What is the Kerry County Hum?

A persistent low-frequency drone (~54.25 Hz) reported by residents near Beaufort, Kerry County, Ireland. It’s described like a distant diesel engine idling and, according to locals, can be heard day and night.

Since when has the hum been reported?

Local testimonies say it began around April 2011 and has continued 24/7 for some residents.

Where else in Ireland is it heard?

Reports also mention Omagh, Rathfarnham, and Dublin experiencing a similar low-frequency noise.

What could cause a low-frequency hum?

Potential sources include industrial or infrastructure equipment (pumps, substations), electrical/mechanical vibration (transformers, motors), environmental ducting and resonance, household appliances coupling to room modes, and—more rarely—military or geophysical factors.

How can residents help investigations?

Keep a time-and-location log, capture audio recordings indoors and outdoors, try isolating household sources by switching circuits off briefly, compare notes with neighbors to map hotspots, and request a targeted environmental noise survey focusing on 20–80 Hz.

The Kerry County Hum: Low-Frequency Drone Keeps Residents Awake in Beaufort, Ireland

Mar 8, 2012

Updated on: October 20, 2025 · By Strange Sounds · 👉 Explore the Global Hum Phenomenon | Sky Trumpets Hub

Kerry County Hum — residents near Beaufort report a persistent low-frequency humming noise — Kerry County, Ireland — Residents around Beaufort report a persistent low-frequency hum disrupting sleep. (Photo credit via TripAdvisor)

TL;DR: People living near Beaufort, Kerry (≈15 km from Killarney) report a constant, low-frequency hum ~54.25 Hz since early 2011. It’s described like a distant diesel engine idling and reportedly audible 24/7. Similar reports come from Omagh, Rathfarnham, and Dublin. Locals are urging authorities to investigate the source.

Residents of Kerry County, Ireland, become desperate about a weird humming noise disrupting their sleep and causing chaos every day.

They are pleading with the Government to investigate the source of the constant, pulsating, low-frequency noise that cannot be traced despite repeated efforts.

Frustrated locals in a rural part of Beaufort, roughly 15 km from Killarney, say they have been hearing a bizarre low-frequency drone since early last year and still can’t identify the source. The noise is often compared to a diesel engine at low idle in the distance—there, day and night, with no obvious origin.

“The first time we heard the strange humming sound was in April 2011 and it has been there 24/7 since then. We are nearly gone out of our minds because we can’t get a decent night of sleep and it’s there all day, every day.” — Resident Barry Lynch

According to local accounts, the hum centers around ~54.25 Hz and has also been reported—continuously, in some cases—in Omagh, Rathfarnham, and Dublin. Persistent low-frequency noises like this are often lumped under the umbrella of “The Hum.”

Listen: Recorded Example of the Hum

Sample recording of a low-frequency hum similar to what residents describe.

What people report hearing

Low-frequency drone (~54.25 Hz) with a steady, engine-like quality.
24/7 presence, but often perceived as louder at night and indoors.
Sleep disruption, headaches, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.
Sound can be felt as vibration/pressure rather than heard clearly.

Common explanations investigated in hum cases

While each case is unique, typical avenues of inquiry include:

Industrial or infrastructure sources — water pumps, HVAC plants, substations, or pipeline compressors.
Electrical/mechanical — transformer vibration, poorly isolated motors, resonating ducts or building structures.
Environmental & acoustic — distant traffic or marine engines ducted by temperature inversions; terrain or building resonance.
Household coupling — fridges, boilers, or heat pumps exciting room modes at low frequencies.
Less common — military activity, telecommunications infrastructure, or geological factors.

For another persistent hum case, see the Taos Hum (New Mexico).

If you hear it, here’s how to document it

Log times & locations (street, coordinates if possible), and note weather (wind, temp, cloud cover).
Record audio with a phone or external mic; capture 60–120 seconds in the quietest room and outside.
Check indoors: switch off circuits temporarily to rule out appliances; listen for structural vibration.
Compare with neighbors to map intensity hotspots and nulls (where it’s weaker).
Contact local authorities with your log and audio; ask for an environmental noise survey focusing on 20–80 Hz.