An ancient system of fossil caves, over a million years old. It was formed by underground rivers and flood-filled chambers that eroded the limestone rock over thousands of years. Nature acts as a creative and patient mason, carving unique and atmospheric tunnels and caves.

The rocky cave is older than mankind itself, but was only discovered in 1983.

An extensive underground system almost four kilometers long, it is one of the best examples of limestone cave formation on the island. Crag Cave is the longest cave in County Kerry, the seventh longest in Ireland and the tenth longest cave in Ireland.

Visitors can see exquisite underground features such as stalactites and stalagmites, marvel at the beauty of the “Crystal Gallery” filled with thousands of straws of pure calcite, or look up at the candlestick-shaped stalagmites on the domed ceiling of the “Cathedral”.

The rocky cave began its life almost 350 million years ago, when Ireland lay near the equator under a tropical sea.

Nature laid down layers of limestone that moved and tilted over time to form rocky mountains. Geological forces and water flows worked together to create the marvelous caves, passages and cave formations that visitors can see today.

After the large underground rivers dried up or found alternative paths, small drops of water continued to work tirelessly over time, pulling calcite from the limestone rock. They deposited the resulting microscopic crystals, which became the graceful formations of stalactites, stalagmites and straws in the caves and passages of Rock Cave today.

These outstanding features of the cave have been carefully shaped over the past 15,000 years.

Crag Cave is a living system that will continue to grow and change in harmony with nature for tens of thousands of years.