Killarney National Park
Encyclopedia
Killarney National Park is located beside the town of Killarney
, County Kerry
, Ireland
. It was the first national park
established in Ireland, created when Muckross Estate
was donated to the Irish state in 1932. The park has since been substantially expanded and encompasses over 102.89 km2 (25,425 acre
s) of diverse ecology
, including the Lakes of Killarney
, Oak
and Yew
woodlands of international importance, and mountain peaks. It has Ireland's only native herd of Red Deer
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
.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service
is responsible for the management and administration of the park. Nature conservation
is main objective of the park, and ecosystem
s in their natural state are highly valued. The park is also known for its beautiful scenery.
Recreation and tourism amenities are also provided for.
, Torc
, Shehy
and Purple Mountains
are located in the park. Altitudes in the park range from 22 metres (72.2 ft) to 842 metres (2,762.5 ft). A major geological boundary between Devonian
Old Red Sandstone
and Carboniferous limestone
is located in the park. The underlying geology of the majority of the park is sandstone
, with the limestone pavement
s occurring on the low eastern shore of Lough Leane.
The park has an oceanic climate
, heavily influenced by the Gulf Stream
. It experiences mild winters (6 °C (42.8 °F) February average) and cool summers (15 °C (59 °F) July average). Mean
daily temperatures range from a low of 5.88 °C (42.6 °F) in January to a high of 15.28 °C (59.5 °F) in July. The park experiences high rainfall and changeable fronts, with light showery rainfall being frequent throughout the year. The mean rainfall is 1263 millimetres (49.7 in) per year, 223 days per annum typically having more than 1 millimetre (0.0393700787401575 in) precipitation. The mean number of frost days is 40.
The geological boundary, the park's wide range of altitudes, and the climatic influence of the Gulf Stream
combine to give the park a varied ecology. These ecosystems include bog
s, lakes, moorland
, mountains, waterways, woodland, parks and gardens. Outcropping rock
, cliffs and crags are features of the park. Above 200 metres (656.2 ft), the mountainous sandstone areas support large areas of blanket bog
and heath
.
Killarney National Park is one of the very few places in Ireland that has been continuously covered by woodland since the end of the most recent glacial period
, approximately 10,000 years ago. Humans have lived in the area since at least the Bronze Age
, approximately 4,000 years ago. Archaeologists
have found evidence that copper mining
took place in the Ross Island
area during this period, which suggests that the area was of considerable importance to Bronze Age people. The park has many archaeological features, including a well preserved stone circle
at Lissivigeen. The woods in the park have been disturbed and cleared at different periods since the Iron Age
. This has caused a gradual decline in the diversity
of tree species in the park.
Some of the most impressive archaeological remains in the park are from the early Christian
period. The most important of these features is Inisfallen Abbey
, the ruins of a monastic settlement
on Inisfallen Island in Lough Leane. It was founded in the 7th century CE
by St. Finian the Leper and was occupied until the 14th century. The Annals of Inisfallen
, a record of the early history of Ireland as it was known by the monks, was written in the monastery from the 11th to 13th centuries. It is thought that the monastery gave rise to the name Lough Leane, which means "Lake of Learning."
Muckross Abbey
was founded in 1448 by Observantine Franciscans
and is also still standing, despite having being damaged and reconstructed several times when its inhabitants were raided. "Friars Glen" on Mangerton Mountain is customarily said to have been one of the places the monks would flee to when the monastery was attacked. The central feature of Muckross Abbey is a central courtyard that contains a huge Yew tree surrounded by a vaulted cloister
. It is traditionally said that this tree is as old as Muckross Abbey itself. The abbey was the burial place of local chieftains
. In the seventeenth and 18th centuries the Kerry poets Seafraidh O'Donoghue, Aogán Ó Rathaille
, and Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin were buried there.
After the Norman invasion of Ireland
, the land around the lakes was owned by the McCarthys
and O'Donoghue
s. Ross Castle
is a 15th century tower house
on the shore of Lough Leane. It was once the residence of the chieftain O'Donoghue Mór. The castle was extended in the 17th century. It has been restored and is open to the public. A 1580s Elizabethan
military record describes the Killarney area as a meagrely inhabited wilderness of forest and mountains.
From the 18th century the land in today's park were divided between two great estates, the Herberts of Muckross and the Brownes (Earls of Kenmare
). During the seventeenth and 18th centuries the woods were extensively utilised for local industries including charcoal
production, cooperage
and tanning
. Pressure on the woods intensified in the later part of the 18th century. The biggest cause of oakwood destruction in Killarney in the 18th century was the production of charcoal to fire smelters
used in the local iron industry. Approximately 25 ton
s of Oak was needed to produced one ton of cast iron
. In 1780 Young famously described Derrycunihy wood as "a great sweep of mountain, covered partly in wood, hanging in a very noble manner, but part cut down, much of it mangled, and the rest inhabited by coopers, boat-builders, carpenters and turners..."
Woodland exploitation again increased during the Napoleonic era
in the early 19th century, probably because of the high prices that Oak was commanding at this time. Replanting and management of the Oak forests was promoted at this time. There was a large-scale felling of Oak trees at Ross Island in 1803, Glena in around 1804 and Tomies in 1805. Tomies was then replanted with three-year-old Oak and Glena was coppiced
. These activities have increased the relative abundance of oak in the park in the past 200 years. As most of the oak trees in the woods today are around 200 years old, it is likely that the majority of them were planted, and the oakwoods that have never been disturbed by humans are restricted to a few isolated pockets in remote areas such as mountain valleys.
The Herbert family owned the land on the Muckross Peninsula from 1770 onwards. They became very wealthy from copper mines on this land. Henry Arthur Herbert
and his wife—the water colourist
Mary Balfour Herbert
—finished building Muckross House
in 1843. The Herbert's financial situation became precarious in the late 19th century, and the Muckross estate was purchased by Lord Ardilaun
of the Guinness
brewing family in 1899.
110,000 improving the estate between 1911 and 1932, building the Sunken Garden, the Stream Garden, and a rock garden
on an outcrop
of limestone.
Maud Vincent died from pneumonia
in 1929. In 1932 Arthur Vincent and his parents-in-law donated Muckross Estate to the Irish state in her memory. The 43.3 square kilometres (10,699.7 acre) estate was renamed as the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park. The Irish government created the national park by passing the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park Act in 1932. The Act required the Commissioners of Public Works to "maintain and manage the Park as a National Park for the purpose of the recreation and enjoyment of the public." The memorial park is the core of today's enlarged national park.
Initially the Irish government
was unable to provide much financial support to the park, so it operated primarily as a working farm that was open to the public. Muckross House was closed to the public until 1964.
Around 1970 there was public disquiet about threats to the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park. The Irish authorities looked at international practises in classifying and managing of national parks. It was decided to expand and re-designate the park as a national park that corresponded broadly to ICUN Category II
. A decision was also made to establish other national parks in Ireland. Almost 60 square kilometres (14,826.3 acre) has been added to the original park, including the three lakes, Knockreer Estate, Ross Island, Innisfallen, and the townland
s of Glena, Ullauns, and Poulagower. The park is now more than double the size it was in 1932. As the Irish economy became wealthier and the perception of the role of national parks changed, much more money was made available to the park.
The Lakes of Killarney are Lough Leane (the lower lake), Muckross Lake (the middle lake), and the Upper Lake. These lakes are interlinked and together make up almost a quarter of the park's area. Despite being interlinked, each lake has a unique ecosystem. The lakes join at the Meeting of the Waters, a popular tourist area. Sport angling
on the lakes has been a popular pastime for generations, utilising the lakes' large populations of Brown Trout
and Salmon
.
Lough Leane is approximately 19 square kilometres (4,695 acre) in size and is by far the largest of the three lakes. It is also the largest body of fresh water in the region. It is also the lake richest in nutrient
s. It has become eutrophic as a result of phosphate
s from agricultural and domestic pollution
entering Lough Leane Reedbed, an important habitat on the edge of Lough Leane. This nutrient enrichment has caused several algal bloom
s in recent years. The blooms have not yet had a severe effect on the lake's ecosystem. To prevent further pollution causing a permanent change in the lake's ecosystem, a review of land use in the catchment
area is being carried out. Water quality
in the lake appears to have improved since phosphates were removed from sewage in 1985. As of August 2007, several large hotels and businesses have stated their intention to stop using phosphate detergents, in an effort to preserve the quality of the lake water.
Muckross Lake is the deepest of the three lakes. It has a maximum depth of 73.5 metres (241.1 ft), close to where the steeply sloping side of Torc Mountain enters the lake. The lake lies on the geological boundary between the sandstone mountains to the south and west and the limestone to the north.
Lough Leane and Muckross Lake lie across the geological boundary. The presence of limestone causes both of the lakes to be slightly richer in nutrients than the Upper Lake. There are many caves in the limestone at lake level, created by wave action combined with the dissolution
effect of the lakes' acid
ic water on the exposed rock. These caves are largest on the northern shore of Muckross Lake.
From the Meeting of the Waters a narrow channel called the Long Range leads to the Upper Lake, the smallest of the three lakes. This lake is located in rugged mountain scenery in the upper Killarney/Black Valley area. The fast run-off
in its catchment area can cause the level of the lake to rise by up to a meter in a few hours during heavy rain.
Muckross Lake and the Upper Lake are high quality oligotroph
ic systems, with water that is slightly acidic and low in nutrients. This is caused by run-off from the upland sandstones and blanket bogs in their catchment areas. They have diverse aquatic vegetation
, including Quillwort (Isoetes lacustris), Shoreweed (Littorella uniflora), and Water Lobelia
(Lobelia dortmanna).
