I must admit. I'm always a bit skeptical about big historical houses. Been in one; been in them all. But Muckross house, built in the years 1839-43, is a really spectacular place. The original owners held over 11,000 acres around the mansion. The property was subsequently bought by wealthy Californians who gave it as a wedding present to their daughter and her husband, an Irish legislator. After the woman's death in approximately 1926, the family donated the house and land to the Irish government and the property holdings were increased to 25,000 acres, forming Killarney National Park. It's just an amazingly gorgeous combination of lakes, mountains, and forest. In addition to the great house, there's a derelict abbey, a large farming exhibition, miles and miles of trails through the forest, and horse stables. We spent our entire day there, walking over 8 miles in total, and we were surprised that our interest was held for so long.
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| The Abbey |
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| Muckross House |
