Killarney National Park

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About this place

Killarney National Park (Irish: Páirc Náisiúnta Chill Airne), near the town of Killarney, County Kerry, was the first national park in Ireland, created when the Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish Free State in 1932. The park has since been substantially expanded and encompasses over 102.89 km2 (25,425 acres) of diverse ecology, including the Lakes of Killarney, oak and yew woodlands of international importance, and mountain peaks. It has the only red deer herd on mainland Ireland and the most extensive covering of native forest remaining in Ireland. The park is of high ecological value because of the quality, diversity, and extensiveness of many of its habitats and the wide variety of species that they accommodate, some of which are rare. The park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1981. The park forms part of a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area. The National Parks and Wildlife Service is responsible for the management and administration of the park. Nature conservation is the main objective of the park, and ecosystems in their natural state are highly valued. The park is known for its scenery, and recreation and tourism amenities are provided for.

Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Updated 2026-11-14 Suggest an edit / Report issue

Getting There & Parking

Killarney National Park is located in County Kerry, roughly 9 km (10 min drive) from Killarney and 343 km (5h 05m) from Dublin. The nearest public car park is 1025 m away (Free). Nearby highlights within a short drive include Droichead an tseanchora (0.7 km away).

Killarney9 km

~10 min drive

Cork96 km

~1h 25m drive

Dublin343 km

~5h 05m drive

Nearest car park Free

1025 m from landmark

Directions to car park ↗