All three lakes are very acid sensitive and therefore vulnerable to afforestation
within their catchment areas.
) remaining in Ireland. Most of this woodland is encompassed by the national park. There are three main types of woodland in the park: acidophilous Oak woodland (Quercus petraea-Ilex aquifolium) on Devonian sandstone; moss
-rich Yew woodland (Taxus baccata) on Carboniferous limestone outcrops; and wet woodland (also called carr) dominated by Alder on low-lying swampy limestone soils on the lake edges. The woods in the park fall naturally into two sectors, along the geologic divide. The Oak and Yew woodlands are of international importance.
Mixed woodland and conifer plantations also occur in the park. The mixed woodland on Ross Island has one of the richest herb layers in the park's woods.
Grazing and Rhododendron
invasion threaten the park's woodlands. Rhododendrons affect approximately two-thirds of the Oak woodlands. A Rhododendron removal programme is underway in the park. The Yew woodlands have been negatively affected by heavy grazing for many years.
(Quercus petraea) wood in Ireland. Most of the oak woodlands are located on the lower slopes of the Shehy and Tomy mountains, adjacent to Lough Leane. They are typically dominated by Sessile Oak, which favours the acidic soils of the sandstone mountains. The woods have Annex I status in the EU Habitats Directive because of their diverse and rich flora, most notably their bryophyte
s (moss
es and liverwort
s).
The oak woodlands typically have an understory
of Holly (Ilex aquifolium). Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo) are a notable part of these woods. There are also scattered Yews
. The field layer includes Bilberry
and Woodrush. The herb layer is not rich in species.
Bryophytes, lichen
s and filmy ferns (Hymenophyllaceae), thrive in the humid oceanic climate. Species with restricted Atlantic distributions
grow in the woods. The bryophytes in these woods are perhaps the best-developed Atlantic bryophyte
community in Europe. The remote Glaism na Marbh valley has a particularly rich flora of bryophytes, some of which are scarce or absent in other parts of the woods. Mosses, ferns and liverworts frequently occur as epiphytes, attached to the trunks and branches of oak trees. Rare species growing in the woods include Cyclodictyon laetivirens, Daltonia splachnoides, Lejeunea flava, Radula carringtonii, and Sematophyllum demissum.
Bird species that reside in the oak woods include Blue Tit
, Chaffinch
, Goldcrest
, European Robin
, and Wren
. Mammals include Badger
, Fox
, Pine Marten
, Red Deer
, Sika Deer
, and Red Squirrel
. Insects include many species of the parasitic Gall Wasp
and the Purple Hairstreak
butterfly, whose caterpillar is entirely dependent upon Oak trees.
The introduced common Rhododendron is a large threat to certain areas of the oak woods. For example, it is widespread throughout Camillan Wood despite ongoing attempts to control it.
woodland in the park is known as Reenadinna Wood. It is about 0.25 square kilometres (61.8 acre) in size and is located on low-lying karst
limestone pavement between Muckross Lake and Lough Leane on Muckross Peninsula. Yew woodland is the rarest habitat type in the park. Yew woodlands are one of the rarest types of woodland in Europe, mostly restricted to western Ireland and southern England. It has priority habitat status under Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. Reenadinna Wood is also one of the largest woods that are dominated by common Yew (Taxus baccata L.) in the UK and Ireland. It is the only significant area of yew woodland in Ireland and is one of just three pure yew woodlands in Europe. It is of considerable ecological and conservation interest, as yew is rarely a woodland dominant. The western limit of the wood lies along the geological boundary with Devonian Old Red Sandstone. The wood is bounded to the east by parkland where the limestone no longer outcrops. Muckross bog, a raised bog 0.02 square kilometres (4.9 acre) in area, is in the southern part of the wood. There are hollows between the limestone outcrops. Deep rendzina
soils have developed in some of the hollows. It is estimated that the wood developed 3,000-5,000 years ago.
Yew is a native evergreen tree that grows best in the high humidity of mild oceanic climates, which makes Killarney a very suitable location. The soil in the wood is mostly thin and in many places the trees are rooted to fissures in the bare limestone. Yew has an extensive horizontal root system. In the Killarney woods, the roots spread out over the rock surface and penetrate deeply into fissures in the limestone. The wood has a low canopy of 6–14 m (20–46 ft). Yew's extreme tolerance of the dense shade its canopy creates has allowed it to out compete other species to create the pure Yew woodland present today. This dense shade prevents flowering plants from establishing themselves in these woods and prevents the herb layer from developing. Bryophytes are however abundant and thrive in the humid and cool conditions. In some parts of the wood there are continuous dense blankets of moss that can be up to 152 centimetres (59.8 in) deep. The moss species present are primarily Thamnium alopecurum with Eurhynchium striatum and Thuidium tamariscinum.
Some of the trees in Reenadinna wood are two hundred years old. There has been little regeneration of the Yew trees in the wood. Overgrazing of the woodland floor by Sika Deer may be part of the reason for this, but small areas of the wood that have been fenced off since 1969 have experienced very little Yew regeneration. The dense canopy created by the Yew trees that lets very little sunlight through to the woodland floor may also prevent the growth of Yew seedlings.
Despite its poisonous properties, Yew is very susceptible to browsing and bark stripping by deer, rabbits, hare, and domestic animals. It is one of the most grazing sensitive trees in the Killarney woodlands. Sika Deer have killed Yews by scoring the trees with their antlers.
. It is about 1.7 square kilometres (420.1 acre) in size. This is one of the most extensive areas of this woodland type in Ireland. The dominant canopy species here are Alder (Alnus glutinosa), Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), Downy Birch
(Betula pubescens), and Willow
(Salix spp.). The areas that are periodically covered by water are rich in species including grasses, rushes, sedges, and flowers such as marsh bedstraw, meadow sweet, and water mint.
Red Deer and Sika Deer heavily use the wetland woods as cover, and bare muddy "deer wallows" are a characteristic feature. Rhododendrons are the greatest threat to these woodlands. They are invading the woodlands, using raised areas such as tussocks or tree bases where the floor is too wet for seedlings to become established. Although some clearance has occurred reinvasion continues.
(Quercus petraea), above 200 metres (656.2 ft) the mountains are virtually treeless and are dominated by blanket bog
and wet heath. The bogs in the park mostly have a characteristic flora that includes the species Heather
(Calluna vulgaris), Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) and Western Gorse (Ulex gallii), with occasional Bilberry
(Vaccinium myrtillus). Large-flowered Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora) is common. The bogs also support a number of notable species, including mosses (Sphagnum pulchrum, S. fuscum, S. platyphyllum, S. strictum, S. contortum and Calliergon stramineum), liverworts (Cladopodiella francisci and Calypogeia azurea) and lichens (Cladonia mediterranea, C. macilenta, C. rangiferina, C. arbuscula and Cetraria islandica).
The remoteness of some of the upland areas aids the survival of Ireland's only remaining wild herd of native Red Deer. The bogs are threatened by grazing, turbary
, burning and afforestation.
, and a range of rare or scarce plant species. Several of the animal and plant species in the park have a hiberno-lusitanean distribution, meaning that they only occur in southwest Ireland, northern Spain
, and Portugal
. The main reason for this is the effect of the Gulf Stream on southwest Ireland's climate. The park has been designated a biosphere reserve because of the presence of such rare species.
Significant amounts of plant species found in the park have unusual geographic distributions and are of localised occurrence within Ireland. These plant species are grouped within four main categories: Arctic-Alpine plants, Atlantic species, North American species and very rare species. Atlantic species are species which are otherwise found mostly in Southern and South-western Europe, for example Arbutus
, St Patrick's Cabbage and Greater Butterwort. North American species include Blue-eyed Grass
and Pipewort.
that grows in the splash zone of waterfalls and other damp places. Although it was once quite common, it was picked almost to extinction when pickers collected it to be sold to tourists. The few sites where this fern remain tend to be in isolated mountainous locations where pickers never found it.
Although the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) is relatively common in the park, it is one of Ireland's rarest native tree species and is found in very few locations outside Killarney. In the park it is found on cliff tops and the edges of the woodlands around the lake.
Killarney whitebeam
(Sorbus anglica) is a shrub or small tree that grows on rocks close to lakeshores. It is found only in Killarney. The more common Irish whitebeam (Sorbus hibernica) is also found in the park.
The Greater Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora) (also known as the Kerry violet) is a carnivorous plant
found in bogs. It digests insects in order to supplement the poor supply of nutrients (especially nitrogen) available from the bog. Its spectacular purple flowers bloom in late May and early June.
Irish spurge
(Euphorbia hyberna) is an atlantic species that in Ireland is only found in the southwest. In the past the milky sap
from its stem was used to cure warts. Fishermen used it to capture fish, utilising compounds in the sap that prevent fish gills from functioning properly and so suffocate the fish.
A number of rare species of myxomycete fungus have been recorded in the park. These are Collaria arcyrionema, Craterium muscorum, Cribraria microcarpa (the only known location in Ireland), C. rufa, C. violacea, Diderma chondrioderma, D. lucidum, D. ochraceum, Fuligo muscorum, and Licea marginata. The park has a highly diverse lichen flora.
was first identified in 1964 in northwest Kerry. Its range has now expanded and now includes the park. Pine marten
is another notable species in the park.
The park has Ireland's only remaining wild herd of native Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), comprising approximately 700 individuals. an increase from 110 individuals in 1970. They are found in upland areas of the park, mostly on Mangerton and Torc mountains. This herd has been continuously in Ireland for 4,000 years, since the return of red deer to the island, possibly aided by humans, after the last ice age, approximately 10,500 years ago. They were protected in the past by the Kenmare and Muckross estates. The herd is not completely pure because stags were introduced to the herd to improve antler quality in the 19th century.
