Fenit
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Fenit An Fhianait
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| Village | |
Fenit village, harbour and island.
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 Fenit
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| Coordinates: 52°16′37″N 9°51′29″W / 52.27682°N 9.85796°WCoordinates: 52°16′37″N 9°51′29″W / 52.27682°N 9.85796°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Kerry |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Urban | 527 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | Q725154 |
Fenit (Irish: An Fhianait, meaning "The Wild Place") is a small village in County Kerry, Ireland, located on north side of Tralee Bay about 10 km (6 mi) west of Tralee town, just south of the Shannon Estuary. The bay is enclosed from the Atlantic by the Maharee spit which extends northwards from the Dingle peninsula. Fenit harbour is a mixed function sea port, where fishing, freight import and export, and a 136 berth marina are the main forms of business. The population was 527 in the 2011 CSO census compared to 427 in 2006.
Saint Brendan, the navigator, was probably born north west of the village on Fenit Island in close proximity to what is now Fenit harbour around 484, and is honoured by a large bronze monument in the harbour area. It has been suggested that Brendan arrived in the Americas prior to Christopher Columbus but this has not been proven. Though Tim Severin demonstrated it is possible that a leather-clad boat such as the one described in the Navigatio could have potentially reached North America.
In 1583, during the Spanish Armada in Ireland, the sloop Nuestra Señora del Socorro (Our Lady of the Socorro) (75 tons) anchored at Fenit, in Tralee Bay, where it was surrendered to crown officers. The 24 men on board were taken into custody and marched to Tralee castle. On the orders of Lady Margaret Denny, they were all hanged from a gibbet.
In the mid-19th century, the sailing ship Jeanie Johnston traded out of Tralee, transporting emigrants to the USA and Canada and in 2000 a replica was built in Fenit harbour.
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Wikipedia