Send flowers to Kenmare, County Kerry

A town at the head of the bay Kenmare sits at the head of Kenmare Bay, the point where the sea reaches furthest inland and the Roughty River flows in. It is in the south of County Kerry, at the junction of the Iveragh and Beara peninsulas, with MacGillycuddy's Reeks, Mangerton Mountain and the Caha Mountains close by. Its Irish name, Neidín, means the little nest, while the English name comes from Ceann Mara, the head of the sea.

At the 2022 census Kenmare had 2,566 residents, though the population rises in the tourist season. Around the town you will find villages such as Templenoe, Kilgarvan and Sneem, and further out Glengarriff, Ardgroom and Killarney, which is about 32 kilometres away. If you are sending flowers to someone who gives a Kenmare address, check whether they live in the town, in a nearby village or in a rural townland, and include the Eircode so the driver finds them.

The shape of the town Kenmare is laid out around a triangle of three main streets, Main Street, Henry Street and Shelbourne Street, planned around 1670 by Sir William Petty. Because the centre is compact, a delivery to a shop, hotel or guesthouse is straightforward, and the best way to address it is with the business name, the street and the name of the person who should receive it.

The town lies on both the Ring of Kerry and the Ring of Beara tourist routes. That makes it a popular place for weddings, anniversaries and big birthdays, and many guests travel in for a weekend. If you cannot attend, flowers sent to the venue before the day are a thoughtful gesture. Check with the venue first and use the contact details they give you, because hotels and guesthouses in a busy season need warning of what is coming.

Flowers for local occasions The busiest day of the year in Kenmare is 15 August, the feast of the Assumption, when the only fair that still continues is held. If you are visiting or celebrating a family event around that date, order early, because accommodation and deliveries are both stretched.

Throughout the year, flowers suit the usual occasions. For a birthday or anniversary, a mixed bouquet in the recipient's favourite colours is safe. For a new baby, pale shades and a gentle fragrance work best. For Mothering Sunday, on the fourth Sunday of Lent, order well ahead. On St Brigid's Day, 1 February, a public holiday on the first Monday of the month or on 1 February itself when that falls on a Friday, a small posy of spring flowers is a good gesture.

Kenmare also has a record of civic pride. It was a winner in the Irish Tidy Towns competition in 2000 and 2013 and a runner-up in 2003 and 2008, so gardens, window boxes and planted streets are part of the town's character. A potted plant for the garden is often as welcome as cut flowers.

Sympathy flowers in Kenmare Holy Cross Catholic Church in Kenmare was consecrated in 1864, and the Church of Ireland church of St Patrick celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2008. Most funerals in the area will be at one of these churches or at a graveyard in a nearby village.

Death notices are published on rip.ie, with the arrangements for the removal or wake and for the funeral Mass. The notice often says family flowers only, in which case a Mass card or a donation is the right way to show you care. If flowers are welcome, a sheaf, wreath or basket in white and green is traditional. Funerals in Ireland are usually held two or three days after a death, so order as soon as you see the notice and ask the family or funeral director where the flowers should go.

What the town is known for Kenmare has a reputation for food, pubs and the outdoors, and visitors often arrive to walk in the hills. The Carnegie library, which opened in 1918, is now the Carnegie Arts Centre and theatre, hosting drama, music and comedy nights, which makes tickets or a night out a gift worth pairing with flowers. The town is also associated with Kenmare lace, made by the nuns of the convent founded in 1861, and the lace tradition gives you a gift idea for someone who loves handmade things.

If you are sending a gift to someone in a hotel or guesthouse, include their name and the dates of their stay in the order message, and say whether the flowers should be put in their room or kept at reception.

Keeping flowers fresh in the Kerry climate Kerry's climate is mild and humid, so flowers last better indoors in a cool room than in a warm one. Trim the stems, use clean water and change it every couple of days. Choose a sturdy bouquet for a rural address, where the driver may have a long drive and the flowers may sit in a porch for a while. For anyone with a cat, avoid lilies.

When you order, choose a delivery date that matches when the recipient will be home, write your message in your own words and give a mobile number. For a surprise, mention a neighbour or a business that can take the flowers in if nobody answers the door.

Did you know? Kenmare was a winner in the Irish Tidy Towns competition in 2000 and 2013.