Pregnant hinds from the lowland areas frequently go to the mountains to give birth in early June. The National Park staff tags the calves. Although Red Deer and Sika Deer are capable of interbreeding, no cases of crossbreeding have been recorded in the park. High priority is given to maintaining the genetic purity of the native Red Deer herd. Red Deer are fully protected by law, and their hunting is not permitted.
Sika deer (Cervus nippon) were introduced to the park from Japan in 1865. Their population has increased considerably since then. Within the park they are found both on open upland areas and woodlands.
(SPA) because of the bird species living in it. The Park boasts a wealth of bird life, and is of ornithological importance because it supports a diverse range of birds. 141 bird species have been recorded in the park, including upland, woodland and wintering waterfowl species. Several species which are otherwise rare in Ireland are present, notably the woodland species Redstart
(1-2 pairs), Wood Warbler
(1-2 pairs), and Garden Warbler
(possibly up to 10 pairs). The Red Grouse
and Ring Ouzel
are Red-listed species of high conservation concern (1-2 pairs each). The Greenland White-fronted Goose, Merlin, and Peregrine are listed on Annex I of the EU Birds Directive
. Other noteworthy species found in the park are the Chough
, Nightjar
, and Osprey
. The Osprey sometimes passes through the park as it migrates between Northern Africa and Scandinavia
. Historical accounts and place names suggest that the Osprey bred in the area in the past. Golden Eagle
s once nested in the park, but were extirpated around 1900 as a result of disturbance, nest robbing, and persecution.
The most common bird species in upland areas are Meadow Pipit
s, Raven
s and Stonechats. Rare species are Merlin
s (up to five pairs) and Peregrine falcon
s (at least one pair).
Chaffinch
s and Robins are the most common species in the woodlands. Other species that breed there include Blackcap
s and Garden Warbler
s. The rare Redstart
and Wood Warbler
are thought to have a few breeding pairs in the park's woodlands.
Heron
s, Little Grebe
s, Mallard
s, Water Rail
s, Dipper
s and Kingfisher
s live on the park's water bodies.
Lough Leane, and the other lakes to a lesser extent, support wintering birds that travel south from higher latitudes. These species include Redwing, Fieldfare, Golden Plover and waterfowl such as Teal, Goldeneye, Wigeon, Pochard and Whooper Swan. The park's native bird populations are augmented by migrant species in both winter and summer. A small flock of Greenland white-fronted geese
(Anser albifrons flavirostris) from the world population of approximately 12,000 migrates to winter on boglands in the Killarney Valley within the park. The numbers of this bird that stay in the park are currently low, at less than twenty individuals. This population is important because it is the most southerly in Ireland and one of the few remaining populations remaining that feed entirely on bogland, and whose habitat almost entirely lies within a protected area.
Other wintering waterfowls are Coot
, Cormorant
, Goldeneye
, Mallard, Pochard, Teal
, and Tufted Duck
. Other species that live on the lakes are the Black-headed Gull
, Little Grebe
, and Mute Swan
.
Species that migrate from Africa in the summer include Cuckoo
s, Swallows, and Swifts. Some species are vagrants that appear sporadically, for example when there is stormy weather or an unusually cold spell on the European continent.
The park is also the site for a project to reintroduce White-tailed Eagle
s, which began in 2007 with the release of fifteen birds. The project will last a number of years with many more eagles being released. The species had become extinct in Ireland in the 19th century after persecution from landowners. Fifteen chicks will then be brought in annually for the following five years. Despite a poisoning incident in 2009, the program is continuing and birds introduced to the area have now been tracked to Wicklow and Donegal.
and salmon
that can be fished, subject only to usual Irish salmon license regulations.
The lakes contain Arctic char
(Salvelinus alpinus L.), which is usually found much further north in sub-Arctic lakes. It a relict species
left behind in the area after the last Ice Age, and are consequently indicative of pristine environmental conditions. Although they were once widespread, they now are confined to isolated populations in inland freshwater lakes that have a suitable habitat. They are isolated in their respective lakes since the last Ice age. They are extremely sensitive to environmental changes when they are as far south as Ireland, where they are at the southern edge of their species range. The greatest threats to their survival in Ireland are introduced fish species, eutrophication, acidification and climate change. The rate of extinction of entire populations in Ireland has increased in recent decades.
The Killarney Shad
(or goureen) (Alosa fallax killarnensis) is a land-locked lake-dwelling sub-species of twaite shad, a mostly marine species. It is unique to the Lakes of Killarney. It is rarely seen because it feeds mainly on plankton and thus is rarely caught by fishers. It is listed in the Irish "Red Data Book" of threatened species. It is listed in Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive.
dragonfly (Somatochlora arctica) and several caddisfly and stonefly species are usually found much further north in Europe. They are thought to be relict species that were left behind in Killarney after the last retreat of ice. The Northern or Moorland Emerald dragonfly
, the rarest Irish dragonfly, is confined to the park. It breeds in shallow pools in bogs.
The oak woods in the remote Glaism na Marbh valley are a stronghold for Formica lugubris Zett., a wood ant species that is rare both in the Killarney woods and in Ireland as a whole.
The Kerry Slug
(Geomalacus maculosus) is a hiberno-lusitanean species. It emerges in Killarney's frequent wet weather to graze on lichens on rcks and tree trunks. It is reputedly the only slug capable of rolling itself into a ball. It is on both Annex II and Annex IV of the EU Habitats Directive.
The past introduction of several exotic species to the park is an additional human influence on the area. These species have damaged the natural ecosystems of Killarney. The most notable of these species are the Common Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum), which has infested large areas of the National Park, and Sika Deer, which overgraze the woodland floor and pose a potential threat to the genetic integrity of the native Red Deer. Both Rhododendron and Sika Deer can have an adverse effect on the native flora by inhibiting regeneration. A more recent, accidental, introduction is the American Mink
, which is now firmly established in the Park alongside the native Otter. Extinctions caused by humans include the Wolf (Canis lupus L.) and the Golden Eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos L.).
Fires caused by human activity occur with some frequency in the park. Despite the wet climate, they can spread quite rapidly to cover large areas. These fires rarely penetrate areas covered by dense woodlands, but they do burn readily through stands of open woodland.
The main land use within the site is grazing by sheep. Deer grazing is also common. The woods in the park are currently severely overgrazed by Sika Deer. Grazing has caused damage to many terrestrial habitats, causing heath and blanket bogs to degrade and preventing woodland regeneration. In the upland areas erosion caused by grazing is exacerbated by the exposed nature of the terrain. Pressures from native grazers like Red Deer and Irish Hare have increased since their main natural predators, the Wolf and Golden Eagle, became extinct. Grazing and disturbance of vegetation greatly aids the spread of Rhododendron.
The common Rhododendron is perhaps the greatest threat to the ecology of the park. It is an evergreen shrub with a natural distribution in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
areas. Rhododendrons died out in Ireland because of climate change thousands of years ago. It was introduced to the Killarney area during the 19th century, and rapidly took hold. It has spread through its large numbers of very small easily dispersed seeds. It shades the ground flora and so prevents the regeneration of native woody species. More than 6.5 square kilometres (1,606.2 acre) of the park are now completely infested. They have had a devastating effect in certain parts of the park. As light cannot penetrate the dense thickets of rhododendrons, very few plants can live beneath it. The park's oak woods are in long-term danger because they cannot regenerate. There is a policy of control and eradication of rhododendrons in the park.
Muckross House is a Victorian
mansion, located close to Muckross Lake's eastern shore, beneath the backdrop of Mangerton and Torc mountains. The house has now been restored and attracts more than 250,000 visitors a year. Muckross Gardens are famous for their collection of rhododendrons, hybrids and azaleas, and exotic trees. Muckross Traditional Farms is a working farm project that recreates Irish rural life in the 1930s, prior to electrification. Knockreer House is used as the National Park Education Centre.
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It was the first national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
established in Ireland, created when Muckross Estate
Muckross House
Muckross House is located on the small Muckross Peninsula between Muckross Lake and Lough Leane, two of the lakes of Killarney, from the town of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland....
was donated to the Irish state in 1932. The park has since been substantially expanded and encompasses over 102.89 km2 (25,425 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s) of diverse ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, including the Lakes of Killarney
Lakes of Killarney
The Lakes of Killarney are a renowned scenic attraction located near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes - Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and Upper Lake.Lough Leane is the largest of the three lakes...
, Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and Yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
woodlands of international importance, and mountain peaks. It has Ireland's only native herd of Red Deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the most extensive covering of native forest
Old growth forest
An old-growth forest is a forest that has attained great age , and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. An old growth forest has also usually reached a climax community...
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
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
that they accommodate, some of which are rare
Rare species
A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon or scarce. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term "endangered" or "threatened species" but not "extinct"....
. The park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
World Network of Biosphere Reserves
The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves covers internationally-designated protected areas, known as biosphere reserves, that are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between man and nature The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves covers internationally-designated protected...
in 1981. The park forms part of a Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service manages the Irish State's nature conservation responsibilities. It is part of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government....
is responsible for the management and administration of the park. Nature conservation
Conservation ethic
Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to...
is main objective of the park, and ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s in their natural state are highly valued. The park is also known for its beautiful scenery.
Recreation and tourism amenities are also provided for.
Climate and geography
Killarney National Park is located in southwest Ireland, close to the Ireland's most westerly point. The Lakes of Killarney and the MangertonMangerton Mountain
Mangerton or Mangerton Mountain is a mountain in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. At a height of 839 m it is the tallest of the Mangerton range and 25th tallest in Ireland...
