The Irish nameGleann Beithe is from gleann "glen, valley" and Beithe, related to the Behy River and the birch tree. The anglicisation "Glanbehy" is the official spelling for the civil parish, whereas Glenbeigh is the spelling for the village where the N70 road meets the Behy River.
History
A number of Fianna legends centre around Glenbeigh. These legends suggest that Diarmuid and Grainne spent some days hiding in a cave in the valley of the Behy. Nearby Rossbeigh is known for being the place where Oisin and Niamh took to the sea on their white horse to live in Tír na nÓg. Near the village is the ruin of "Wynne's Folly" or "Glenbeigh Towers". This mansion was built by Lord Headley Wynne in 1867. The barbarity and brutality of Mr Roe, the agent for Lord Wynne during the evictions, were said to be far in excess of the worst actions of his master. Gladstone's Land Act of 1881, which in effect said that tenants should no longer be removed at will, did little for the residents of the Wynn Estate, as during the years of 1882 and 1883 there were numerous evictions. These evictions arose because the tenants could not afford the rent increases applied to cover the cost of construction of the castle. Not very long after this Wynn drifted into insolvency and left Glenbeigh. During World War I, the castle and grounds were let to the British military, and used as a training centre for reservists. In 1921, Republican forces burned the castle to the ground, and it was never rebuilt. Rossbeigh Strand, located nearby, is a stretch of sandy beach which lies under Curra Hill. A tower built at the north end of the sandhills was used as a guide mark for ships entering Castlemaine Harbour. The tower was badly damaged in a storm in February 2011 and some of its ruins were salvaged and used in the construction of a replica within the village of Glenbeigh.
Built heritage
There are six structures included in the Record of Protected Structures: The following structures are considered to be of sufficient architectural and heritage value to be considered for inclusion in the Record of Protected Structures:
Geography
Glenbeigh is located close to Rossbeigh beach and mudflats, and has views across the bay to Seefin Mountain. The River Behy traverses the western village boundary meeting Rossbeigh Creek and Lake Carragh to the north and to the south, the lakes of Coomaglaslan and Coomasaharn. There are two candidate Special Areas of Conservation in the area.
Facilities
Glenbeigh functions as a local service centre for its catchment area and as a centre of tourism; it is situated close to Rossbeigh beach, and at an intersection of the Kerry Waywalking trail and the Ring of Kerry. The village has a church, community centre and garda station. The adjacent blue flag beach and walking routes provide outdoor recreational amenities. There are a number of small hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation and holiday homes.
