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I've visited Ross Castle twice now - once in 2017 and once today - and it is just as beautiful now as it was then. The castle itself dates back to the 15th century but has been renovated a couple of times since then, most recently in the 1980s and 90s. There is a guided tour that runs frequently throughout the day, it's €5 per person (cash or card) and runs about 30 minutes. It's very much worth it! You can't take pictures inside the castle but you can outside. The castle is about a 30-40 minute walk from the Killarney town centre. You can pay €20 per person per way for a jaunting car ride to the castle, but I preferred to walk there and get a ride back since it started to rain. Our guide's name was Noreen and she was very knowledgeable about the castle's history. She was able to answer all of the questions that our group had. If you have some time and cash, I also highly recommend getting a boat ride to Innisfallen Island. The boats depart from the castle and it's about a 20 minute boat ride through the lake to the island. You'll then get 30 minutes to explore the island on your own. There is a monastery ruins there that dates back to the 11th century and the grounds are absolutely beautiful. They are so peaceful and you'll likely encounter some deer.
I didn't go inside this castle but it was a nice stop just to take pictures from the outside. There surrounding canal with canoes was cute as well.
Our tour group took jaunting cars (horse drawn buggies) from our hotel, through the national park, and ended up at Ross Castle. The scenery around Ross Castle is absolutely gorgeous. The ruins are right on the water, and everywhere you looked was a picture waiting to happen. It's not a large area, so it doesn't take long to explore, but it's so picturesque it's definitely worth it. Our group happen to see a red deer cross under the bridge to get to the castle, and then start grazing in front of the area, so it just added a little extra to our experience.
Beautiful from the water of the shire! There is plenty of parking, many trails and yiu can pay to enter. The grounds are no charge. Boats are extra. There is a food stand and bathrooms ... oh and picnic table area. Many jaunting carts leave from here as well.
Ross Castle is steep in Irish history and since it's in the middle of a national park, you can visit for free. Or you can choose to book a trip with Killarney Tours. €32 per person gets you a ride in a "jaunting car" (a horse carriage) from the Killarney City Centre, and also a boat ride around Lough Leane. It's about a 40 minute carriage ride from the City Centre through the national park, and a little more than an hour cruise to tour the lough. The carriage ride takes you from the city, and straight into the wooded areas of the beautiful national park. Very awesome views on this ride and the carriage driver had a lot of history about the castle, and interesting anecdotes to share. After I arrived at the castle, I had time to explore for a bit before boarding the boat ride to tour the lough. The captain was also a wonderful tour guide and had plenty of stories about the history of the Ross Castle, as well as the history of the land around the lough. Plenty of gorgeous mountain scenery to take in on the boat tour. If you do only one thing, I highly recommend the boat tour. The scenery is spectacular. Most of the outer walls of the castle still stand, but there's not a lot of interior areas to tour. If you book through Killarney Tours, they will also shuttle you back to your hotel after the boat tour. BUT, they don't rush you. They allow you plenty of time to take a self guided tour of the Ross Castle before you leave. Killarney Tours info can be found here: http://www.killarneylaketours.ie/choose-a-tour/combination-tour.html
We arrived at Ross Castle by boat. It looked gorgeous from across the water. The first thing that I learned was that it was built in the late 15th century and is surprisingly in good shape. Like most properties it changed ownership several times and is currently privately owned and operated by the Office of Public Works. The castle is surrounded by a wall and has two towers. There are five floors with each one having a specific use. They offer guided tours or you can just mosey around the property on your own. There is at least one resident cat on the property that took the time to properly greet us. It was not my most favorite of all the castles that we visited by it is worthy of your time. Legend tells us that the original owner (O'Donoghue) is in a deep sleep under the waters of Lough Leane. It is said that O'Donoghue jumped into the lake from the window of the great hall at the top of the castle. He was never seen again but is known to be watching the castle. Every seven years on the first morning of May he arises from the lake on his white horse and makes a circle around the lake. If you are fortunate enough to see this you will be blessed with good fortune for the rest of your life.
Ross Castle is located by the edge of Killarney town's lower lake (Lough Leane) and was built in the 15th century. From the back of the castle, you can just make out Inisfallen Island (home to a 7th century monastery) The Castle has apparently been quite well restored and is open to visitors ONLY via a guided tour which costs €4 per person and is only available during the months of April to October. But it's free to stroll around the grounds throughout the year. I didn't go inside as we had to get to Cork and had just missed a tour. From all the photos I've seen, this castle looks spectacular from the water, so def try and get a board trip. There's boat trips that leave from the docks behind the castle and these go to Inisfallen Island and around The Lakes of Killarney. The entrance also has a jaunting car stand (aka horse-drawn carriages) and these can take you around town and other places of interest in Killarney. Frankly, lovely as Ross castle is, in my opinion if you only had a couple of hours to spend in Kilarney, I would suggest going to the Muckross Estate instead which comprises heaps of attractions within it's grounds like a lovely Victorian fairytale manor where Queen Victoria slept ($ fee), fabulous English Gardens (free) a Traditional Farm attraction ( $fee) an abbey (free) and info about Killarney National Park. Note: #256 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016
The Ross Castle site is free to visit and is easily accessed within the Killarney National Park. There is a healthy supply of nearby parking or you can take a "Jaunting Car" to and from town. If you want to tour the castle (and you MUST!) it will cost you 5 euros. The 45min guided tour is well worth the price. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable - quick to answer the barrage of questions thrown her way by the children that joined us on the tour. She was fluent in the history of the architecture, tower house tenants, and middle ages - we learned things we didn't know we wanted to know! Ross Castle is a perfect balance of careful restoration and authenticity and is full of period furniture. Sadly, photography is not allowed inside the castle, but trust me - you'll want to see this one for yourself! By far our favorite "ruin" we visited in Ireland.