, Torc
Torc Mountain
Torc Mountain is a mountain near Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland which is 535 m high. Torc Mountain gets its name from an enchanted boar that was killed there by the legendary hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill. Torc Mountain is the 383rd highest summit in Ireland.-See also:*Mountains of East Kerry...
, Shehy
Shehy mountains
The Shehy Mountains are a range of low mountains situated on the border between County Cork and County Kerry, in Ireland.-Geography and geology:...
and Purple Mountains
Purple Mountains
Purple Mountain is a 832 m mountain in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. It is a massif that includes three main peaks: Purple, Tomies and Shehy . Purple is the 27th highest peak in Ireland. The mountain is bounded to the west by the Gap of Dunloe, which separates it from Macgillycuddy's Reeks...
are located in the park. Altitudes in the park range from 22 metres (72.2 ft) to 842 metres (2,762.5 ft). A major geological boundary between Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
Old Red Sandstone
Old Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
and Carboniferous limestone
Carboniferous limestone
Carboniferous Limestone is a term used to describe a variety of different types of limestone occurring widely across Great Britain and Ireland which were deposited during the Dinantian epoch of the Carboniferous period. They were formed between 363 and 325 million years ago...
is located in the park. The underlying geology of the majority of the park is sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, with the limestone pavement
Limestone pavement
A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles an artificial pavement. The term is mainly used in the UK where many of these landforms have developed distinctive surface patterning resembling block of paving...
s occurring on the low eastern shore of Lough Leane.
The park has an oceanic climate
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
, heavily influenced by the Gulf Stream
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
. It experiences mild winters (6 °C (42.8 °F) February average) and cool summers (15 °C (59 °F) July average). Mean
Average
In mathematics, an average, or central tendency of a data set is a measure of the "middle" value of the data set. Average is one form of central tendency. Not all central tendencies should be considered definitions of average....
daily temperatures range from a low of 5.88 °C (42.6 °F) in January to a high of 15.28 °C (59.5 °F) in July. The park experiences high rainfall and changeable fronts, with light showery rainfall being frequent throughout the year. The mean rainfall is 1263 millimetres (49.7 in) per year, 223 days per annum typically having more than 1 millimetre (0.0393700787401575 in) precipitation. The mean number of frost days is 40.
The geological boundary, the park's wide range of altitudes, and the climatic influence of the Gulf Stream
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
combine to give the park a varied ecology. These ecosystems include bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s, lakes, moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
, mountains, waterways, woodland, parks and gardens. Outcropping rock
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
, cliffs and crags are features of the park. Above 200 metres (656.2 ft), the mountainous sandstone areas support large areas of blanket bog
Blanket bog
Blanket bog or blanket mire is an area of peatland, forming where there is a climate of high rainfall and a low level of evapotranspiration, allowing peat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses of undulating ground. The blanketing of the ground with a variable depth of peat...
and heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
.
Early history
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
, approximately 10,000 years ago. Humans have lived in the area since at least the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, approximately 4,000 years ago. Archaeologists
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
have found evidence that copper mining
Copper extraction
Copper extraction techniques refers to the methods for obtaining copper from its ores. This conversion consists of a series of chemical, physical, and electrochemical processes. Methods have evolved and vary with country depending on the ore source, local environmental regulations, and other...
took place in the Ross Island
Ross Island, Killarney
Ross Island is a claw-shaped peninsula in Killarney National Park, County Kerry. Copper extraction on the site is believed to be the source of the earliest known Irish Pre-Bronze Age metalwork, namely copper axe heads, halberds and knife/dagger blades dating from 2,400 - 2,200 BC...
area during this period, which suggests that the area was of considerable importance to Bronze Age people. The park has many archaeological features, including a well preserved stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
at Lissivigeen. The woods in the park have been disturbed and cleared at different periods since the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. This has caused a gradual decline in the diversity
Species richness
Species richness is the number of different species in a given area. It is represented in equation form as S.Species richness is the fundamental unit in which to assess the homogeneity of an environment. Typically, species richness is used in conservation studies to determine the sensitivity of...
of tree species in the park.
Some of the most impressive archaeological remains in the park are from the early Christian
History of Ireland
The first known settlement in Ireland began around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers arrived from continental Europe, probably via a land bridge. Few archaeological traces remain of this group, but their descendants and later Neolithic arrivals, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula, were...
period. The most important of these features is Inisfallen Abbey
Innisfallen Island
Innisfallen or Inishfallen is an island in Lough Leane; one of the three Lakes of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. It is home to the ruins of Innisfallen Abbey, one of the most impressive archaeological remains dating from the early Christian period found in the Killarney National Park. The...
, the ruins of a monastic settlement
Monastic settlement
Monastic settlements are areas built up in and around the development of monasteries with the spread of Christianity.These settlements are of historic interest as the development of a monastery typically spurred other settlement developments over many hundred of years which may be rich in...
on Inisfallen Island in Lough Leane. It was founded in the 7th century CE
Common Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
by St. Finian the Leper and was occupied until the 14th century. The Annals of Inisfallen
Annals of Inisfallen
The Annals of Inisfallen are a chronicle of the medieval history of Ireland. There are more than 2,500 entries spanning the years between AD 433 and AD 1450, but it is believed to have been written between the 12th and 15th centuries...
, a record of the early history of Ireland as it was known by the monks, was written in the monastery from the 11th to 13th centuries. It is thought that the monastery gave rise to the name Lough Leane, which means "Lake of Learning."
Muckross Abbey
Muckross Abbey
Muckross Abbey is one of the major ecclesiastical sites found in the Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1448 as a Franciscan friary for the Observantine Franciscans by Donal McCarthy Mor....
was founded in 1448 by Observantine Franciscans
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
and is also still standing, despite having being damaged and reconstructed several times when its inhabitants were raided. "Friars Glen" on Mangerton Mountain is customarily said to have been one of the places the monks would flee to when the monastery was attacked. The central feature of Muckross Abbey is a central courtyard that contains a huge Yew tree surrounded by a vaulted cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
. It is traditionally said that this tree is as old as Muckross Abbey itself. The abbey was the burial place of local chieftains
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
. In the seventeenth and 18th centuries the Kerry poets Seafraidh O'Donoghue, Aogán Ó Rathaille
Aogán Ó Rathaille
Aodhagán Ó Rathaille, also spelt Aogán Ó Rathaille or Anglicised as Egan O'Rahilly , was an Irish language poet. He is credited with creating the first fully developed Aisling poem.-Early life:...
, and Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin were buried there.
Norman Invasion of Ireland
The Norman invasion of Ireland was a two-stage process, which began on 1 May 1169 when a force of loosely associated Norman knights landed near Bannow, County Wexford...
, the land around the lakes was owned by the McCarthys
McCarthy (surname)
The MacCarthy dynasty was one of Ireland's greatest medieval dynasties. It was and continues to be divided into several great branches. The MacCarthy Reagh, MacCarthy of Muskerry, and MacCarthy of Duhallow dynasties were the three most important of these, after the central or MacCarthy Mór...
and O'Donoghue
O'Donoghue
Donoghue or O'Donoghue is an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Donnchadha or Ó Donnchú ‘descendant of Donnchadh’, a personal name composed of the elements donn = ‘brown-haired man’ or ‘lord’ + cath = ‘battle’....
s. Ross Castle
Ross Castle
Ross Castle is the ancestral home of the O'Donoghue clan though it is better known for its association with the Brownes of Killarney who owned it until recently...
is a 15th century tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
on the shore of Lough Leane. It was once the residence of the chieftain O'Donoghue Mór. The castle was extended in the 17th century. It has been restored and is open to the public. A 1580s Elizabethan
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
military record describes the Killarney area as a meagrely inhabited wilderness of forest and mountains.
From the 18th century the land in today's park were divided between two great estates, the Herberts of Muckross and the Brownes (Earls of Kenmare
Earl of Kenmare
The title of Earl of Kenmare was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1801. It became extinct upon the death of the 7th Earl in 1952.All of the Earls bore the subsidiary titles of Viscount Castlerosse , Viscount Kenmare , and Baron Castlerosse in the Peerage of Ireland...
). During the seventeenth and 18th centuries the woods were extensively utilised for local industries including charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
production, cooperage
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
and tanning
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
. Pressure on the woods intensified in the later part of the 18th century. The biggest cause of oakwood destruction in Killarney in the 18th century was the production of charcoal to fire smelters
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
used in the local iron industry. Approximately 25 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s of Oak was needed to produced one ton of cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
. In 1780 Young famously described Derrycunihy wood as "a great sweep of mountain, covered partly in wood, hanging in a very noble manner, but part cut down, much of it mangled, and the rest inhabited by coopers, boat-builders, carpenters and turners..."
Woodland exploitation again increased during the Napoleonic era
Napoleonic Era
The Napoleonic Era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislative Assembly, and the third being the Directory...
in the early 19th century, probably because of the high prices that Oak was commanding at this time. Replanting and management of the Oak forests was promoted at this time. There was a large-scale felling of Oak trees at Ross Island in 1803, Glena in around 1804 and Tomies in 1805. Tomies was then replanted with three-year-old Oak and Glena was coppiced
Coppicing
Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level...
. These activities have increased the relative abundance of oak in the park in the past 200 years. As most of the oak trees in the woods today are around 200 years old, it is likely that the majority of them were planted, and the oakwoods that have never been disturbed by humans are restricted to a few isolated pockets in remote areas such as mountain valleys.
