IE · County Kerry · 52.06°N 9.51°W

killarney

Lakes, oak woods and castle ruins on the doorstep of a lively Kerry town.

Best time
May–September is best for lakeside walks, cycling and boat trips, with May–June especially green. July–August is busy; November–February brings shorter days, more rain and fewer boat trips.
How long
3 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Cork, usually via London or Amsterdam, about 17–19 hours all in; Killarney is about 1.5 hours' drive from there. Kerry Airport, about 20 minutes from town, has Ryanair flights from London and Dublin. The train from Dublin Heuston takes about 3–3.5 hours. Ireland is 7 hours behind KL in summer and 8 in winter.
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IE · County Kerrykillarney52.06°N 9.51°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Lakes, oak woods and castle ruins on the doorstep of a lively Kerry town.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingKillarneyIE, County Kerry
KLkillarney
≈ 11,153 km from KL, as the crow flies
Saint Mary's Cathedral, Killarney

Photo: Marathon · CC BY-SA 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Killarney is a busy holiday town with Killarney National Park on its doorstep: lakes, oak woods, waterfalls and mountains. It's also the usual starting point for the Ring of Kerry drive.

Makan

  1. Seafood chowderCreamy fish soup and brown bread after a morning on the lakes.Map ↗
  2. Kerry lamb stewLamb, potatoes and vegetables slow-cooked together.Map ↗
  3. SconesWith butter and jam at a tea room after the gardens.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Muckross House and GardensA Victorian mansion by the lake, with gardens and old working farms to walk through.Map ↗
  2. Ross CastleA 15th-century tower house on the shore of Lough Leane, where boat trips leave for the lakes.Map ↗
  3. Torc WaterfallA 20-metre cascade in the woods, a few minutes' walk from the road.Map ↗
  4. Gap of DunloeA narrow mountain pass of lakes and rock, walked, cycled or crossed by horse and cart.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Jaunting cars, horse-drawn traps with a local driver, have carried visitors around the park for well over a century.
  • A hired bike makes an easy loop through the park to Muckross House and Ross Castle.
  • Halal food is scarce in Kerry, so self-catering is easiest; Cork has more choice.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.