Attractions and Places To See around Lough Leane - Top 9

Be surprised at how the Celts traded copper all throughout Europe and even to Africa

A beautiful waterfall, a little hidden :-)

We really enjoyed visiting Ross Castle in Killarney. This castle is particularly impressive from the outside and the surroundings with the beautiful lake are just totally romantic. I personally didn't find the interior that spectacular, but once you've had a look around the castle you'll be rewarded with a fantastic view at the top!

The hike to O'Sullivan's Cascade feels like a little journey into another time. Hidden deep in Tomies Wood, the waterfall flows down several steps into the green depths. The path there leads through dense oak forest, which immediately captivates you. As soon as you have taken the first steps, you are surrounded by the calming sound of water and the rustling of leaves - an almost magical atmosphere. What I particularly liked: O'Sullivan's Cascade is often quieter and less crowded than the famous Torc waterfall. It is even said that whisky once cascaded down the rocks, or so the legend goes. But today it is pure, crystal-clear water that makes its way through the moss, creating small rainbows in the spray. Plan a short break right by the waterfall. There is something calming about the place, and the light that falls through the trees transforms the surroundings into a true natural painting. The path is a bit rocky in some places, but the view and the silence are definitely worth it.

nice spot to have a break

Absolutely worth seeing place - a beautiful area.

The house tower with its outer wall and corner towers, of which the remains of two are still there, was built in the 15th century. Many of these "tower houses" were built in Ireland during this period. The one at Ross Castle was restored as authentically as possible by the Irish state with great attention to detail and is therefore considered a special feature. Inside there is old furniture from other places, but it could have been there too. You can only visit the inside of the tower with a guided tour and photos are not allowed. I cannot understand the reasons for this, but the owner of the house decides. Taking part in a guided tour is highly recommended. Among other things, you learn why the spiral staircases run clockwise and what this has to do with the demonization of left-handed people, which lasted well into the 20th century. From the outside you can see the renovations in the 17th and especially the 18th century, when the castle was converted into a barracks. After the victory over Napoleon, this barracks also lost importance, as a French invasion was no longer the biggest concern. The property was returned to the owner family. They had naturally made their homes comfortable elsewhere in the meantime, and a medieval dwelling is anything but comfortable. In the 19th century, the castle was romanticized in keeping with the spirit of the times, without considering the history of the buildings. A British-Irish peculiarity is the roof tax. The owner had the roof removed for this reason. Otherwise he would have had to pay taxes for an unused second home. The renovations and the missing roof caused the tower in particular to fall into disrepair. Until people remembered the cultural heritage and restored it.

The path leads past the mine, where copper was first mined in Ireland. This was in the Bronze Age from 2400 to 1800 BC. A detour along a trail near the information board about the 19th century copper mine takes you to one of the vertical shafts. To the east you can still see the dam that was built into the lake to create the shafts that led to the copper deposits. Three information boards tell the history of the places.