Kilcrohane pier is situated in Co. Cork on the southwest coast of Ireland, about halfway up the north shore of Dunmanus Bay inlet. It provides an anchorage off a pier with a small village close inland.

The small rocky cove provides an exposed anchorage that can only be utilised with northerly component conditions. Although difficult to identify, even in daylight, access is straightforward at any stage of the tide.

The anchoring area off Kilcrohane’s pier is steep-to and an anchor watch would be advisable here. A good weather window would be required to visit any of Dunmanus Bay’s havens if a vessel is time restricted. If the prevailing winds were to come on strong, though good shelter may be found, it would be difficult however to sail out of the bay.

Keyfacts for Kilcrohane Pier

Position and approaches

Haven position

51° 34.470' N, 009° 41.687' W

East of the pier in about three metres.

What are the initial fixes?

The following waypoints will set up a final approach:

(i) Dunmanus Bay initial fix

51° 30.700' N, 009° 51.200' W

This initial fix positions an Atlantic approach to Dunmanus Bay and is set midway between Sheep's Head and Mizen Head.

(ii) Kilcrohane Pier initial fix

51° 34.380' N, 009° 41.250' W

This is situated to the east of Kilcrohane Point just outside the middle of the bay on the 20 metre contour. It is quarter of a mile out from the pier and a course of 290°T from here leads to the pier.

What are the key points of the approach?

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How to get in?

Kilcrohane Pier is situated close northeast of Kilcrohane Point on the western side of the bight in the northern shore.


Details for the run up the long and narrow Dunmanus Bay are covered in the Dunbeacon Harbour entry.

Although typically difficult to identify the pier will be more than visible from the initial fix situated to the east of Kilcrohane Point on the 20-metre contour.




There are no outlying dangers and the pier may be approached directly. The seabed here is steep and expect depths to rapidly decrease as the pier is approached.

Anchor about 50 metres off the pierhead where 5 metres can be found, making certain the anchor is well set.




Land at the pier or its slip and if both are occupied there is also a shingle beach. The small Kilcrohan River flows into the bay close to the pier. A road leads from the pier to the village about 1.5 km away.

Why visit here?

Kilcrohane, in Irish Cill Chrócháin meaning the Church of Crochan, takes its name after St. Crohan who founded a small religious settlement here.

Little is known about St. Crochan except that he is believed to have lived about the time of St. Patrick in the middle of the 5th Century. Some believe he was from Caherdaniel in Kerry, where the village of Kilcrohane and two ruined churches are named after him. Whatever the case he settled in this area and built his original cell alongside the ruined medieval church he founded just outside the village in the grounds of Kilcrohane’s cemetery. The church is roofless and was recorded as having been in ruins as far back as 1639. The churchyard is well tended and remains an essential part of the community. The much-visited site is a peaceful retreat and rewards its visitors with wonderful views out to sea.


Today Kilcrohane is a lively and vibrant seaside village whose population swells in the busy summer months. The last coastal village on the Sheep's Head Peninsula, after Durrus and Ahakista, it is also the largest. After this Sheep's Head becomes more baron and jagged as it narrows out to its lighthouse at the tip. This makes it an ideal base to access the famous Sheep's Head Way hill walking route. But for those who want to take on a short but interesting walk it is possible to walk to the top of the 344 metres high Seefin Sheep's Head's highest mountain from here. Kilcrohane's central road loops around Caher Mountain reaching its highest point just 2km north of the village at a spectacular pass between the two mountains. From the pass, it is possible to walk to the top of Seefin where the views are simply spectacular.


During the season Kilcrohane has a carnival held on the third week of July that draws large crowds in good weather. The pier is a popular swimming place and there are numerous private coves dotted along the coast. The water is clear and a beautiful place for swimming and Dunmanus Bay’s abundance of pollock and mackerel attract anglers to the area.

From a boating point of view, this is very much a settled weather anchorage. Kilcrohane has just enough facilities to make it a viable Sheep's Head replenishment point, and it makes for a good landing site to set down a shore party to explore the outer end of the Sheep’s Head Way. Other than this it offers a good lunch stop location or in settled conditions, a night’s stop would be possible.

What facilities are available?

1.5 km from Kilcrohane pier is the village of Kilcrohane that features two pubs, a wine bar, several Bed and Breakfasts of which two have restaurants, an oldfashioned shop that strives to accommodate all needs, a post office, a garage and a summer cafe and restaurant.

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occurred to a vessel anchored off Kilcrohane Pier.

With thanks to:

Burke Corbett, Gusserane, New Ross, Co. Wexford. Photography with thanks to Andrew Wood, Pam Brophy, Berdrisharhar, Richard Webb and Burke Corbett.

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