The Herbert family owned the land on the Muckross Peninsula from 1770 onwards. They became very wealthy from copper mines on this land. Henry Arthur Herbert
Henry Arthur Herbert (1815-1866)
Colonel Henry Arthur Herbert PC , was an Irish politician in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Herbert was the grandson of Henry Arthur Herbert, MP for Kerry from 1806 to 1813...
and his wife—the water colourist
Watercolor painting
Watercolor or watercolour , also aquarelle from French, is a painting method. A watercolor is the medium or the resulting artwork in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-soluble vehicle...
Mary Balfour Herbert
Mary Balfour Herbert
Mary Balfour Herbert was a British artist. She was born Mary Balfour in 1817, the daughter of James Balfour and Lady Eleanor Maitland. She grew up in Whittinghame, East Lothian, Scotland, and travelled widely during her childhood. She took drawing lessons but had no other formal art education.She...
—finished building Muckross House
Muckross House
Muckross House is located on the small Muckross Peninsula between Muckross Lake and Lough Leane, two of the lakes of Killarney, from the town of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland....
in 1843. The Herbert's financial situation became precarious in the late 19th century, and the Muckross estate was purchased by Lord Ardilaun
Arthur Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun
Arthur Edward Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun, 2nd Baronet , known as Sir Arthur Guinness, Bt, between 1868 and 1880, was an Irish businessman, politician, and philanthropist, best known for giving St Stephen's Green to the people of Dublin.-Background and education:Guinness was born at St Anne's,...
of the Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
brewing family in 1899.
Creation of the park
In 1910, the American William Bowers Bourn bought Muckross Estate as a wedding present for his daughter Maud on her marriage to Arthur Vincent. They spent £Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
110,000 improving the estate between 1911 and 1932, building the Sunken Garden, the Stream Garden, and a rock garden
Rock Garden
The Rock Garden or Rock Garden of Chandigarh is a Sculpture garden in Chandigarh, India, also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden after its founder Nek Chand, a government official who started the garden secretly in his spare time in 1957. Today it is spread over an area of forty-acres , it is...
on an outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
of limestone.
Maud Vincent died from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in 1929. In 1932 Arthur Vincent and his parents-in-law donated Muckross Estate to the Irish state in her memory. The 43.3 square kilometres (10,699.7 acre) estate was renamed as the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park. The Irish government created the national park by passing the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park Act in 1932. The Act required the Commissioners of Public Works to "maintain and manage the Park as a National Park for the purpose of the recreation and enjoyment of the public." The memorial park is the core of today's enlarged national park.
Initially the Irish government
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
was unable to provide much financial support to the park, so it operated primarily as a working farm that was open to the public. Muckross House was closed to the public until 1964.
Around 1970 there was public disquiet about threats to the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park. The Irish authorities looked at international practises in classifying and managing of national parks. It was decided to expand and re-designate the park as a national park that corresponded broadly to ICUN Category II
World Conservation Union
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges." The organization publishes the IUCN Red List, compiling information from a network of...
. A decision was also made to establish other national parks in Ireland. Almost 60 square kilometres (14,826.3 acre) has been added to the original park, including the three lakes, Knockreer Estate, Ross Island, Innisfallen, and the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
s of Glena, Ullauns, and Poulagower. The park is now more than double the size it was in 1932. As the Irish economy became wealthier and the perception of the role of national parks changed, much more money was made available to the park.
Lakes of Killarney
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
on the lakes has been a popular pastime for generations, utilising the lakes' large populations of Brown Trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and Salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
.
Lough Leane is approximately 19 square kilometres (4,695 acre) in size and is by far the largest of the three lakes. It is also the largest body of fresh water in the region. It is also the lake richest in nutrient
Nutrient
A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment. They are used to build and repair tissues, regulate body processes and are converted to and used as energy...
s. It has become eutrophic as a result of phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
s from agricultural and domestic pollution
Water pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
entering Lough Leane Reedbed, an important habitat on the edge of Lough Leane. This nutrient enrichment has caused several algal bloom
Algal bloom
An algal bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Algal blooms may occur in freshwater as well as marine environments. Typically, only one or a small number of phytoplankton species are involved, and some blooms may be recognized by discoloration...
s in recent years. The blooms have not yet had a severe effect on the lake's ecosystem. To prevent further pollution causing a permanent change in the lake's ecosystem, a review of land use in the catchment
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
area is being carried out. Water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
in the lake appears to have improved since phosphates were removed from sewage in 1985. As of August 2007, several large hotels and businesses have stated their intention to stop using phosphate detergents, in an effort to preserve the quality of the lake water.
Muckross Lake is the deepest of the three lakes. It has a maximum depth of 73.5 metres (241.1 ft), close to where the steeply sloping side of Torc Mountain enters the lake. The lake lies on the geological boundary between the sandstone mountains to the south and west and the limestone to the north.
Lough Leane and Muckross Lake lie across the geological boundary. The presence of limestone causes both of the lakes to be slightly richer in nutrients than the Upper Lake. There are many caves in the limestone at lake level, created by wave action combined with the dissolution
Solvation
Solvation, also sometimes called dissolution, is the process of attraction and association of molecules of a solvent with molecules or ions of a solute...
effect of the lakes' acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
ic water on the exposed rock. These caves are largest on the northern shore of Muckross Lake.
From the Meeting of the Waters a narrow channel called the Long Range leads to the Upper Lake, the smallest of the three lakes. This lake is located in rugged mountain scenery in the upper Killarney/Black Valley area. The fast run-off
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
in its catchment area can cause the level of the lake to rise by up to a meter in a few hours during heavy rain.
Muckross Lake and the Upper Lake are high quality oligotroph
Oligotroph
An oligotroph is an organism that can live in an environment that offers very low levels of nutrients. They may be contrasted with copiotrophs, which prefer nutritionally rich environments...
ic systems, with water that is slightly acidic and low in nutrients. This is caused by run-off from the upland sandstones and blanket bogs in their catchment areas. They have diverse aquatic vegetation
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
, including Quillwort (Isoetes lacustris), Shoreweed (Littorella uniflora), and Water Lobelia
Lobelia dortmanna
Lobelia dortmanna is a species of Lobelia native to cool temperate regions of northern Europe and northern North America .It is a stoloniferous herbaceous...
(Lobelia dortmanna).
All three lakes are very acid sensitive and therefore vulnerable to afforestation
Afforestation
Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no forest. Reforestation is the reestablishment of forest cover, either naturally or artificially...
within their catchment areas.
Woodlands
The Killarney vicnity possesses the most extensive area (approximately 120 square kilometres (29,652.6 acre)) of semi-natural native woodland (woodland dominated by indigenous speciesIndigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
) remaining in Ireland. Most of this woodland is encompassed by the national park. There are three main types of woodland in the park: acidophilous Oak woodland (Quercus petraea-Ilex aquifolium) on Devonian sandstone; moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
-rich Yew woodland (Taxus baccata) on Carboniferous limestone outcrops; and wet woodland (also called carr) dominated by Alder on low-lying swampy limestone soils on the lake edges. The woods in the park fall naturally into two sectors, along the geologic divide. The Oak and Yew woodlands are of international importance.
Mixed woodland and conifer plantations also occur in the park. The mixed woodland on Ross Island has one of the richest herb layers in the park's woods.
Grazing and Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
invasion threaten the park's woodlands. Rhododendrons affect approximately two-thirds of the Oak woodlands. A Rhododendron removal programme is underway in the park. The Yew woodlands have been negatively affected by heavy grazing for many years.
Oak woodlands
The park is perhaps most famous for its oak woodlands, which are about 12.2 square kilometres (3,014.7 acre) in size. They form the largest area of native woodland remaining in Ireland and are a remnant of the woodland that once covered much of Ireland. Derrycunihy Wood is perhaps the most natural Sessile OakSessile Oak
Quercus petraea , the Sessile Oak, also known as the Durmast Oak, is a species of oak native to most of Europe, and into Anatolia.-Description:...
(Quercus petraea) wood in Ireland. Most of the oak woodlands are located on the lower slopes of the Shehy and Tomy mountains, adjacent to Lough Leane. They are typically dominated by Sessile Oak, which favours the acidic soils of the sandstone mountains. The woods have Annex I status in the EU Habitats Directive because of their diverse and rich flora, most notably their bryophyte
Bryophyte
Bryophyte is a traditional name used to refer to all embryophytes that do not have true vascular tissue and are therefore called 'non-vascular plants'. Some bryophytes do have specialized tissues for the transport of water; however since these do not contain lignin, they are not considered to be...
s (moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es and liverwort
Marchantiophyta
The Marchantiophyta are a division of bryophyte plants commonly referred to as hepatics or liverworts. Like other bryophytes, they have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, in which cells of the plant carry only a single set of genetic information....
s).
The oak woodlands typically have an understory
Understory
Understory is the term for the area of a forest which grows at the lowest height level below the forest canopy. Plants in the understory consist of a mixture of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees together with understory shrubs and herbs...
of Holly (Ilex aquifolium). Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo) are a notable part of these woods. There are also scattered Yews
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
. The field layer includes Bilberry
Bilberry
Bilberry is any of several species of low-growing shrubs in the genus Vaccinium , bearing edible berries. The species most often referred to is Vaccinium myrtillus L., but there are several other closely related species....
and Woodrush. The herb layer is not rich in species.
