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Killarney National Park covers some 25,000 acres and has beautiful mountains, three major lakes and plenty of wildlife. There are many things to see and do in the area, walking sightseeing, riding, boating etc. On the north shore of Muckross Lake are the Colleen Bawn Caves eroded by the lake waters out of limestone. Ladies View on the Killarney-Kenmare road gives a fantastic view of The Black Valley, gap of Dunloe, lakes and Ross Castle On the Kenmare road there is a waterfall which plunges from the Devil's Punch Bowl on Mangerton Mountain some 60 ft. It is said that if a childless woman drinks the water her wish for children will be answered. Near Beaufort clearly visiable by the road are a group of eight Ogham stones. Ogham is the most ancient writing in Ireland and these date from early christian times. It is not known what their purpose was but they usually bear the name of a person and his ancestor.These ones are particularly fine examples.
Special plants to watch out for are the Strawberry tree, or arbutus
unedo which has pink strawberry-like berries that take a whole year
to ripen. The name Unedo may imply that one is enough, for they are
edible.At other times of year, September to December they are covered in
white flowers. There is a song about the strawberry tree: Wildlife to watch out for include the only herd of red deer in Ireland, otters, badgers, foxes, sika deer, hares, hawks and wild goats. |
