Tour of Killarney Highlights

Killarney's most popular tour.

Ross Castle

Ross Castle perches in an inlet of Lough Leane. The Irish chieftain O’Donoghue Mór most likely built it in the fifteenth century.

Legend has it that O’Donoghue still slumbers under the waters of the lake. Every seven years, on the first morning of May, he rises on his magnificent white horse. So if you catch a glimpse of him, you will enjoy good fortune for the rest of your life.

Ross Castle was the last place in Munster to hold out against Cromwell. Its defenders, then led by Lord Muskerry, took confidence from a prophecy that a ship could only take the castle. The Cromwellian commander, General Ludlow, learnt of the prophecy and launched a large boat on the lake. When the defenders saw it, this hastened the surrender – and fulfilled the prophecy.

Muckross House & Gardens

Located approximately 6km (3.6 miles) from Killarney town centre, Muckross House and Gardens represent the focal point and nucleus of Killarney National Park. Killarney is Ireland's oldest National Park, and it includes the world-famous Lakes of Killarney, as well as the mountains and woodlands that surround them.

Built for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife, the water-colourist Mary Balfour Herbert, Muckross House was the fourth house that successive generations of the Herbert family had occupied at Muckross over almost two hundred years. William Burn, the well-known Scottish architect, was responsible for its design. The building was started in 1839 and was completed in 1843.

A visit to Killarney is only complete after seeing Muckross House & Garden

Torc Waterfall

Torc Waterfall is 4.3 miles (7 kilometres) from Killarney. The waterfall is a 200-metre walk, and the climb to the top of the waterfalls is by way of a stone path of about a hundred steps (and circa 55 metres in elevation gain) and takes around 30 minutes to complete. Red Deer are frequently seen and heard in the area.

Killarney National Park

Killarney National Park stretches across 10,000 hectares with its unforgettable combination of mountains, lakes, woodland and waterfalls. Killarney National Park incorporates the lakes and Muckross Estate, including Bourn Vincent Memorial Park, presented to the State in 1932 as Ireland's first National Park. An additional Gap of Dunloe Tour takes you though a pass in the McGillycuddy Reeks and back via the lakes and the Killarney National Park - see gallery.