The distinctive combination of mountains, lakes, woods, and waterfalls gives Killarney National Park, the first national park in Ireland, a special scenic beauty. The park is located less than five miles southwest of the town of Killarney in southwest Ireland, close to the island’s most westerly point. It is also part of the famous Ring of Kerry.
Killarney National Park contains many features of national and international importance such as the native oakwoods and yew woods together with an abundance of evergreen trees and shrubs and a profusion of mosses, algae, and fungi which thrive in the mild Killarney climate. The native red deer are unique in Ireland with a presence in the country since the last Ice Age. Visitors to the park will want to check out Lough Leane, the largest of the Killarney lakes. This lake contains over 30 islands.
Killarney National Park was designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1981 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), part of a world network of natural areas that have conservation, research, education, and training as major objectives.
Visitor Center Address: Killarney National Park Muckross Road, Killarney, V93 HE3C Ireland
Coordinates: 52.056831, -9.508254
