Situated in the north end of the Kenmare River and sheltered behind two groups of islands the harbour offers good protection and complete protection to shallower vessels that can work their way into the harbours shallower arms. Access requires straightforward navigation to pass between the surrounding islands and outlying rocks but it may be approached at any stage of the tide.
Keyfacts for Dunkerron
Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Protected sectors

Approaches
Shelter
Last modified
October 16th 2018 Summary
A completely protected location with safe access.Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
Near the pier for Dromquinna Manor. Water is deeper further to the west.
What is the initial fix?
The following Dunkerron Initial Fix will set up a final approach:

What are the key points of the approach?
Offshore details are available in southwestern Ireland’s Coastal Overview for Mizen Head to Loop Head
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Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Dunkerron for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Glengarriff Harbour - 5.2 miles SSE
- Kilmakilloge Harbour - 5.7 miles SW
- Sneem Harbour - 6.2 miles WSW
- Ardgroom Harbour - 6.9 miles SW
- Adrigole - 7.1 miles SSW
- Bantry Harbour - 8.1 miles SSE
- Ballycrovane Harbour - 9.3 miles SW
- Lonehort Harbour - 9.3 miles SSW
- Mill Cove - 9.5 miles SSW
- Lawrence Cove - 9.7 miles SSW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Glengarriff Harbour - 5.2 miles SSE
- Kilmakilloge Harbour - 5.7 miles SW
- Sneem Harbour - 6.2 miles WSW
- Ardgroom Harbour - 6.9 miles SW
- Adrigole - 7.1 miles SSW
- Bantry Harbour - 8.1 miles SSE
- Ballycrovane Harbour - 9.3 miles SW
- Lonehort Harbour - 9.3 miles SSW
- Mill Cove - 9.5 miles SSW
- Lawrence Cove - 9.7 miles SSW
Chart
How to get in?
On the north side of the main navigational channel of the Kenmare River, Dunkerron Harbour is well sheltered by the Greenane and Cappanacush islands, to the west, and the Dunkerron Islands to the southeast. It provides a well-sheltered anchoring area with ample depths with excellent mud holding as well as the possibility of coming alongside the hotel's jetty.Depths are sufficient for vessels of 3.2 draught to lie afloat about 300 metres south of Reen Point. Shallow-draft vessels will find better protection further west with depths reducing to about 1.4 metres west of Dromquinna Manor Hotel's jetty. The jetty has 1.8 metres on its west side and vessels may lay alongside by arrangement with the hotel. To the east of the jetty the depths get very shallow at low tide.
The 3-metre high Brennel Island is the highest part of a reef that extends a ⅓ of a mile from the south shore. Its outer eastern rock, Bat Rock with 0.8 metres of water over it uncovering at half-tide, is situated 230 metres to the north of the island and is marked by a buoy to the north.
Bat Rock – Starboard Buoy Fl G5s position: 51° 50.914'N, 009° 40.929'W
Carrignaronebeg rock lies in the middle of the Kenmare River opposite. It dries to 2.6 metres but covers at high water and is marked by Carrignaronebeg buoy.
Carrignaronebeg - Port Buoy Fl R5s position: 51° 51.102'N, 009° 41.368'W
The pass between Bat Rock and the Carrignaronebeg Rocks, is 500 metres wide and has 11 to 17 metres of water.
A small detached pinnacle called Bowlings Rock has 0.8 metres of water and lies ¾ of a mile to the east of Carrignaronebeg.
The jetty has a dredged channel that leads from the deep water to the south following the line of the jetty. It is also possible to land at Templenoe Pier which dries on the north shore. It is in excellent condition and may offer the possibility of going alongside and drying out.
Why visit here?
Dunkerron receives its name from the Irish Dún Ciarán, meaning Ciarán's fort. The name refers to the 13th-century Norman tower house Dunkerron Castle located in Templenoe on the north shore. The castle was the family seat of the O'Sullivan Mór family from the late 16th-century until it was confiscated in 1656 and given to Sir William Petty.
Image: Mike Searle via CC BY-SA 2.0
Dromquinna Manor which hosts the jetty and The Boathouse Bistro on the root of the jetty overlooking the harbour, is a mid-Victorian house built by Sir John Columb who was the local landlord of the time. In recent times it was converted into a hotel. Next to it is the Dromquinna Riding Stables and Open Farm, Kerry’s oldest family-run riding centre.
From a boating point of view, Dunkerron Harbour offers a safe and scenic base for anchoring which is convenient for visiting Kenmare. Good meals can be had in' The Boathouse Bistro,' and moorings or an alongside berth are available by arrangement in advance. We have left Jabulani there for a month. We anchored just south of the jetty, but there are places further to the West. Shelter is good here.
What facilities are available?
Water on the pier, but no power. The extensive hotel has all the facilities you would expect including showers. The touring caravan park has good provisioning capabilities. Templenoe has a post office and pub. Bus to Letterkenny for everything else.With thanks to:
PETER CRAVENView at anchorage from The Boathouse Bistro
Image: eOceanic thanks PETER CRAVEN
The Boathouse Bistro
Image: eOceanic thanks PETER CRAVEN
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