Welcome
To the e-travelguide to Hotels, guest houses
and attractions in Killarney
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time in Killarney, use the information provided
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Located in County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland, Killarney boats one of the most spectacular natural settings in all of Ireland and, as a result, is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. First settled around 2000 BC, it was not until the defeat of the ruling O'Donoghue and MacCarthy's chieftains by the English that Killarney began to grow. Most of their lands were awarded to Sir Vincent Browne, whose descendants would inherit the title of Earls of Kenmare. English settlers were given land around modern Killarney, while a Cromwellian military post was established at Ross Castle. From here English soldiers carried a campaign of pacification, executing Catholic ‘revolutionaries’ wherever they found them. Among the victims of this pogrom were the poet Piaras Ferriter, to whom the Speir Bhean Monument is dedicated, and Father Thaddeus Moriarty for saying mass. But it was not until 1750 that Viscount Kenmare took advantage of Killarney’s great natural beauty to transform the then small market town into a tourist destination. Heavy investment was put into roads, boating facilities and long-leases for inn’s to accommodate growing numbers of visitors.
As the town continued to grow a number of grand buildings were constructed in Killarney, such as St Mary’s Cathedral, Muckross House, the Presentation Convent and Knockreer Estate. Following a brief interlude during the Potato Famine, Killarney once again began to grow in size and prosperity, even attracting Queen Victoria on a visit in 1861, giving Killarney international exposure. Today Killarney remains one of Ireland’s premier tourist destinations, with tourism representing the town’s largest industry. Excluding the capital Dublin, there are more hotel beds in Killarney than any other Irish town, underling the enduring popularity of this small but beautiful Irish town.
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