With Dublin, Cork and Galway dominating the tourist scene in terms of ‘big cities’ the focus has turned to smaller towns that offer the most to visitors.

It comes as no surprise that five of these towns are in County Kerry with the south-western County continuing its reputation as the tourist capital of the country (in the opinion of many people).

Fifteen towns have been short-listed to win the ‘Failte Ireland Tourism Town Awards’ with the winner to be announced later this year.

The 2014 winners were Westport and Kinsale but neither of those towns were short-listed this time around. Noticeable absentees also include such tourist hot-spots as Dingle, Kenmare, Lahinch, Bundoran, Donegal, Sligo and Clifden, to name but a few.

Lismore, Waterford
Ardmore, Waterford

Killarney, Kerry
Tralee, Kerry
Sneem, Kerry
Kenmare, Kerry
Portmagee, Kerry

Clonakilty, Cork
Youghal, Cork
Cobh, Cork

Belmullet, Mayo
Adare, Limerick
Carrick on Shannon, Leitrim
Mountsannon, Clare
Kilkenny City, Kilkenny