of holiday homes.

[20] Inter-county Gaelic footballers Mickey 'Ned' O'Sullivan, Stephen O'Brien and Paul O'Connor are from the Kenmare area, while Pat Spillane is from nearby Templenoe.

Kenmare was home to composer Ernest John Moeran for a number of years up to his death and a local bar was named after him - but has since been renamed.

[22] Due to its location at the centre of a large agricultural area, Kenmare served as the local market town.

Until the establishment of an auction mart in the early 1990s, the approximately monthly fair days were a time when farmers would stand their animals in the streets for sale to visiting stock dealers.

The only fair which continues to be held is that of 15 August, which coincides with the Catholic Holy Day of Obligation marking the Assumption of Mary.

[24] The N71 also connects Kenmare to Killarney on a mountainous and scenic part of the Ring of Kerry route via Moll's Gap and Ladies View.