Killarney - History & Heritage

Did you know that Muckross literally means 'the pleasant place of swine'? Or that the poet Percy B. Shelly thought the Arbutus Islands of Killarney superior to Lake Como of Italy?

The scenery of Killarney has enraptured many people for centuries but despite the popular perception of a crowded, commercialised tourist destination, the town and the beautiful landscape around it have a rich and varied history and heritage. This lavishly illustrated book traces Killarney's history through a series of specially-commissioned essays.

All aspects of Killarney's growth and development are examined from its industrial heritage - the first metalworkers and Ross Island mine evolved from early prehistoric human settlements - to its spiritual awakening - Inishfallen was known as the island of churches.

The mythical and romantic associations of the town are acknowledged with an examination of the lake legends of Loch Leain and references made to the romantic poets who visited and stayed in Killarney - William Wordsworth, Alfred Lord Tennyson (whose poem The Splendour Falls was inspired by Ross Castle) and Sir Walter Scott. Find out about the O'Donoghue's of Ross Castle, the Browne family of Ross Castle and Killarney House and the Herberts of Muckross House - Queen Victoria deemed them worthy of a visit in 1861!

Thomas Browne hoped to make the 'miserable village' of Killarney into the 'cheapest and best market in the country' and he is acknowledged as the first developer of the town.

Is the successful tourist industry his legacy? Further chapters look at folklore, sporting history, architecture and film.

Killarney - History & Heritage is an enjoyable, informative read for the general and more serious reader alike.