MUCKROSS HOUSE (GARDENS & TRADITIONAL FARMS)

In the heart of Killarney National Park, this superb^19th-century Victorian manor house is now a museum. As its owners bequeathed it to the state in 1932, we begin with a tour of the house as they lived in it (for over 200 years). The furnishings are quite interesting, particularly those in the dining room and library, both of which are large rooms with beautiful views of the lake and gardens. On the first floor, several rooms, devoted to the instruments of various old trades, form a museum of Popular Arts and Traditions. On display are the tools of the shoemaker, the carpenter, the weaver and the printer. As for the farms, they present the rural Ireland of the past, with actors playing the roles of farmers and their wives.

The magnificent gardens of Muckross, where rhododendrons thrive, were redesigned for the visit of Queen Victoria in 1861 according to the rules of English gardens of the time. The horse-drawn carriage ride along the shores of Muckross Lake is truly fantastic!

Muckross House also serves as the Visitor's Centre, open daily from 9am to 5.30pm and until 7pm in July and August (free admission). The center provides visitors with information on various aspects of the park, maps with suggested routes through it, and introduces the different animal species that live there. A short film presenting the park is also available.