ROSS CASTLE Ross Castle in Killarney has been much changed since it was started in the 15th century. It was falling away dangerously some years back but a long period of work by the Office of Public Works has seen it re-opened to the public. It is a popular and busy site and you could well have delays during the summer months. It overlooks the famous lakes and there are fine views, views that you may enjoy without entering the castle itself. There are some pleasant walks in the vicinity (most notably through the National Park) and also places where you may picnic. Boats can be hired here.
If your in Killarney it's a nice pit stop to see the castle, but there are so many around Ireland that I wouldn't say it's the best castle I've seen or been to. Every castle has its history and story. What makes it so nice that it's next to lake adding more ambience to the castle. I went after Christmas so it was chilly but still beautiful. Tons of birds to see also
We did the tour here and enjoyed learning about the tower. No photos were allowed during the tour so photos are of the outside. Beautiful spot right on the water. Nice toilets, and plenty of parking nearby. This is a fun stop while exploring Killarney! read more
An iconic Irish castle on the shore of Lough Leane (the learning lake) that withstood repeated assaults until finally falling to Cromwell. Free to walk the grounds plus there's a free history exhibition on the main floor. Period guided tours of the structure are available for a nominal fee. It's also the jumping off points for periodic 1-hour boat tours of the lake (€15)-we reco lily of Killarney-nicer boat) or a junket out to the ruined monastery on a small island that was the seat of learning. Fascinating and worth a stop. read more
1 year ago
Everything was excellent. Great tour, great, and very verbose, tour guide. All tours are guided, five euro. No pictures allowed inside the tall house! read more
1 year ago
I've visited Ross Castle twice now - once in 2017 and once today - and it is just as beautiful now as it was then. The castle itself dates back to the 15th century but has been renovated a couple of times since then, most recently in the 1980s and 90s. There is a guided tour that runs frequently throughout the day, it's €5 per person (cash or card) and runs about 30 minutes. It's very much worth it! You can't take pictures inside the castle but you can outside. The castle is about a 30-40 minute walk from the Killarney town centre. You can pay €20 per person per way for a jaunting car ride to the castle, but I preferred to walk there and get a ride back since it started to rain. Our guide's name was Noreen and she was very knowledgeable about the castle's history. She was able to answer all of the questions that our group had. If you have some time and cash, I also highly recommend getting a boat ride to Innisfallen Island. The boats depart from the castle and it's about a 20 minute boat ride through the lake to the island. You'll then get 30 minutes to explore the island on your own. There is a monastery ruins there that dates back to the 11th century and the grounds are absolutely beautiful. They are so peaceful and you'll likely encounter some deer. read more
2 years ago
I didn't go inside this castle but it was a nice stop just to take pictures from the outside. There surrounding canal with canoes was cute as well. read more
Our tour group took jaunting cars (horse drawn buggies) from our hotel, through the national park, and ended up at Ross Castle. The scenery around Ross Castle is absolutely gorgeous. The ruins are right on the water, and everywhere you looked was a picture waiting to happen. It's not a large area, so it doesn't take long to explore, but it's so picturesque it's definitely worth it. Our group happen to see a red deer cross under the bridge to get to the castle, and then start grazing in front of the area, so it just added a little extra to our experience. read more
Beautiful from the water of the shire! There is plenty of parking, many trails and yiu can pay to enter. The grounds are no charge. Boats are extra. There is a food stand and bathrooms ... oh and picnic table area. Many jaunting carts leave from here as well. read more
3 years ago
Ross Castle is steep in Irish history and since it's in the middle of a national park, you can visit for free. Or you can choose to book a trip with Killarney Tours. €32 per person gets you a ride in a "jaunting car" (a horse carriage) from the Killarney City Centre, and also a boat ride around Lough Leane. It's about a 40 minute carriage ride from the City Centre through the national park, and a little more than an hour cruise to tour the lough. The carriage ride takes you from the city, and straight into the wooded areas of the beautiful national park. Very awesome views on this ride and the carriage driver had a lot of history about the castle, and interesting anecdotes to share. After I arrived at the castle, I had time to explore for a bit before boarding the boat ride to tour the lough. The captain was also a wonderful tour guide and had plenty of stories about the history of the Ross Castle, as well as the history of the land around the lough. Plenty of gorgeous mountain scenery to take in on the boat tour. If you do only one thing, I highly recommend the boat tour. The scenery is spectacular. Most of the outer walls of the castle still stand, but there's not a lot of interior areas to tour. If you book through Killarney Tours, they will also shuttle you back to your hotel after the boat tour. BUT, they don't rush you. They allow you plenty of time to take a self guided tour of the Ross Castle before you leave. Killarney Tours info can be found here: http://www.killarneylaketours.ie/choose-a-tour/combination-tour.html read more
