“We could have been swept away had it not been for the wedding,” a shocked Maurice told The Kerryman.

Maurice Harrington and his wife Joan had a lucky escape last week. Normally they would have been saving turf on the bog but as luck would have it they were attending a wedding in Killarney, and thereby avoided the weekend’s landslide at Maghanknockane, Lyrecrompane.

A local golf club didn’t have such a lucky escape.

One of the major Irish newspapers published a letter today from an Irish tourist who acknowledges the beauty of Killarney

There’s no doubting its unique beauty, especially the hinterland and lakes around the town.

Muckross House, the surrounding gardens and woods, Torc mountain and so on are all exceptionally beautiful and leave a lasting memory.

But then harshly criticizes every other aspect of their visit:

…everywhere we went, except Muckross, we felt ripped off. From cups of coffee, bars, caravan parks etc — they all ripped us off.

In my experience there are always some visitors whose expectations are disappointed when they reach Killarney. That said Ireland is an expensive country and the tourist sector is far from perfect and doesn’t suit all tastes (read what some reviews had to say about Dunloe Castle Hotel). The bottom line is that if the service is bad don’t hesitate to make a formal complaint and if you’re not satisfied with how your complaint is handled then make a public complaint, say on the internet, such as this site for example.

Harking all the way from Montana USA a brewery called ‘Bayern’ has brewed a beer called Killarney Red Lager since 1988 (who knew?). The recipe mixes the best of German brewing tradition with a nod and a wink and a tip of the hat to Killarney.

Killarney’s warm red color distinguished it, and coincidentally or not, a flurry of red Irish beers from some of America’s big brewers hit the market soon after. But Bayern can rightfully claim to have created the first red Irish lager in the states, back in February of 1988. Lucky for Montana.

Now 20 years later, Killarney Red Lager is one of Bayern’s most anticipated seasonals. It is brewed with two-row Harrington pale, carmel, Munich, wheat and German Dunkel malt. The hops are cascade and come from Yakima. Bayern Killarney has an alcohol content of 5.7%

]]> http://killarney-ireland.info/general-info-killarney/killarney-the-beer.html/feed 0 http://killarney-ireland.info/general-info-killarney/killarney-wins-best-kept-town-award.html http://killarney-ireland.info/general-info-killarney/killarney-wins-best-kept-town-award.html#comments Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:00:22 +0000 starling http://killarney-ireland.info/general-info-killarney/killarney-wins-best-kept-town-award.html

This is coming a little late but still worth a mention…back in July 2007 Killarney won a cross-border (i.e. Republic and Northern Ireland) environmental competition to take the title of Ireland’s Best Kept Large Town 2007.

Entrants were subject to strict adjudication criteria that included cleanliness, the outward appearance of buildings, the presentation of roads and public facilities and the natural environment.

Official press release from the Irish Department of the Environment

Moll’s Gap, a traditional Irish band, plays Tell Me Ma at Murphy’s Bar in Killarney, Ireland.

Click to see original photo, courtesy of Katie Mulligan

Killarney National Park took delivery of 15 White Tailed Sea Eagles after an absence of around 100 years.

Ireland lost its last native sea eagle in 1889. The reintroduction program will distribute up to 200 eagle chicks over the next five years, with some 15 arriving this year.

In the 1980s a similar project was carried out in Scotland, and a total of 160 sea eagle chickens were sent. These have seemingly adjusted well to their new environment.

The last birds of the original sea eagle population in Scotland were killed in 1918.

In Norway the sea eagle population has increased since it was protected in 1968, and has now reached more than 2,500 couples.

The sea eagle is Northern Europe’s largest bird, with a wing span of up to 2.4 metres.

Despite some local objections to the program citing threats to livestock and new conservation rules restricting development the first sea eagle chicks will be released in July after a setting in period in Killarney National Park.

The Cork-Swansea (Wales) ferry is closing this year.

Full article here (requires free registration).

Check your travel plans!

In his own words: ‘…my story nights are about a man closing his bar for the last time as he remembers old times and funny events that happened in the bar over the years since his father left him the bar. It is a sad story full of comedy and most people are too busy laughing most of the time to notice how sad it really is … generally i find to my amazement that young and old are caught up in the story from the start—-it is has its fair share of sayings, songs and jokes to keep everyone happy and even though it is billed as a night of storytelling, it is more like a one man irish theatre play.

…Pa also entertains with music and tell jokes at the end of the night “to make sure that people get a bit of everything.” Contact Pa by email: teatheatre@hotmail.com

For those interested in more venues and and storytelling events visit or contact the Seanchaí Literary Centre in Listowel, Kerry (+353 68 22212) where they offer workshops and other resources and events for aspiring writers and lovers of the spoken word.

1. Jaunting Cars
Take a horse-drawn guided tour by the famous lakes and ancient castles. Jaunting Cars are available for hire at the following locations. Choice of destinations offered. Cost (depending on distance): €25- €57 per jaunting car (up to 4 persons). First Entrance to Killarney National Park (1M). Follow N71 for 3 kms. Car park and jaunting car stand on left. Also available from Kate Kearney’s Cottage. Follow R562 for 5 kms. approx. First surfaced road left after Hotel Europe (unmarked road). Bridge over River Laune. Left at Dunloe Castle Hotel. Left at next junction to Kate Kearney’s Cottage.

