Ireland Trip - Killarney Day 2 (Killarney National Park)

On Saturday morning we headed off to Killarney National Park, which is almost beside Killarney. The weather was showery. The ruins of Muckross Abbey are really in a remarkable state, and it is possible to walk around inside them, and even go up the stairwells to the upper floor. It was founded in 1448 as a Franciscan Friary, and some of the memorials inside the abbey can still be read. It seems that the graveyard outside is still being used. A bit further along was the pretty 18m high Torc Waterfall. At both sites were 'jaunties', men with horse-carts to take people for rides, but we weren't interested. Darryl went on the red Torc Mountain walk, and of course, completed it in far less time than the sign mentioned. Further along the road was Dinis Cottage (now a tea house), close to the Meeting of the Waters, and The Old Weir Bridge, and another we didn't know the name of. The lakes here were Lough Leane & Muckross Lake. Even further along was Upper Lake and a nice view called Ladies View. This road was really narrow, and, at one stage their was a short tunnel which was really only one-way! We had dinner in town, at a rather strange place that had a cooking school, and a delicatessan. I tried a Stonewell Tobairin Irish Craft Cider, which was delicious. Later, as I didn't have internet in the room I went downstairs at the Travel Inn, and enjoyed their Irish Music in the bar.