A lakes cruise is
the ideal way to see the
centerpieces of
Ireland's Killarney
National Park (Pairc
Naisiunta Chill Airne in
Irish/Gaelic).
Killarney Lakes
boat trip
The largest of the
three Lakes of Killarney
is Lough Leane, also
called Loch Lein and
Lower Lake. A short river
joins it to Muckross Lake
(Middle Lake). The Long
Range, an elongated
channel, joins Muckross
Lake to Upper Lake, the
smallest Killarney
Lake.
Ladies View, on the
Ring of Kerry, offers an
elevated view of all
three Killarney Lakes.
Together, these lakes
comprise nearly
one-quarter of the area
of Killarney National
Park, 25,425 acres
(102.89 square
kilometers).
The
O'Connor's Pub
vintage bus, bearing the
sign: Gap of Dunloe &
Lakes of Killarney
Adventure, brings you to
Ross Castle for the start
of your
cruise.
Innisfallen
Abbey
The 6th to
7th-century ruins of
Innisfallen Abbey
overlook Lough Leane.
During the Middle Ages,
many people came to study
at Innisfallen monastery.
"That is why Lough
Leane means Lake of
Learning," explained
Frank Walsh.
The monks left
Innisfallen Island in
1652, after
Cromwell's English
troops captured Ross
Castle and demolished
Innisfallen Abbey.Between
the 11th and 13th
centuries, monk scribes
at the abbey wrote a
Latin and Irish/Gaelic
record of Ireland history
called the Annals of
Innisfallen. (They are
now kept in the Bodleian
Library in Oxford,
England.)
Muckross
Lake
Muckross is the
deepest Killarney Lake,
with a depth of 241 feet
(74 meters).
The three Killarney
Lakes join here, at the
Meeting of the Waters.On
the boat, one can cruised
along the narrow Long
Range Channel to Upper
Lake.
White-tailed
eagles, which were
reintroduced into
Killarney National Park,
can be seen soaring
overhead, Cormorants can
often be seen resting on
the rocks.
Looking up, you can
see Ladies View lookout
on the hills. A trip to
Killarney is not complete
without a trip to the
lakes.
