Waking up in the morning, we noticed that a cycling event took place around the Ring of Kerry, with about 4,000 cyclists, passing our parking for the night. Luckily, they were driving in the opposite direction, so that we had no problem to drive the last part until we came to Killarney. After we did our laundry at a self-service launderette, we made our way to Muckross House, while the first cyclists were already reaching the finish in Killarney.
Muckross House was built in the Tudor style from 1839 until 1843 by the Herbert family. Extensive improvements were undertaken in the 1850s in preparation for the visit of Queen Victoria in 1861. It is said that these improvements for the Queen’s visit were a contributory factor in the financial difficulties which resulted in the sale of the estate. In 1899, it was bought by Arthur Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun, who wanted to preserve the dramatic landscape. He did not live in the house, but rented it out to wealthy groups as a hunting lodge.
In August 1911, not long before the First World War, Muckross House was sold to William Bowers Bourn, a wealthy Californian mining magnate. He and his wife passed it to their daughter Maud and her husband Arthur Rose Vincent as a wedding present. The couple lived there until Maud’s death from pneumonia in 1929.
In 1932 her parents and their son-in-law Arthur Vincent decided to present Muckross House and its 6,600 hectare estate to the Irish nation. It thus became the first National Park in the Republic of Ireland and formed the basis of present-day Killarney National Park. In later years, the park was substantially expanded by the acquisition of land from the former Earl of Kenmare’s estate.
Muckross House was a complete different story than the privately owned Bantry House we had visited before. The House is perfectly conserved as a museum, nevertheless giving a great image of the life of the upper class at the beginning of the 20th century.
These huge animals were the largest deer that ever lived, extinct since 10,000 years,
but their antlers are still to be found in the bogs of Ireland.
From Muckross we made our way back through Killarney, where still cyclist arrived at the finish line, and to the Gap of Dunloe. There is a road through the beautiful valley, which is not recommended but still travelled by cars, but with our big camper we used the parking at Kate Kearney’s Cottage and hiked from there. We didn’t go all the way, but enjoyed the first lakes and turned around.
At the pub next to the parking, a band played, and we enjoyed the sun and a Guinness while listening to the music.
We had the idea, to find a parking at the coast to enjoy the sun a little bit more, but when we arrived at the beautiful Inch Beach, the clouds had closed in and were hanging low, it was windy and drizzling – this is Ireland!
Tomorrow we will explore Dingle Peninsula – as every day, we hope that the weather will cooperate!