Ireland

Situated on the western edge of Europe, Ireland is an island with a population of just under five million. Ireland is a constitutional democracy, a member of the United Nations and the European Union. For a relatively small island, Ireland offers a wide variety of countryside with over 5,500km of largely unspoilt coastline. Ireland is famous for its music, its art, and above all its writers. Ireland has given the world many literary giants including Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, William Butler Yeats and most recently Nobel laureate, Seamus Heaney.

County Kerry, traditionally known as the 'Kingdom', is situated in the extreme south-west of Ireland. Kerry has two contrasting types of terrain - the mountainous south with the Beara, Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas, and the smaller 'plains' area that stretches as far north as the Shannon estuary. Along the coast, sandy bays alternate with cliffs and rocky headlands. You'll also see regions of outstanding scenic beauty, such as the Ring of Kerry.
Tralee is the capital city of County Kerry. In Tralee you can look forward to excellent food and famously friendly people. For those who enjoy outdoor sports Fenit Marina and Cappanlea Outdoor Pursuit Centre are within easy reach of the Institute. Kerry is a hill-walkers paradise, and pursuits and activities such as diving, surfing, wind-surfing, kiting and swimming can be enjoyed on the countless beaches in the region. Siamsa Tíre, the National Folk Theatre of Ireland, which offers theatrical entertainment based around Ireland's great wealth of music, dance and folklore is located in Tralee. The area also plays host to the International Rose Festival which has acquired world-wide fame.

Kerry has its own International Airport with daily, national and international scheduled and chartered flights and is located 12km from Tralee. Both Cork and Shannon International Airports are located approximately 110km from Tralee and travel time would be approximately 2 hours.