Tag Archives: Killarney National Park

IRISH ADVENTURE # 24: KILLARNEY LAKES & HOUSE

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For our last day in Ireland, we went on a horse drawn carriage tour from town, through Killarney National Park, to Killarney Lakes. 

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

It was good timing to go through the park in the morning, because we were able to see dozens of red deer grazing. 

At the lake, we boarded a small boat for a guided tour to Innisfallen Island.  On the island, our group learned about the ruins of the 7th century Innisfallen Abbey.  When we arrived, there were several deer grazing around the ruins.  They didn’t seem too bothered by us; they have become used to the tourists coming to their island on a regular basis.

Following our boat tour, we visited Killarney House and Gardens, which are also part of Killarney National Park.  Originally, the house was the stable block of the Kenmare House, a French chateau style mansion, built by Valentine Browne in 1726. 

The morning had been quite gloomy, but the skies cleared for our final afternoon in Ireland.

Well, folks, that about wraps up this Irish adventure—finally!  (We returned home from our six weeks in the U.K. in early October!)

Later this year, we will be traveling to Sicily and Turkey, and then Spain and Portugal.  In between, I will be competing in swimming at the National Senior Games, in Des Moines, Iowa.  Stay tuned!

IRISH ADVENTURE #23: THE RUGGED RING OF KERRY

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This is such a beautiful, green region of Ireland!  The Ring of Kerry, in the southwest area of the country, is a 111-mile long circular scenic route popular with tourists.  The roads are windy, the cliffs along the coast are rugged, and the sloping valleys and rolling hills are dotted with sheep. 

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

This man was making and selling St. Bridget’s Crosses (see below). Set one over your doorway or window, and it will protect your home from any harm (or so they say…)

Along the route are small villages, considered some of the most traditional in Ireland. 

One of the villages we stopped at had the funniest name: Sneem.  It’s small; there are less than 400 people who call Sneem home.  We enjoyed walking around, though, and taking a few photos.

In the afternoon, we visited Torc Waterfall, in Killarney National Park, before returning to Killarney to enjoy free time.

Next up: IRISH ADVENTURE # 24: KILLARNEY LAKES & HOUSE

IRISH ADVENTURE #21: INCHING ALONG INCH BEACH, KERRY CREAMERY, & MUCKROSS GARDENS

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On our way to Inch Beach, we made a stop between Tralee and Dingle, at the Tom Crean Memorial Garden.  Here, we learned about this adventurous Irish Antarctic explorer who died in 1938 at the age of 61.  He had made three expeditions to Antarctica: 1901 – 1904, 1910 – 1913, and 1914 – 1917.

Following his last expedition, Crean returned to his home village of Anascaulin, on the Dingle Peninsula, and opened a pub, The South Pole Inn.  The pub, located across the street from the memorial garden, is still in operation by different owners and is filled with Tom Crean memorabilia.  It was closed while we were there, but we did enjoy a lovely walk along the river next to the pub.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Inch Beach, a four-mile-long wide, sandy beach, was our next stop.  Home to one of Ireland’s most popular surf schools, it is a terrific beach for surfing, walking, bird watching, and collecting seashells. And, the day we were there, it was awesome for photography!

Next, we visited the Kerry Creamery for a guided tour and lunch.  It was interesting to learn how creameries operated years ago, before the rise of modern technology in Ireland.

By the time we arrived at Muckross House and Gardens, in Killarney National Park, the skies had cleared, and we enjoyed yet another gorgeous rain-free day in Ireland! 

Built in 1843, the house was given to Ireland in 1932, the first National Park in the Republic of Ireland. The gardens were so beautiful, though, we opted to spend our time outdoors during our visit, rather than touring the house.

The backside of the house.

The remainder of the afternoon and evening was spent exploring the charming town center of Killarney, the subject of my next post: IRISH ADVENTURE #22: CHARMING KILLARNEY