Killarney National Park

Killarney National Park is the first national park in Ireland, in County Kerry in the southwest of the country near the town of Killarney. It was established in 1932 when the Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish Free State, and has since expanded from its original 43 square kilometers to about 103 square kilometers. The park holds the Lakes of Killarney, three interlinked lakes, along with oak and yew woodlands of international importance and mountain peaks including Mangerton, Torc, Shehy and the Purple Mountains. It is home to the only red deer herd on mainland Ireland and contains the most extensive native forest remaining in the country. The park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1981, and is also a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area, managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of Ireland.