Page 340 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Estate, donated to the (%064-663 0804; www. case, every step of which
state by Arthur Bourn muckross-house.ie; adult/child is a different height in
Vincent in 1932. Muck- €9/6, incl Muckross House order to break an at-
ross House (%064-667 €15/10.50; h10am-6pm Jun- tacker’s stride. Access is
0144; www.muckross-house. Aug, 1-6pm May & Sep, 1-6pm by guided tour only.
ie; adult/child €9/6, incl Sat & Sun Apr & Oct). These You can hire boats
Muckross Traditional Farms reproductions of 1930s (around €5) from Ross
€15/10.50; h9am-7pm Jul & Kerry farms, complete Castle to row out to
Aug, to 5.30pm Sep-Jun; p) is with chickens, pigs, cat- Inisfallen, the largest
a 19th-century mansion, tle and horses, re-create of Killarney National
restored to its former farming and living condi- Park’s 26 islands. The
glory and packed with tions when people had to first monastery on
period fittings. Entrance live off the land. Inisfallen is said to have
is by guided tour. The Drive » Continuing a been founded by St
The beautiful gardens further 2km north through the Finian the Leper in the
slope down, and a block national park brings you to 7th century. The island’s
behind the house con- historic Ross Castle. fame dates from the early
tains a restaurant, craft 13th century when the
shop and studios where Annals of Inisfallen were
you can see potters, c Ross Castle written here. Now in the
IRELAND 24 RING OF KERRY
weavers and bookbinders Restored by Dúchas, Bodleian Library at Ox-
at work. Jaunting cars Ross Castle (%064-663 ford, they remain a vital
wait to run you through 5851; www.heritageireland. source of information on
deer parks and woodland ie; Ross Rd; adult/child €4/2; early Munster history.
to Torc Waterfall and h9.30am-5.45pm early Inisfallen shelters the
Muckross Abbey (about Mar-Oct; p) dates back to ruins of a 12th-century
€20 each, return; hag- the 15th century, when oratory with a carved Ro-
gling can reap discounts). it was a residence of the manesque doorway and a
The visitor centre has an O’Donoghues. It was the monastery on the site of
excellent cafe. last place in Munster to St Finian’s original.
Adjacent to Muckross succumb to Cromwell’s
House are the Muck- forces, thanks partly to The Drive » It’s just 3km
north from Ross Castle back to
ross Traditional Farms its cunning spiral stair- Killarney.

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