Killarney National Park: Day 14 – Ireland 2014
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22 April 2014
It seems that one day of caution was enough for Billy to go back to the ‘screw it, we’re in Ireland’ mentality, so we were up early for breakfast before starting the day of sightseeing. We had a lovely conversation with an older couple at breakfast at the B&B. After hearing that Billy wasn’t feeling 100%, the wife mentioned to her husband the medication he usually takes. He was upstairs and back with a few packets of his go-to meds before we could even object. Seriously. Ireland has the BEST people. With our new meds added to the bag, we were off in search of Killarney National Park.
Killarney National
Park
Our main reason for visiting Killarney National Park was to take in Ross Castle and Inissfallen Island. Looking back on it, I wish we’d have stuck around in the park a little longer! Killarney National Park is a wide expanse of 26,000 acres. We could have spent the entire month right there and we probably still wouldn’t have seen everything the park has to offer. Walking and hiking, castles, grand houses, gardens, canoeing, kayaking, tons of history, and miles of beauty, Killarney is a dream to visit!
Driving through Killarney National Park
Ross Castle
As I mentioned before, Ross Castle was pretty much the main reason that we visited the area. The castle dates from the 15th century and is a classic tower house. It switched hands a few times (from the O’Donoghue’s to the McCarthy’s who then leased it to the Browne’s) and was amongst the last castles captured by Cromwell and his army. The assault fulfilled a long-standing prophecy that Ross would never be taken until ‘a warship could swim on the lake’. As the warships approached, the castle surrendered.
The castle is in excellent condition and stands to give quite an insight into what living in a tower house and keep must have been like. We took the guided tour during our visit and really enjoyed it. Our tour guide was informative and fun but also left us to our own devices to take the castle in at times. It was a great mix of both worlds. After our tour, we poked around outside the castle while we waited for our boat to the island of Innisfallen. From canons to stairs to teensy little doors, there was plenty to keep us occupied.
Photos from Ross Castle
Innisfallen Island
Innisfallen Island is the largest island on Lough Leane, the largest lake in Killarney National Park. In the 7th century, a monastery was founded on the island. It would be attacked many times by the Vikings and even by the O’Donoghue clan of Ross Castle notoriety. The 12th century brought an Augustinian Priory, which are the ruins that you see on the island today.
There are two other interesting sights that you can glimpse on the island. The first is the yew tree growing near the ruins. It is nearly 800 years old and it is magical to see. There’s something about an ancient being who has seen so much through the ages. If only this tree could talk!
The second thing isn’t always a guarantee. The island is home to a herd of red deer. They swim across the lough to reach the island and they graze there unthreatened. We were lucky enough to spot quite a large group of deer while we were there. As we came around a bend in the trail, we were surprised to see about 15 of them peacefully grazing in the clearing. They didn’t startle and didn’t seem too impressed with our presence. After a long while of silently watching them, we gave them a wide berth and made our way down the trail.
Innisfallen Island is a place of splendor and tranquility and we would absolutely recommend that you see it if you’re in the area. We were the only people on the island during our visit. I’m not sure how busy it gets there in the high season, but it was perfect when we were there towards the end of April.
Shots from our visit to Innisfallen Island
Muckross House
As we headed over to Muckross House, Billy started to feel poorly again. We figured that getting some food into him might help and planned on lunch at the cafe nearby. Upon arrival, we checked out the house and what the entry fee would be. I really wanted to go inside, but it was a bit out of our price range at the time (it wasn’t outlandish, but we were very limited on funds). For a bit of history, Muckross House is a 19th century Victorian Mansion. The whole house has furnishings in this style as well and it is right up my alley! I’m bummed we didn’t go in, but I’ll add it to the list for next time!
We admired the house for a few minutes and then headed over to the Garden Restaurant. After chowing down, we took in the lovely gardens before heading out to find a room for the night. We were slated to be camping at Mannix Point, but with Billy still on the mend, we were in search of a room.
Muckross House and Gardens
Leaving Killarney National Park
After a mostly successful day of exploring, we headed off into the country to look for a place to stay. Our drive took us on an amazing road with absolutely stunning views. We passed another ruin, overtaken by nature and crawling with vines. There was a lookout point with a breathtaking view and a yarn shop, seemingly in the absolute middle of nowhere. You can bet that we stopped in!
By early evening, we found ourselves in the town of Cahersiveen. We stumbled upon an inviting pub with a peat fire raging, took the table next to the fireplace, ate a delicious meal, and then found out there were rooms available upstairs. Perfect! I wish I could remember the place’s name because the owner was the nicest guy in the world! With full bellies and a warm room, we settled in for a relaxing evening and the same hope we’d had for the past few nights; that Billy would feel better in the morning.
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy
