Retake the City: Killarney

by Alex in Ireland, Retake the City

For our first 6 months in Ireland, we were living and working in Killarney, in County Kerry. Killarney is a small town but a major tourist hub for the south-west of Ireland, mostly because it's the start & end point for the Ring of Kerry.

We've already shared some of our more memorable experiences around town (including its deeply spooky side), but it would be remiss of us as travel bloggers to spend so much time in such a popular tourist town without giving you guys a bit more of a guide to the town and some of the surrounding area.

Eat

With such a massive tourist trade, there are a lot of options to eat out in Killarney. Since we were trying to keep our costs down we tended to stick to the cheaper restaurants and takeaways in town (but they were still awesome).

Caragh Restaurant: Really good food, really generous portions, friendly atmosphere. When I say really good food, I mean REALLY good. I'm still having dreams about that steak and peppercorn sauce. It's a traditional Irish menu, which means that it's great for travellers, and also tends to prove quite popular with locals too. Mains could conservatively be called 'enormous', with a side of potatoes and veges, and most of them for around €10-15. Just a quick word of warning, though - it's the restaurant of choice for a lot of the big tour buses that stop in Killarney, so you might need to book a table.

Quinlan's: Hands-down the best fish and chip shop in all of the British Isles, second only to one that we found in some dinky, out-of-the-way town in New Zealand that I can't even remember the name of. These guys started out as fisherman with a few outlets where you could buy their fish directly - but in Killarney they tried a dine-in/takeaway and damn it's good! They have chowder and shrimp sandwiches and such, but if you ask me, there's no need to look any further than the fish goujons - bite sized pieces of fresh cod, chips and a coke. More than enough food to feed both Tash and I, and for only around €10.

If you're after something a bit more upmarket, Treyvaud's is a small, fancy restaurant about halfway up High Street. The menu has a combination of modern and traditional Irish classics, like an absoutely gorgeous Beef and Guinness stew, or the roasted Guinea Fowl in a mushroom cream sauce. The food is a bit more expensive, at around €20-25 for most mains, but it's absolutely worth it for a special occasion. In the interest of full disclosure, the family that runs this family-run restaurant are related to my family, but trust me - the food more than earns its recommendation regardless.

Ireland's very own Willy Wonka!

While not technically a restaurant (sorry, Tash!), I also have to mention Granda Charlie's Auld Sweetshop on Main Street. This place is... just amazing. It's like a miniature Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, complete with moving shelves, a hidden staircase and even a (cardboard) Oompa Loompa! The owner, Niall, is one of the nicest guys we met while we were in Killarney, and he always takes very very good care of the people who come into his store. It may sound like hyperbole, but literally every single person that we sent in there came back with a smile on their face.

Stay

While there are a ridiculous amount of hotels - there are only three main hostels in Killarney town - Neptunes, Paddy's Palace and Railway. There is also a fourth, Sugan, but they are so small that I actually didn't know they were there until the day we left.

Neptunes: The largest hostel in town. Around 150 beds, decently priced at 12-20 Euros per night. The staff are really friendly, they have a 24 hour reception and free breakfast. The hostel can be a bit hard to find, as it is up a small laneway just off New Street. We had plenty of people knocking on our door with bookings for Neptunes, so if you get lost, take solace in the fact that you're not alone.

Paddy's Palace: It feels a bit weird to write about Paddy's Palace considering we lived and worked there - like I have some inherent bias that conflicts with my journalistic integrity (ha!). But nonetheless, here goes. Paddy's is the smallest place in town (Sugan notwithstanding) with only 35 beds, so it fills up quickly. Being so small does mean that it tends to be a bit quieter than the large party hostels in other cities, though. The beds are comfy, even if the building does need some updating, and Paddy's Palace is (deliberately) the cheapest hostel in Killarney, with dorm beds ranging from 9-14 euros per night.

Railway Hostel: While we never went in there personally, all we have ever heard from people who have stayed at Railway are horror stories. By all accounts, the staff are surly and rude, the rooms and crowded and uncomfortable, and the building is dirty and in need of repairs. We had more than one group switching hostels one night into their stay, saying that the 8-bed dorms they were in should only have fit 4 people, in a mouldy windowless room with only a broken skylight for fresh air. In short, I would probably say avoid Railway Hostel.

If you do arrive in Killarney without a reservation and the hostels are all full, don't despair. Along the Muckross Road heading south, there are a multitude of B&Bs - and many of the town's pubs will also offer accomodation. Just remember - Killarney has the most hotel beds of any city in Ireland, up to and including Dublin. I'm sure you'll be able to find something (even if it's not the cheapest).

Get around

Honestly, as far as Killarney City goes, getting around is pretty simple. Here's how you get around Killarney: You walk. The city is only about a 10 minute walk from on side to the other, and it's all completely flat. The only thing you could possibly need to worry about would be being run off the footpath into traffic by pushy tourists - which, to be fair, doesn't happen that often.

For just out of town local sites such as Muckross House, Torc Waterfall, the Gap of Dunloe and Adghadoe Heights - you have three main options - Jaunting Car, Bike Hire or Bus.

Jaunting Cars or Horse and Cart is a fun local option, generally priced at approximately €20 per person. Be aware, though, that there are some concerns about the welfare of the horses involved. If you are interested regardless - jaunting cars leave from town at the big roundabout on East Ave, and from Ross Castle, Muckross House and the Gap of Dunloe. 

Bikes can be hired at many points around town. They all tend to have a standard price - €15 per day (sometimes discounted if you have a student card). I recommend O'Sullivans Cycles, who have a few different locations around town. They have the best range but also have the best attitudes and are full of helpful advice. 

The Killarney Shuttle bus is a private service that acts like most public buses would - literally shuttling you between Killarney on two lines - the Gap of Dunloe line or the Muckross/Torc line. It is the cheapest option with day tickets at €5 for 16-25's and €10 for over 25's. Both lines leave from the Tourist Office half hourly.

There is also the Killarney Heritage Trail bus, a hop-on hop-off option, which runs in a loop from Killarney, out to Muckross House, Torc Waterfall, up to Aghadoe Heights and then back into town. A three day ticket is €15, and they come with some local boys giving a live commentary explaining interesting stuff around the area. Also, Tash has instructed me to point out that the boys who give the commentary are very cute - if that's a selling point for you, there it is. If you are looking into this option, be careful - there is a second big red bus tour, called the Big Red Bus Tour. This tour is more expensive, makes less stops and by all accounts the staff are quite rude. Try and avoid this one if you can.

See

Ross Castle: This castle is located close to town in the Killarney National Park. It is a quick hour walk from either end of town and easily the most accessible landmark to town. The castle itself has a €4 entrance fee - although in 6 months I don't think we ever actually made it inside. The exterior is the main focal point, sitting alongside Lough Leane.

Muckross House: This old rambling mansion was built in 1843, and is most known in the area for being the house that Queen Victoria almost bought. The story goes that the Queen visited Muckross with the intent of buying the House, and after staying a single night - immediately left Killarney. Not the most endearing story, granted - but kinda hilarious. And like Ross Castle, the exterior of the building and the grounds are really beautiful and worth the look (and free). If you do want to get a peek inside it'll cost you €7.50 for a guided tour.

Muckross Abbey: Situated about a mile from Muckross House, this beautiful dilapidated building was once a Franciscan Friary founded in 1448. It is maybe my favourite ruin in all of Ireland - a maze of walls and celtic crosses and trees growing from rectories, with a sprawling adjacent cemetery. There is also no fee for entry - just a respectful demeanor worthy of the ruin and its history.

The Gap of Dunloe: The Gap is a gorgeously pretty pass through the mountains, and there are plenty of ways to see it. You can do it by car, by foot, by bike, in a horse-drawn cart, basically any way you choose. While it's sometimes overlooked in favour of the Ring of Kerry or Ladies View, I personally think it's the best route to take to see the lakes and the far side of the National Park.

Ring of Kerry: The somewhat iconic route around the Kerry peninsula. The route goes through several small towns with varying levels of quaintness and charm, including a small detour to Valentia Island if you choose. Particularly during high season, almost anybody with a minivan will offer day trips of the Ring, so you have your pick of companies. This does mean, however, that the route can become clogged with tour buses and be very crowded. If you decide on self-drive- make sure you drive in a clockwise loop. This is purely for safety as some of the roads are awfully thin and its best to drive the same direction as the large coaches, then to try and pass them on a rocky corner.

As an alternative, you can find day trips to the Dingle Peninsula. While still well-traversed, the Dingle peninsula attracts a lot fewer tourists, which I think is a shame, because I think it's actually a better trip than the Ring. There are fewer stops and less distance to cover, which means that you get to have a bit more time at each place, rather than being shuffled from one photo opportunity to the next. Less companies offer this tour, though, so it may be a bit harder to book - particularly during the winter months.

Just one last thing to add: since Killarney runs so substantially on tourism, half of the town completely shuts down during the off-season. As such, if you're visiting during winter, some of these businesses may not be open full-time, or even at all. Don't despair, though - all of the natural beauty surrounding the town is still there, and you may even find the rates of the companies that do stay open are discounted for the winter.

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