placenamesFarranfore
An Fearann Fuar
Farranfore’s transport history survives in its Victorian railway station and the early development of Kerry Airport.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- An Fearann Fuar · Irish · main form · validated name
- Farranfore · English · main form
Place & story
The Victorian station
Farranfore railway station is dated 1859. Its limestone buildings combine single-storey accommodation with projecting gabled blocks, while carved surrounds frame the arched windows. The National Inventory also records the station's goods shed, signal box, water tower and cast-iron pedestrian bridge, all dating from around 1860. Inside, timber panelling, moulded cornices and a waiting-room fireplace preserve details of the passenger facilities. [2]
The airport’s first landing
Kerry Airport's company was incorporated in July 1968 to establish an airport at Farranfore. Captain Milo Carr piloted the first aircraft to land there on 25 August 1969. RTÉ's contemporary opening report records hundreds of spectators and a ceremony attended by Transport and Power Minister Brian Lenihan. Light aircraft and occasional cargo flights dominated its first years. [3] [4]
A trial service to Dublin
A scheduled Aer Arann service began on 31 July 1979. RTÉ reported that a ten-seat Islander would fly to Dublin twice weekly during a thirteen-week trial. Local businesses guaranteed most of the seats. The timetable was intended to let passengers conduct a day's business in the capital and return home that evening, a practical ambition behind the new route. [5]
Runways for expansion
Further development brought an upgraded runway and scheduled Aer Lingus and Ryanair services in May 1989. A larger project followed: a new terminal and a two-kilometre runway were contracted in 1993. The runway received its licence on 20 May 1994 and accepted its first aircraft that day, substantially enlarging the facilities established a quarter-century earlier. [3]
Geographic information
- Place type
- Population centre
- County
- Kerry
- Barony
- Magunihy
- Civil parish
- Molahiffe
- Within
- Farranfore
- Coordinates
- 52.16875, -9.54946 (approximate)
- Logainm ID
- 1412432 ↗
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Farranfore. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- FarranforeRailwayStation,21304802 · National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- HistoryofKerryAirport · Kerry Airport
- NewAirportforKerry1969 · RTÉ Archives,report broadcast30August1969
- FarranforeDublinNewAirService1979 · RTÉ Archives,GeorgeDevlin,report broadcast31July1979
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2025-01-10. How this page was prepared.