2. Ross Castle
Ross Castle is 10 minutes by car from Killarney. It started life in the 15th century as a chieftain’s stronghold but has been adapted many times since. It was opened to the public after restoration in 1990. This Castle may be considered a typical example of the stronghold of an Irish Chieftain during the Middle Ages. Probably built in the late 15th century by one of the O’Donoghue Ross chieftains. Much of the bawn was removed by the time the Barrack building was added on the south side of the castle sometime in the middle of the 18th century. The castle contains 16th and 17th century furniture.

Picturesquely sited on the edge of Lough Leane, legend had it that the castle would never be conquered by land. In the 17th century, Cromwellian forces successfully attacked the castle by crossing the lake, fulfilling the prophecy. Modern tour guides offer substantial and interesting historical facts, and provide tours of the restored tower and 17th century dwelling house.

After the tour, take the trip to Innisfallen Island on adjacent Lough Leane. It’s home to a ruined 12th-century Augustinian priory where the Annals of Innisfallen, a chronicle of early Irish history, were written. It’s one of the most serene places you’re ever likely to visit. You can take a motor launch but it’s much nicer to row. Ross Castle is open daily (closed November-March) with guided tours every half hour for £3. One-hour water bus tours of the lake, including Innisfallen, cost £5. Rowing boat hire to Innisfallen (two-hour/three-mile round trip) costs £5 an hour.

3. McSorley’s pub.
Probably the most lively place in Killarney, at night at least. Frequent live music with some of the best bands playing during summer months. No cover charge. Great reputation. For the young at heart. Drinking and loudness involved.

4. Muckross House
The focal point of Killarney’s Middle Lake is Muckross House and Gardens. Built for the Herbert family in 1843, the 20-room mansion hosted a royal visit by Queen Victoria in 1861 and many of the items on display date from that occasion. The extensive gardens, famous for their giant rhododendrons, offer panoramic views over the lake and include a 17-acre arboretum. The adjoining Muckross Traditional Farms recreate rural Ireland as it was in the 1930s, with three separate working farms complete with shire horses, donkeys, geese, chickens and traditional farm machinery. Muckross House and Gardens/Muckross Traditional Farms (00 353 64 31440, www.muckross-house.ie). Open daily 9am-7pm. Farms closed November-mid-March, £4, joint ticket £6.

5. Golf
With its world famous golf courses including Killeen and O’Mahony’s Point, Killarney truly is a Golfer’s paradise. Other famous Kerry courses such as Ballybunion, Ring of Kerry, Kenmare, Dooks and Tralee are all within a short drive of Killarney.

6. Walking/Cycle
Killarney National Park is a walker’s and cyclist’s paradise. There are numerous options but try the four-hour/10-mile circumnavigation of Middle Lake. From the ruins of Muckross Abbey, follow Lover’s Walk by the lake shore to the Muckross Peninsula, then along the Arthur Young Trail through one of the largest natural Yew woods in Europe. Keep on to Brikeen Bridge and Dinis Island on the far shore of the lake, returning via Toothache Bridge and Torc Waterfall. £7 for a day’s cycle hire from O’Sullivan’s Cycles, Bishop’s Lane, New Street, Killarney, Co Kerry (00 353 64 31282).

7. Murphy’s Ice Cream, 37 Main Street
Award-winning ice-cream, teas and coffees, chocolates, bakery and other indulgences. Described by ‘Let’s go Ireland’ as “The only cappuccino worthy of the name for 100 miles” and by the Sunday Independent as “The most sinful cakes”. Need i say more?

8. Go to an irish sport event and find out what drives half the population of Ireland (mad). A good place to start is the website of the local Gaelic Athletics Association. Amateur, passionate, popular and a great way to meet locals and understand the culture.

9. Go to Sunday morning Mass. Even if you’re not Catholic its a great way to see and meet locals but above all observe one of the traditions that reveals most about Ireland.

10. Get lost – a personal favorite. Lower your expectations, take a packed lunch, get off the beaten track, take random roads based on their invitingness, stop in the nicest pub around lunchtime, have a pint and a bite to eat, continue and repeat. tip: conentrate on roads that take you up mountains; there are a hundred views around Killarney each just as worthwhile as the famous ‘Ladies View‘. Anyone lacking inspiration should turn left at Molly Darcy’s pub on the Muckross road and visit the ‘blue pool’, a lesser known lake with special qualities, and a little bit of paradise.

Now here’s a nugget of information to be enjoyed by all. If Guinness isn’t your tipple then look at it as the best pubs of Killarney.

Legend has it that the following serve famous pints (in no particular order, yet):

- The Climbers Inn, Glencar

- Mo’s Pub

- Murphy’s on College Street

‘Research’ continues, more pints and pubs to follow
Leave a comment below with your favorite pints in Killarney. Free pint for the best comment.