We arrived at Ross Castle by boat. It looked gorgeous from across the water. The first thing that I learned was that it was built in the late 15th century and is surprisingly in good shape. Like most properties it changed ownership several times and is currently privately owned and operated by the Office of Public Works. The castle is surrounded by a wall and has two towers. There are five floors with each one having a specific use. They offer guided tours or you can just mosey around the property on your own. There is at least one resident cat on the property that took the time to properly greet us. It was not my most favorite of all the castles that we visited by it is worthy of your time. Legend tells us that the original owner (O'Donoghue) is in a deep sleep under the waters of Lough Leane. It is said that O'Donoghue jumped into the lake from the window of the great hall at the top of the castle. He was never seen again but is known to be watching the castle. Every seven years on the first morning of May he arises from the lake on his white horse and makes a circle around the lake. If you are fortunate enough to see this you will be blessed with good fortune for the rest of your life. read more
7 years ago
7 years ago
4 years ago
We did the tour with Peter and he was excellent! He was super kind and the tour was very informative. Glad we did this, thank you Peter! read more
10 years ago
Ross Castle is located by the edge of Killarney town's lower lake (Lough Leane) and was built in the 15th century. From the back of the castle, you can just make out Inisfallen Island (home to a 7th century monastery) The Castle has apparently been quite well restored and is open to visitors ONLY via a guided tour which costs €4 per person and is only available during the months of April to October. But it's free to stroll around the grounds throughout the year. I didn't go inside as we had to get to Cork and had just missed a tour. From all the photos I've seen, this castle looks spectacular from the water, so def try and get a board trip. There's boat trips that leave from the docks behind the castle and these go to Inisfallen Island and around The Lakes of Killarney. The entrance also has a jaunting car stand (aka horse-drawn carriages) and these can take you around town and other places of interest in Killarney. Frankly, lovely as Ross castle is, in my opinion if you only had a couple of hours to spend in Kilarney, I would suggest going to the Muckross Estate instead which comprises heaps of attractions within it's grounds like a lovely Victorian fairytale manor where Queen Victoria slept ($ fee), fabulous English Gardens (free) a Traditional Farm attraction ( $fee) an abbey (free) and info about Killarney National Park. Note: #256 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016 read more
9 years ago
The Ross Castle site is free to visit and is easily accessed within the Killarney National Park. There is a healthy supply of nearby parking or you can take a "Jaunting Car" to and from town. If you want to tour the castle (and you MUST!) it will cost you 5 euros. The 45min guided tour is well worth the price. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable - quick to answer the barrage of questions thrown her way by the children that joined us on the tour. She was fluent in the history of the architecture, tower house tenants, and middle ages - we learned things we didn't know we wanted to know! Ross Castle is a perfect balance of careful restoration and authenticity and is full of period furniture. Sadly, photography is not allowed inside the castle, but trust me - you'll want to see this one for yourself! By far our favorite "ruin" we visited in Ireland. read more
16 years ago
ROSS CASTLE Ross Castle in Killarney has been much changed since it was started in the 15th century. It was falling away dangerously some years back but a long period of work by the Office of Public Works has seen it re-opened to the public. It is a popular and busy site and you could well have delays during the summer months. It overlooks the famous lakes and there are fine views, views that you may enjoy without entering the castle itself. There are some pleasant walks in the vicinity (most notably through the National Park) and also places where you may picnic. Boats can be hired here. read more
9 years ago
If your in Killarney it's a nice pit stop to see the castle, but there are so many around Ireland that I wouldn't say it's the best castle I've seen or been to. Every castle has its history and story. What makes it so nice that it's next to lake adding more ambience to the castle. I went after Christmas so it was chilly but still beautiful. Tons of birds to see also read more
10 years ago
Ross Castle was one of the final stops along our drive of the Ring of Kerry. There is ample parking and a lovely view of the lake from the grounds. We did not take the guided tour since there were a couple other places we wanted to visit before they closed. We walked the perimeter and noted how well preserved the castle is. 3 stars. read more
14 years ago
bf and i were quite excited about spending some time in the outdoors over in killarney...ross castle turned out to be an awesome castle in killarney national park... you can bring a little picnic (sandwiches from the gas station across from hotel!), enjoy it on the grounds (lucky for us, blue skies all the way!), and then rent yourself a rowboat and fishing pole and row over to check out the monestary across the way (be careful to heed any wind/direction suggestions from the locals...they def know the lake!)! read more
10 years ago
Lots of history with this castle and worth taking a local tour. Lots to explore on the inside and great pictures. Right on the lake so if it rains you might get to see a rainbow like I did. read more
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