national parks ireland

The word Burren derives its name from Boireann, which means 'rocky land' in Gaelic - an apt name for this vast limestone plateau in northwest County Clare.
In the 1640's Cromwell's surveyor described it as 'a savage land, yielding neither water enough to drown a man nor tree to hang him, nor soil enough to bury'.
Few trees manage to grow in this desolate place, yet other plants thrive. The Burren is a unique botanical environment in which Mediterranean and alpine...

Galway County Council and Galway Corporation jointly purchased sixty hectares of land at Renville, Oranmore for development as an amenity park. The park is located at the eastern end of Galway Bay affording some beautiful views over the Bay and the surrounding area. It is approximately eight miles from Galway City by road and contains a castle, a gate lodge, a medieval tower house, estate farmyard, pasture and woodland. A number of walking routes have been constructed throughout the estate and...

Here within a late 19th century setting in a rugged and remote mountain valley, Henry Mc Ilhenny from Philadelphia created one of the most celebrated gardens in Ireland.
Woodland gardens and pleasure grounds, an Italian terrace with antique sculpture and terracotta pots, all these different themes have been skillfully interwoven against the wild and beautiful Donegal landscape.
Glenveagh National Park Visitor Centre, which is located at the end of Lough Veagh near the edge of...

Listed among the top tourist attractions in Ireland, situated in the heart of the beautiful Killarney National Park and found close to the shore of Killarney’s lower lake is Muckross House, one of Ireland's largest stately homes.

Built in 1843, Muckross House was the epitome of a typical 17th century mansion. Then in preparation for Queen Victoria’s visit in 1861, some elaborate renovations were made, making the house the wonderful spectacle that it is today.
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Welcome to Killarney National Park, Ireland's first National Park opened in 1932. The park is situated in south-west Ireland, close to the most westerly point in Europe, and it covers over 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares) of mountain, moorland, woodland, waterways, parks and gardens....

The Wicklow Mountains National Park initially covered an area of 3,700 hectares centred on Glendalough, but has been considerably extended since and now covers an area of close to 20,000 hectares, including the internationally important Liffey Head Bog. The main park visitor facilities and Education Centre are still located in the Glendalough Valley.
The Park includes the beautiful Upper Lake at Glendalough and most of the glaciated valley in which it lies. It's famous for its woodlands...

This new visitor centre is now open to the public - 7 days a week for August and September and it will be open 5 days a week for October.  It will close for Winter and will re-open in Spring 2010 with dates yet to be confirmed.

ADMISSION IS FREE!!!

The Visitor Centre houses and interpretative exhibition for the landscape, habitats and species of the National Park as well as information on the surrounding area.

There is a short nature trail...