This imaginative museum’s innovative displays often feel more like art installations devoted to the life and work of various Kerry writers from the past and present. Life-size statues sit hunched over books, and even propping up a bar, with the text of their best-known works covering them from head to toe. Herein also lies the drawback—Kerry simply hasn’t produced many “big beasts” of Irish literature, so the writers celebrated here probably won’t ring many bells for the casually interested. But part of the pleasure is discovering new names and hitherto unfamiliar works. A busy schedule of events fills the summer months; check the website for details. Listowel is 26km (16 miles) northeast of Tralee on N69.