Bryophytes, lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s and filmy ferns (Hymenophyllaceae), thrive in the humid oceanic climate. Species with restricted Atlantic distributions
Species distribution
Species distribution is the manner in which a biological taxon is spatially arranged. Species distribution is not to be confused with dispersal, which is the movement of individuals away from their area of origin or from centers of high population density. A similar concept is the species range. A...
grow in the woods. The bryophytes in these woods are perhaps the best-developed Atlantic bryophyte
Bryophyte
Bryophyte is a traditional name used to refer to all embryophytes that do not have true vascular tissue and are therefore called 'non-vascular plants'. Some bryophytes do have specialized tissues for the transport of water; however since these do not contain lignin, they are not considered to be...
community in Europe. The remote Glaism na Marbh valley has a particularly rich flora of bryophytes, some of which are scarce or absent in other parts of the woods. Mosses, ferns and liverworts frequently occur as epiphytes, attached to the trunks and branches of oak trees. Rare species growing in the woods include Cyclodictyon laetivirens, Daltonia splachnoides, Lejeunea flava, Radula carringtonii, and Sematophyllum demissum.
Bird species that reside in the oak woods include Blue Tit
Blue Tit
The Blue Tit is a 10.5 to 12 cm long passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands...
, Chaffinch
Chaffinch
The Chaffinch , also called by a wide variety of other names, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.- Description :...
, Goldcrest
Goldcrest
The Goldcrest, Regulus regulus, is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. Its colourful golden crest feathers gives rise to its English and scientific names, and possibly to it being called the "king of the birds" in European folklore. Several subspecies are recognised across the very...
, European Robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
, and Wren
Wren
The wrens are passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. There are approximately 80 species of true wrens in approximately 20 genera....
. Mammals include Badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
, Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, Pine Marten
Pine Marten
The European Pine Marten , known most commonly as the pine marten in Anglophone Europe, and less commonly also known as Pineten, baum marten, or sweet marten, is an animal native to Northern Europe belonging to the mustelid family, which also includes mink, otter, badger, wolverine and weasel. It...
, Red Deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, Sika Deer
Sika Deer
The Sika Deer, Cervus nippon, also known as the Spotted Deer or the Japanese Deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to various other parts of the world...
, and Red Squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
. Insects include many species of the parasitic Gall Wasp
Gall wasp
Gall wasps , also called Gallflies, are a family of the order Hymenoptera and are classified with the Apocrita suborder of wasps in the superfamily Cynipoidea...
and the Purple Hairstreak
Purple Hairstreak
The Purple Hairstreak Neozephyrus quercus is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae distributed throughout much of Europe. North Africa, Asia Minor, Caucasus and Transcaucasia....
butterfly, whose caterpillar is entirely dependent upon Oak trees.
The introduced common Rhododendron is a large threat to certain areas of the oak woods. For example, it is widespread throughout Camillan Wood despite ongoing attempts to control it.
Yew woodlands
The yewTaxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
woodland in the park is known as Reenadinna Wood. It is about 0.25 square kilometres (61.8 acre) in size and is located on low-lying karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
limestone pavement between Muckross Lake and Lough Leane on Muckross Peninsula. Yew woodland is the rarest habitat type in the park. Yew woodlands are one of the rarest types of woodland in Europe, mostly restricted to western Ireland and southern England. It has priority habitat status under Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. Reenadinna Wood is also one of the largest woods that are dominated by common Yew (Taxus baccata L.) in the UK and Ireland. It is the only significant area of yew woodland in Ireland and is one of just three pure yew woodlands in Europe. It is of considerable ecological and conservation interest, as yew is rarely a woodland dominant. The western limit of the wood lies along the geological boundary with Devonian Old Red Sandstone. The wood is bounded to the east by parkland where the limestone no longer outcrops. Muckross bog, a raised bog 0.02 square kilometres (4.9 acre) in area, is in the southern part of the wood. There are hollows between the limestone outcrops. Deep rendzina
Rendzina
Rendzina is a dark, grayish-brown, humus-rich, intrazonal soil. It is one of the soils most closely associated with the bedrock type and an example of initial stages of soil development...
soils have developed in some of the hollows. It is estimated that the wood developed 3,000-5,000 years ago.
Yew is a native evergreen tree that grows best in the high humidity of mild oceanic climates, which makes Killarney a very suitable location. The soil in the wood is mostly thin and in many places the trees are rooted to fissures in the bare limestone. Yew has an extensive horizontal root system. In the Killarney woods, the roots spread out over the rock surface and penetrate deeply into fissures in the limestone. The wood has a low canopy of 6–14 m (20–46 ft). Yew's extreme tolerance of the dense shade its canopy creates has allowed it to out compete other species to create the pure Yew woodland present today. This dense shade prevents flowering plants from establishing themselves in these woods and prevents the herb layer from developing. Bryophytes are however abundant and thrive in the humid and cool conditions. In some parts of the wood there are continuous dense blankets of moss that can be up to 152 centimetres (59.8 in) deep. The moss species present are primarily Thamnium alopecurum with Eurhynchium striatum and Thuidium tamariscinum.
Some of the trees in Reenadinna wood are two hundred years old. There has been little regeneration of the Yew trees in the wood. Overgrazing of the woodland floor by Sika Deer may be part of the reason for this, but small areas of the wood that have been fenced off since 1969 have experienced very little Yew regeneration. The dense canopy created by the Yew trees that lets very little sunlight through to the woodland floor may also prevent the growth of Yew seedlings.
Despite its poisonous properties, Yew is very susceptible to browsing and bark stripping by deer, rabbits, hare, and domestic animals. It is one of the most grazing sensitive trees in the Killarney woodlands. Sika Deer have killed Yews by scoring the trees with their antlers.
Wet woodlands
Wet woodland (also called carr) is located on the low-lying swampy limestone areas within Lough Leane's floodplainFloodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
. It is about 1.7 square kilometres (420.1 acre) in size. This is one of the most extensive areas of this woodland type in Ireland. The dominant canopy species here are Alder (Alnus glutinosa), Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), Downy Birch
Downy Birch
Betula pubescens is a species of birch, native and abundant throughout northern Europe, Iceland, northern Asia and also Greenland....
(Betula pubescens), and Willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
(Salix spp.). The areas that are periodically covered by water are rich in species including grasses, rushes, sedges, and flowers such as marsh bedstraw, meadow sweet, and water mint.
Red Deer and Sika Deer heavily use the wetland woods as cover, and bare muddy "deer wallows" are a characteristic feature. Rhododendrons are the greatest threat to these woodlands. They are invading the woodlands, using raised areas such as tussocks or tree bases where the floor is too wet for seedlings to become established. Although some clearance has occurred reinvasion continues.
Bogland
While the lower slopes of the mountains are dominated by Sessile OakSessile Oak
Quercus petraea , the Sessile Oak, also known as the Durmast Oak, is a species of oak native to most of Europe, and into Anatolia.-Description:...
(Quercus petraea), above 200 metres (656.2 ft) the mountains are virtually treeless and are dominated by blanket bog
Blanket bog
Blanket bog or blanket mire is an area of peatland, forming where there is a climate of high rainfall and a low level of evapotranspiration, allowing peat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses of undulating ground. The blanketing of the ground with a variable depth of peat...
and wet heath. The bogs in the park mostly have a characteristic flora that includes the species Heather
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
(Calluna vulgaris), Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) and Western Gorse (Ulex gallii), with occasional Bilberry
Bilberry
Bilberry is any of several species of low-growing shrubs in the genus Vaccinium , bearing edible berries. The species most often referred to is Vaccinium myrtillus L., but there are several other closely related species....
(Vaccinium myrtillus). Large-flowered Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora) is common. The bogs also support a number of notable species, including mosses (Sphagnum pulchrum, S. fuscum, S. platyphyllum, S. strictum, S. contortum and Calliergon stramineum), liverworts (Cladopodiella francisci and Calypogeia azurea) and lichens (Cladonia mediterranea, C. macilenta, C. rangiferina, C. arbuscula and Cetraria islandica).
The remoteness of some of the upland areas aids the survival of Ireland's only remaining wild herd of native Red Deer. The bogs are threatened by grazing, turbary
Turbary
Turbary is the term used to describe the ancient right to cut turf, or peat, for fuel on a particular area of bog. The word may also be used to describe the associated piece of bog or peatland and, by extension, the material extracted from the turbary...
, burning and afforestation.
Flora
A large number of plant and animal species of interest occur within the site, including most of the native Irish mammal species, several important fish species including Arctic charArctic char
Arctic char or Arctic charr is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the only species of fish in Lake Hazen, on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic...
, and a range of rare or scarce plant species. Several of the animal and plant species in the park have a hiberno-lusitanean distribution, meaning that they only occur in southwest Ireland, northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The main reason for this is the effect of the Gulf Stream on southwest Ireland's climate. The park has been designated a biosphere reserve because of the presence of such rare species.
Significant amounts of plant species found in the park have unusual geographic distributions and are of localised occurrence within Ireland. These plant species are grouped within four main categories: Arctic-Alpine plants, Atlantic species, North American species and very rare species. Atlantic species are species which are otherwise found mostly in Southern and South-western Europe, for example Arbutus
Arbutus
Arbutus is a genus of at least 14 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, and North America.-Description:...
, St Patrick's Cabbage and Greater Butterwort. North American species include Blue-eyed Grass
Blue-eyed grass
Sisyrinchium is a genus of 70-150 species of annual to perennial plants of the iris family, native to the New World.Several species in the eastern United States are threatened or endangered.-Taxonomy:...
and Pipewort.
