Bá Fhíonáin / An Gleann
St Finan’s Bay / The Glen
St Finan’s Bay is also known locally as An Gleann or The Glen.
For quite a small area, St Finan’s Bay (locally known as ‘the Glen’) has no shortage of incredible scenery and fascinating things to discover. The Glen is a valley where farmland extends from the coastline right up into the hill tops, with each field separated from the next by beautiful old stone walls, earth banks or hedgerows.
Sheep grazing beside the wild Atlantic in St Finan’s Bay.
The Glen is rich in geological history. The valley itself was sculpted by glaciers and, luckily, we can still see evidence of how they carved their way through the valley as they moved towards the coast. Two types of volcanic rock are found here, which formed when magma rose to the Earth’s surface to cool very slowly, or cast out clouds of volcanic ash over the landscape. From St. Finian’s Bay, there are incredible views out to the Skellig Islands, Puffin Island and long stretches of coastal cliff faces, where powerful waves from the Atlantic Ocean crash against the rocks, continuously re-shaping the coastline.
Read our articles to learn more about coastal geology and islands of Iveragh.
The Glen beach is a lovely place to explore at any time of year.
The Glen is a Gaeltacht region with a warm community, a restaurant, café and even a chocolate factory. All of this makes the area very popular with visitors who are interested in swimming, surfing, exploring the seashore, or discovering the area’s geological history. A few kilometres away, Ducalla and Bolus Head are popular areas for hiking, birdwatching or spotting dolphins and whales in the water below. The Skellig Way links the Glen to Ballinskelligs but a shorter looped version that is well signposted.
Skellig Ring Video
Watch this short video for inspiration and take a look at our itinerary for just some of the many things to do in and around St Finans’ Bay all year. The scenery is always dramatic and it’s a great spot for outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife watchers.
Some suggested activities
Sea pinks in flower in spring