Killarney Travel Guide

Killarney maintains a holiday mood throughout the year. Attractions remain open, there are festivals for every season, and nightlife is always upbeat. No matter what your age or taste, Killarney provides a plethora of options. Street entertainment, sporting events, theatre, museums, art galleries, children's attractions and lively nightclubs cater for a wide variety of interests.

Festivals

A large number of street artists and buskers make their way to Killarney. Many stay a few days as they travel around the country, while others are long-term residents. This makes for a great mix at the Market Square as artists vie for the crowd's attention. During the summer, the town centre is pedestrianized from 7p-8a. The quiet streets provide a perfect entertainment forum as onlookers spill out of pubs, restaurants, and ice cream parlors to enjoy the atmosphere. Street entertainment also plays a big part in the numerous festivals held in the Killarney region. The most popular include the Guinness Roaring 1920s Festival and Celtic Music Weekend. The oldest festival in Europe, Puck Fair, crowns a wild goat king and launches three days of merrymaking in his honor.

Those with an interest in equine affairs will enjoy the bi-annual horse racing at the Killarney Races. Even if you don't place a wager, it is worth going to savor the atmosphere. High fashion rules on Ladies Day when women with extraordinary hats compete for prizes. Just as exciting, but more down to earth, are the Rossbeigh Races. Maintaining an age-old tradition, horses race on the beach at low tide with the crowd scattering at their approach. If motorized transport is more to your liking, however, Killarney hosts a number of rallies. Each May, the town is alive with the sound of revving engines and squealing brakes as the Rally of the Lakes roars around the narrow mountain roads. More sedate are the various vintage rallies. The Olde Machinery Rally and Fancy Dress Classic Car Rally are held each Easter, while specialist car rallies are held throughout the year.

Killarney town is surrounded by lakes and rivers and water sports are naturally popular. The colorful Killarney Regatta offers the perfect combination of nail-biting excitement and relaxation. Natives and visitors alike pack a picnic, grab a square of grass, and cheer on their favourites from the lakeshore. Numerous fishing competitions are held in the region, including the Cahersiveen International Angling Competition. If you prefer to fish without pressure, you could always hire a boat complete with gillie for a Fishing Trip on the Lakes.

The Arts

If all this seems too taxing, a trip to the theatre may be just what you need. The Dochas Drama Group produces up to two fine plays each year, while the Killarney Musical Society concentrates on one full scale musical. Both are amateur, non-profit organizations. The National Events Centre at the Gleneagle Hotel hosts a professional music and dance production with a Celtic flavour during the summer months. Killarney Manor Banquet offers dinner theatre with a difference. Held in a historic building, guests are served dinner and entertained by costumed actors in the Old Irish manor house tradition.

Museums and art galleries offer the opportunity for educational enrichment. The Museum of Irish Transport has a fascinating collection of vintage vehicles with an Irish connection. The Kerry Bog Village is a living museum that gives insight into times past, while Traditional Farms at Muckross House displays furniture and objects in a period setting. The Kenmare Heritage Centre provides detailed information with a local focus. There is a large community of artists in the region and several galleries display their work. The renowned Frank Lewis Gallery features local artists on a regular basis. Cunningham's Art Gallery provides a retail outlet for the Kerry School of Art. Dermot McCarthy and The Artist Gallery combine studios with commercial sales. In Sneem,The Way the Fairies Went leads the visitor through the village's interesting collection of sculpture.

Children

Children's interests are well catered for too. Cappanalea Outdoor Education Centre provides instruction in a wide variety of outdoor sports for all age groups. Gleninchaquin Park is a good place to appreciate nature while burning off some energy. Children can get up close and personal with numerous farm animals at Kennedy's Open Farm. Not as close perhaps, but just as thrilling are the wild seals and dolphins viewed on Seafari Cruises. The perfect answer to a rainy day is found at Killarney Model Railway. Here, Europe is displayed in miniature with tiny trains racing around famous sights. Killarney Cineplex is another option. Matinees are discounted throughout the week and the children's CineClub offers children's films at rock bottom admissions on Saturday and Sunday.

Nightclubs

Killarney becomes adult-only after 8p when the atmosphere changes to serious socializing. Although much of the town's nightlife centres around its vast array of pubs, clubs take over as the night wears on. During the summer, most clubs are open seven nights per week. The Danny Mann Pub features ballad singing and nights of dancing. The Grand Hotel has a popular club that features live bands catering for people in their mid-twenties. Admission is free before 10:30p. For those who like traditional dance steps, Darby O'Gills has set dancing several nights a week.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 366