Bryophytes
Bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) flourish in the park, due partly to the area's mild oceanic climate. The park is internationally significant for bryophytes. Many of the bryophytes found in the park are not found anywhere else in Ireland. Mosses, ferns such as filmy ferns, and liverworts grow luxuriantly. Many of them live as epiphytes, growing on the branches and trunks of trees.Other plant species
The Killarney fern (Trichomanes speciosum) is probably the most rare plant species in the park. It is a filmy fernFilmy fern
The Hymenophyllaceae is a family of seven genera and over 600 species of ferns, with a subcosmopolitan distribution, but generally restricted to very damp places or to locations where they are wetted by spray from waterfalls or springs...
that grows in the splash zone of waterfalls and other damp places. Although it was once quite common, it was picked almost to extinction when pickers collected it to be sold to tourists. The few sites where this fern remain tend to be in isolated mountainous locations where pickers never found it.
Although the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) is relatively common in the park, it is one of Ireland's rarest native tree species and is found in very few locations outside Killarney. In the park it is found on cliff tops and the edges of the woodlands around the lake.
Killarney whitebeam
Whitebeam
The whitebeams are members of the Rosaceae family, comprising subgenus Aria of genus Sorbus, and hybrids involving species of this subgenus and members of subgenera Sorbus, Torminaria and Chamaemespilus. They are deciduous trees with simple or lobed leaves, arranged alternately...
(Sorbus anglica) is a shrub or small tree that grows on rocks close to lakeshores. It is found only in Killarney. The more common Irish whitebeam (Sorbus hibernica) is also found in the park.
The Greater Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora) (also known as the Kerry violet) is a carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants appear adapted to grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic...
found in bogs. It digests insects in order to supplement the poor supply of nutrients (especially nitrogen) available from the bog. Its spectacular purple flowers bloom in late May and early June.
Irish spurge
Spurge
Euphorbia is a genus of plants belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. Consisting of 2008 species, Euphorbia is one of the most diverse genera in the plant kingdom, exceeded possibly only by Senecio. Members of the family and genus are sometimes referred to as Spurges...
(Euphorbia hyberna) is an atlantic species that in Ireland is only found in the southwest. In the past the milky sap
Sap
Sap may refer to:* Plant sap, the fluid transported in xylem cells or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant* Sap , a village in the Dunajská Streda District of Slovakia...
from its stem was used to cure warts. Fishermen used it to capture fish, utilising compounds in the sap that prevent fish gills from functioning properly and so suffocate the fish.
A number of rare species of myxomycete fungus have been recorded in the park. These are Collaria arcyrionema, Craterium muscorum, Cribraria microcarpa (the only known location in Ireland), C. rufa, C. violacea, Diderma chondrioderma, D. lucidum, D. ochraceum, Fuligo muscorum, and Licea marginata. The park has a highly diverse lichen flora.
Mammals
Most mammals native to Ireland and long established introduced species are found in the park. The bank voleBank Vole
The bank vole is a small vole with red-brown fur and some grey patches, with a tail about half as long as its body. A rodent, it lives in woodland areas and is around in length. The bank vole is found in western Europe and northern Asia...
was first identified in 1964 in northwest Kerry. Its range has now expanded and now includes the park. Pine marten
Pine Marten
The European Pine Marten , known most commonly as the pine marten in Anglophone Europe, and less commonly also known as Pineten, baum marten, or sweet marten, is an animal native to Northern Europe belonging to the mustelid family, which also includes mink, otter, badger, wolverine and weasel. It...
is another notable species in the park.
Deer
Pregnant hinds from the lowland areas frequently go to the mountains to give birth in early June. The National Park staff tags the calves. Although Red Deer and Sika Deer are capable of interbreeding, no cases of crossbreeding have been recorded in the park. High priority is given to maintaining the genetic purity of the native Red Deer herd. Red Deer are fully protected by law, and their hunting is not permitted.
Sika deer (Cervus nippon) were introduced to the park from Japan in 1865. Their population has increased considerably since then. Within the park they are found both on open upland areas and woodlands.
Bird species
The park is designated as a Special Protection AreaSpecial Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
(SPA) because of the bird species living in it. The Park boasts a wealth of bird life, and is of ornithological importance because it supports a diverse range of birds. 141 bird species have been recorded in the park, including upland, woodland and wintering waterfowl species. Several species which are otherwise rare in Ireland are present, notably the woodland species Redstart
Redstart
Redstarts are a group of small Old World birds. They were formerly classified in the thrush family , but are now known to be part of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae...
(1-2 pairs), Wood Warbler
Wood Warbler
The Wood Warbler is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe, and just into the extreme west of Asia in the southern Ural Mountains...
(1-2 pairs), and Garden Warbler
Garden Warbler
The Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin, is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe into western Asia. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, and winters in central and southern Africa...
(possibly up to 10 pairs). The Red Grouse
Red grouse
The Red Grouse is a medium sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the Willow Grouse but is sometimes considered to be a separate species Lagopus scoticus...
and Ring Ouzel
Ring Ouzel
The Ring Ouzel is a European member of the thrush family Turdidae.It is the mountain equivalent of the closely related Common Blackbird, and breeds in gullies, rocky areas or scree slopes....
are Red-listed species of high conservation concern (1-2 pairs each). The Greenland White-fronted Goose, Merlin, and Peregrine are listed on Annex I of the EU Birds Directive
Birds Directive
The Birds Directive is a European Union directive adopted in 2009. It replaces Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds which was modified several times and had become very unclear...
. Other noteworthy species found in the park are the Chough
Chough
The Red-billed Chough or Chough , Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, is a bird in the crow family; it is one of only two species in the genus Pyrrhocorax...
, Nightjar
Nightjar
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are sometimes referred to as goatsuckers from the mistaken belief that they suck milk from goats . Some New World species are named as nighthawks...
, and Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
. The Osprey sometimes passes through the park as it migrates between Northern Africa and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. Historical accounts and place names suggest that the Osprey bred in the area in the past. Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
s once nested in the park, but were extirpated around 1900 as a result of disturbance, nest robbing, and persecution.
The most common bird species in upland areas are Meadow Pipit
Meadow Pipit
The Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis, is a small passerine bird which breeds in much of the northern half of Europe and also northwestern Asia, from southeastern Greenland and Iceland east to just east of the Ural Mountains in Russia, and south to central France and Romania; there is also an isolated...
s, Raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s and Stonechats. Rare species are Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
s (up to five pairs) and Peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
s (at least one pair).
Chaffinch
Chaffinch
The Chaffinch , also called by a wide variety of other names, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.- Description :...
s and Robins are the most common species in the woodlands. Other species that breed there include Blackcap
Blackcap
The Blackcap is a common and widespread sylviid warbler which breeds throughout temperate Europe, western Asia and northwestern Africa, and winters from northwestern Europe south to tropical Africa...
s and Garden Warbler
Garden Warbler
The Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin, is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe into western Asia. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, and winters in central and southern Africa...
s. The rare Redstart
Redstart
Redstarts are a group of small Old World birds. They were formerly classified in the thrush family , but are now known to be part of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae...
and Wood Warbler
Wood Warbler
The Wood Warbler is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe, and just into the extreme west of Asia in the southern Ural Mountains...
are thought to have a few breeding pairs in the park's woodlands.
Heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s, Little Grebe
Little Grebe
The Little Grebe , also known as Dabchick, member of the grebe family of water birds. At 23 to 29 cm in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.-Description:The Little Grebe is a small water bird with a pointed...
s, Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
s, Water Rail
Water Rail
The Water Rail is a bird of the rail family which breeds in well-vegetated wetlands across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Northern and eastern populations are migratory, but this species is a permanent resident in the warmer parts of its breeding range...
s, Dipper
Dipper
Dippers are members of the genus Cinclus in the bird family Cinclidae, named for their bobbing or dipping movements. They are unique among passerines for their ability to dive and swim underwater.-Description:...
s and Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s live on the park's water bodies.
Lough Leane, and the other lakes to a lesser extent, support wintering birds that travel south from higher latitudes. These species include Redwing, Fieldfare, Golden Plover and waterfowl such as Teal, Goldeneye, Wigeon, Pochard and Whooper Swan. The park's native bird populations are augmented by migrant species in both winter and summer. A small flock of Greenland white-fronted geese
White-fronted Goose
The Greater White-fronted Goose is a species of goose. The Greater White-fronted Goose is more closely related to the smaller Lesser White-fronted Goose...
(Anser albifrons flavirostris) from the world population of approximately 12,000 migrates to winter on boglands in the Killarney Valley within the park. The numbers of this bird that stay in the park are currently low, at less than twenty individuals. This population is important because it is the most southerly in Ireland and one of the few remaining populations remaining that feed entirely on bogland, and whose habitat almost entirely lies within a protected area.
Other wintering waterfowls are Coot
Eurasian Coot
The Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra, also known as Coot, is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae. The Australian subspecies is known as the Australian Coot.-Distribution:...
, Cormorant
Great Cormorant
The Great Cormorant , known as the Great Black Cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the Black Cormorant in Australia and the Black Shag further south in New Zealand, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds...
, Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
The Common Goldeneye is a medium-sized sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. Their closest relative is the similar Barrow's Goldeneye....
, Mallard, Pochard, Teal
Common Teal
The Eurasian Teal or Common Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian Teal is often called simply the Teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range...
, and Tufted Duck
Tufted Duck
The Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, is a medium-sized diving duck with a population of close to one million birds.- Description :The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name.The adult female is brown with paler...
. Other species that live on the lakes are the Black-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull
The Black-headed Gull is a small gull which breeds in much of Europe and Asia, and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory, wintering further south, but some birds in the milder westernmost areas of Europe are resident...
, Little Grebe
Little Grebe
The Little Grebe , also known as Dabchick, member of the grebe family of water birds. At 23 to 29 cm in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.-Description:The Little Grebe is a small water bird with a pointed...
