Killarney

Cill Airne meaning Church of Airne

The town was a product of the resumed plantation of Munster after 1604. It was a market town with 40 English houses. Killarney became an important centre with the coming of age of Thomas Fourth Viscount Kenmare in 1747 who developed the town, started tourism and built linen mills. Other key dates were the seat of the Bishopric in 1780, the coming of the railway in the 1850s and the visit of Queen Victoria in 1861.

MAPS NOTE

Map references are indicated by a number followed by a letter:
B Beara Peninsula
D Dingle Peninsula
L Killarney Lake District
M Muckross to Torc Area
N Tralee & North Kerry
R Ross to Knockreer Area
RK Ring of Kerry
T Killarney Town

KERRY AT A GLANCE

***do not miss **try to see *worth a visit

***
Aghadoe 3L
Coomaciste 14RK
Conor Pass 18D
Derrynane House‚ Gardens & Environs 15RK
Gap of Dunloe 6L
Healy Pass 11B
Ladies View 20L
Muckross House‚ Farm & Gardens 14M-17M 12L
Ross Castle & Island 10R 9L
Skellig Rock 11RK
View from Geokaun Mountain
& Fogher Cliff Walks, Valentia Island's highest Point
Torc Waterfall Area M-11M, 25M 26M 17L

**
Dingle Oceanworld
Dursey Island 7B
Gallarus Oratory 15D
Garnish Island 12B
Gougane Barra 14B
Great Blasket 9D
Innisfallen Island 11R, 26L
Kerry the Kingdom 2N
Knockreer Gardens 16T, 6R, 2L
O´Sullivan´s Cascade 27L
Queen´s Drive 15L
Siamsa Tíre 2N
St Mary´s Cathedral 14T, 1R
Staigue Fort 16RK
Sneem 17RK

*
Ardfert Cathedral 4N
Blennerville Windmill 1N
Crag Cave 18N
Derreen Gardens 4B
Dunloe Castle Gardens 4L
Dunloe Ogham Stones 4L
Glanleam Gardens 7R
Kells Gardens 3RK
Millstreet Country Park 3M
Muckross Abbey 10L

 

KILLARNEY ANTIQUITY & HISTORY
Aghadoe (3L)
Dunloe Ogham Stones (4L)
Innisfallen Island (11R &26L)
Muckross Abbey (3M & 10L)
Muckross House (17M & 12L)
Ross Castle (10R & 9L)
St Mary´s Cathedral (14T & 1R)

KILLARNEY NATURE
Dunloe Castle Gardens (4L)
Knockreer Gardens (16T, 3R & 2L)
Muckross Gardens & Arboretum (14M to 16M & 12L)
Nature Trails
* Old Boathouse (13M)
* Blue Pool ( 21M & 11L)
* Arthur Young (6M 12L, 13L)
* Governors Rock (14R) See under Ross Castle
Oakwoods (27L & 19L)
most extensive areas of natural oak woodland in Ireland.
Swamp woodlands ... very extensive ... very important ... alder and sally ... environs of Ross Castle (10R & 9L) and lakeshore from Deenagh River (8R) to Golf Course (18R)
Yew Woods (6M & 13L)
over 50 hectares ... the most extensive in Europe­great carpets of moss.

SPECTACULAR TOURS
... for a day ... or a week
The three Kerry/Cork Peninsulas have spectacular scenery .. rugged mountains ... unparalled seascapes (high cliffs, rocky shores, intimate coves and miles of sandy beach) ... extensive evidence of 9,000 years of human habitation ... each of these routes needs to be given time ... at least a very full day ... there is more than enough on each route to spend a week .. or several weeks ... or indeed a lifetime.
RING OF KERRY
 ... seascape, mountain, lake ... the most extensive of the peninsular fingers ... 166 kms direct.
DINGLE PENINSULA
 ... mountainous interior, west and south sea cliffs and coves ... north sandiest coastline in Ireland ... overall 211 kms (peninsula 152 kms, to & from Killarney 59 kms).
BEARA PENINSULA
 ... great rugged rock and seascapes ... nowhere else in Ireland is there such an extensively panoramic route by the sea ... sub-tropical in Glengarriff & Kenmare ... roads generally very narrow ... overall 229 kms (peninsula 151 kms ... return to Killarney 78 kms).
And there are a variety of ways to ´do´ them
* by coach or by car
* on foot ... see Kerry, Dingle & Beara Ways,

Duhallow/Blackwater Valley

(mainly on paths and tracks ... low level)
* on horse back (tours)
* on bicycle ... self guided or Cycle Ireland