, and Mute Swan
Mute Swan
The Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...
.
Species that migrate from Africa in the summer include Cuckoo
Common Cuckoo
The Common Cuckoo is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals....
s, Swallows, and Swifts. Some species are vagrants that appear sporadically, for example when there is stormy weather or an unusually cold spell on the European continent.
The park is also the site for a project to reintroduce White-tailed Eagle
White-tailed Eagle
The White-tailed Eagle , also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne , or White-tailed Sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers...
s, which began in 2007 with the release of fifteen birds. The project will last a number of years with many more eagles being released. The species had become extinct in Ireland in the 19th century after persecution from landowners. Fifteen chicks will then be brought in annually for the following five years. Despite a poisoning incident in 2009, the program is continuing and birds introduced to the area have now been tracked to Wicklow and Donegal.
Fish species
The Lakes of Killarney contain many Brown Trout and an annual run of Salmon. Rare species found in the lakes are Arctic Char and Killarney Shad. The lakes have natural stocks of brown troutBrown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
that can be fished, subject only to usual Irish salmon license regulations.
The lakes contain Arctic char
Arctic char
Arctic char or Arctic charr is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the only species of fish in Lake Hazen, on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic...
(Salvelinus alpinus L.), which is usually found much further north in sub-Arctic lakes. It a relict species
Relict
A relict is a surviving remnant of a natural phenomenon.* In biology a relict is an organism that at an earlier time was abundant in a large area but now occurs at only one or a few small areas....
left behind in the area after the last Ice Age, and are consequently indicative of pristine environmental conditions. Although they were once widespread, they now are confined to isolated populations in inland freshwater lakes that have a suitable habitat. They are isolated in their respective lakes since the last Ice age. They are extremely sensitive to environmental changes when they are as far south as Ireland, where they are at the southern edge of their species range. The greatest threats to their survival in Ireland are introduced fish species, eutrophication, acidification and climate change. The rate of extinction of entire populations in Ireland has increased in recent decades.
The Killarney Shad
Shad
The shads or river herrings comprise the genus Alosa, fish related to herring in the family Clupeidae. They are distinct from others in that family by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. The several species frequent different areas on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea....
(or goureen) (Alosa fallax killarnensis) is a land-locked lake-dwelling sub-species of twaite shad, a mostly marine species. It is unique to the Lakes of Killarney. It is rarely seen because it feeds mainly on plankton and thus is rarely caught by fishers. It is listed in the Irish "Red Data Book" of threatened species. It is listed in Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive.
Invertebrates
Several unusual invertebrate species can be found in the Killarney valley. Some of these species, including the Northern EmeraldNorthern Emerald
The Northern Emerald is a middle-sized species of dragonfly. The male can be recognised by its pincer-like appendages and its narrow-waisted body. The female has distinctive orange-yellow spots on the third segment of the abdomen.This species lives in bogs and lays its eggs in very small...
dragonfly (Somatochlora arctica) and several caddisfly and stonefly species are usually found much further north in Europe. They are thought to be relict species that were left behind in Killarney after the last retreat of ice. The Northern or Moorland Emerald dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
, the rarest Irish dragonfly, is confined to the park. It breeds in shallow pools in bogs.
The oak woods in the remote Glaism na Marbh valley are a stronghold for Formica lugubris Zett., a wood ant species that is rare both in the Killarney woods and in Ireland as a whole.
The Kerry Slug
Kerry Slug
The Kerry slug or Kerry spotted slug, scientific name Geomalacus maculosus, is a rare species of medium-sized to large air-breathing land slug...
(Geomalacus maculosus) is a hiberno-lusitanean species. It emerges in Killarney's frequent wet weather to graze on lichens on rcks and tree trunks. It is reputedly the only slug capable of rolling itself into a ball. It is on both Annex II and Annex IV of the EU Habitats Directive.
Conservation threats
The park has a number of conservation and management challenges. One of these is the park's proximity Killarney town, one of Ireland's best known tourist destinations. Killarney has hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Most of these visitors spend time in the park. Careful management is needed to ensure minimal conflict between conservation and recreation.The past introduction of several exotic species to the park is an additional human influence on the area. These species have damaged the natural ecosystems of Killarney. The most notable of these species are the Common Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum), which has infested large areas of the National Park, and Sika Deer, which overgraze the woodland floor and pose a potential threat to the genetic integrity of the native Red Deer. Both Rhododendron and Sika Deer can have an adverse effect on the native flora by inhibiting regeneration. A more recent, accidental, introduction is the American Mink
American Mink
The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...
, which is now firmly established in the Park alongside the native Otter. Extinctions caused by humans include the Wolf (Canis lupus L.) and the Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
(Aquila chrysaetos L.).
Fires caused by human activity occur with some frequency in the park. Despite the wet climate, they can spread quite rapidly to cover large areas. These fires rarely penetrate areas covered by dense woodlands, but they do burn readily through stands of open woodland.
The main land use within the site is grazing by sheep. Deer grazing is also common. The woods in the park are currently severely overgrazed by Sika Deer. Grazing has caused damage to many terrestrial habitats, causing heath and blanket bogs to degrade and preventing woodland regeneration. In the upland areas erosion caused by grazing is exacerbated by the exposed nature of the terrain. Pressures from native grazers like Red Deer and Irish Hare have increased since their main natural predators, the Wolf and Golden Eagle, became extinct. Grazing and disturbance of vegetation greatly aids the spread of Rhododendron.
The common Rhododendron is perhaps the greatest threat to the ecology of the park. It is an evergreen shrub with a natural distribution in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
areas. Rhododendrons died out in Ireland because of climate change thousands of years ago. It was introduced to the Killarney area during the 19th century, and rapidly took hold. It has spread through its large numbers of very small easily dispersed seeds. It shades the ground flora and so prevents the regeneration of native woody species. More than 6.5 square kilometres (1,606.2 acre) of the park are now completely infested. They have had a devastating effect in certain parts of the park. As light cannot penetrate the dense thickets of rhododendrons, very few plants can live beneath it. The park's oak woods are in long-term danger because they cannot regenerate. There is a policy of control and eradication of rhododendrons in the park.
Tourism
The park is open for tourism year-round. There is a visitor and education centre at Muckross House. Visitor attractions in the park include Dinis Cottage, Knockreer Demesne, Inisfallen Island, Ladies View, the Meeting of the Waters and the Old Weir Bridge, Muckross Abbey, Muckross House, the Muckross Peninsula, the Old Kenmare Road, O'Sullivan's Cascade, Ross Castle and Ross Island, Tomies Oakwood, and Torc Waterfall. There is a network of surfaced paths in the Knockreer, Muckross, and Ross Island areas that can be used by cyclists and walkers. The Old Kenmare Road and the track around Tomies Oakwood have spectacular views over Lough Leane and Killarney. Boat trips on the lakes are available.Muckross House is a Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
mansion, located close to Muckross Lake's eastern shore, beneath the backdrop of Mangerton and Torc mountains. The house has now been restored and attracts more than 250,000 visitors a year. Muckross Gardens are famous for their collection of rhododendrons, hybrids and azaleas, and exotic trees. Muckross Traditional Farms is a working farm project that recreates Irish rural life in the 1930s, prior to electrification. Knockreer House is used as the National Park Education Centre.
See also
- National Parks in the Republic of IrelandNational Parks in the Republic of IrelandNational Parks in the Republic of Ireland is a link page for any national park in the Republic of Ireland.Table below shows the name of the national park and in which county of Ireland it is located. The first park which was established in Ireland was the Killarney located in County Kerry in 1932...
- Muckross HouseMuckross HouseMuckross House is located on the small Muckross Peninsula between Muckross Lake and Lough Leane, two of the lakes of Killarney, from the town of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland....
- Ross CastleRoss CastleRoss Castle is the ancestral home of the O'Donoghue clan though it is better known for its association with the Brownes of Killarney who owned it until recently...
- Lakes of KillarneyLakes of KillarneyThe Lakes of Killarney are a renowned scenic attraction located near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes - Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and Upper Lake.Lough Leane is the largest of the three lakes...
- KillarneyKillarneyKillarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
- Purple MountainsPurple MountainsPurple Mountain is a 832 m mountain in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. It is a massif that includes three main peaks: Purple, Tomies and Shehy . Purple is the 27th highest peak in Ireland. The mountain is bounded to the west by the Gap of Dunloe, which separates it from Macgillycuddy's Reeks...
- Mountains of East KerryMountains of East KerryThe Mountains of East Kerry, also called the Mangerton Mountains, are a range of mountains situated immediately to the south and east of Killarney National Park and the town of Killarney in County Kerry in the Ireland...
- Muckross AbbeyMuckross AbbeyMuckross Abbey is one of the major ecclesiastical sites found in the Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1448 as a Franciscan friary for the Observantine Franciscans by Donal McCarthy Mor....
- AghadoeAghadoeAghadoe is a large townland overlooking the town and lakes of Killarney in Ireland. Officially it is also a parish, although the parish is larger than the area normally associated with the name. The area is famous for its views of the lakes and islands, including Innisfallen Island...
- Killarney HouseKillarney HouseThe site of Killarney House was chosen by Queen Victoria on her visit to Ireland in 1861. This house was the replacement for Kenmare House as the seat of the Earl of Kenmare....
- Kenmare HouseKenmare HouseKenmare House is located on the shores of Lough Leane and was the principal residence of the Brownes of Killarney, Earls of Kenmare. Sir Valentine Browne and his son, also Valentine Browne, were the first members of the family to settle in Ireland in 1588, the year of the Armada. Sir Valentine...