Our Ireland Adventure: Waterfalls, Blarney Castle, and the Beauty of County Kerry

After exploring Dublin, Kilkenny, and some of Ireland’s fascinating history, we continued our adventure into the beautiful southwest of Ireland. This part of our trip brought us lush green scenery, a waterfall walk, a castle adventure, and one of my favorite experiences of the entire trip!

We based ourselves in Killorglin, County Kerry, where we stayed in a renovated pub that gave our group of 15 a place to stay together. From there, we explored some of the surrounding area, including Killarney National Park and Blarney Castle and Gardens.

Of course, not everything went according to plan. We also had to miss a historic site I had really wanted to visit. But that’s part of traveling with a big family: you make the most of the time you have, enjoy the experiences you can fit in, and sometimes leave a few things for another trip.

Staying in a Renovated Pub in Killorglin

One of the unique parts of our time in this area was our accommodation. We stayed in a renovated pub in Killorglin, and it was such an interesting setup!

The front of the building was still a working pub, while the space behind it and upstairs had been converted into enough rooms for all 15 of us to stay. We even had access to a hot tub!

Our host was Michelle, whose listing is under Key73 on Airbnb. I'm not sharing a direct link to her listing without permission, but hopefully mentioning the name will help other travelers find this unique place to stay.

One of the biggest challenges when traveling with a group this size was finding accommodations that could fit everyone. Having a place where our whole group could stay together was a real benefit.

The location was convenient, too. There was a grocery store directly across the street, making it easy to pick up food for our stay. An ALDI was also just around the corner. Even though we have ALDI stores in America, seeing a familiar grocery store while shopping in Ireland was still a fun little reminder that some things feel familiar even when you're far from home.

A practical tip for traveling with a big group: Don't overlook unusual accommodations! A renovated pub might not be the first thing that comes to mind when searching for a family-friendly place to stay, but finding lodging that fits everyone and makes everyday tasks like grocery shopping easier can make a big difference.

Killarney National Park and Torc Waterfall

Some of our group spent the day exploring the Ring of Kerry, but our immediate family chose a different adventure. We explored parts of Killarney National Park, including the walk to Torc Waterfall.

The waterfall was a beautiful stop, and the walk gave us a chance to get out and enjoy Ireland's incredible natural scenery. After spending so much time exploring castles, historic buildings, and cities, it was nice to spend some time outdoors together.

Irish National Parks Are Different From American National Parks

One thing that surprised us during our visit was how different Ireland's national parks felt compared with the national parks we're used to visiting in America.

When we think of American national parks, we often picture enormous stretches of wilderness, long scenic drives, dramatic mountain ranges, camping areas, and trails that can take you miles into the backcountry. Some American parks are so large that you can spend several days exploring them without seeing everything.

Ireland's national parks tend to feel different in scale and character. They protect important natural landscapes and habitats, but many are accessible for shorter walks and day visits. You may find walking paths, waterfalls, lakes, historic estates, and nearby towns all within the same general area.

Killarney National Park is a wonderful example. It includes mountains, lakes, woodlands, and historic estate grounds, so you can experience both natural beauty and Ireland's cultural history in one visit.

One clarification: Ireland's national parks are managed through the National Parks and Wildlife Service, not generally by the National Trust. The National Trust is a separate conservation organization associated with historic places and landscapes, particularly in Northern Ireland and Britain.

For our family, the visit to Torc Waterfall was a great way to experience a little of Ireland's natural beauty without needing to plan a full day of hiking. If you're accustomed to American national parks, go with an open mind and enjoy the particular character of Ireland's landscapes rather than expecting the same kind of park experience.

Blarney Castle and Gardens: One of Our Favorite Experiences!

If you asked me to name some of the highlights of our Ireland trip, Blarney Castle and Gardens would absolutely make the list!

We had learned about the castle during our research before the trip, so getting to see it in person was especially exciting. Blarney Castle is a medieval stronghold near Cork, best known for the Blarney Stone, which tradition says grants the gift of eloquence to those who kiss it.

The Adventure of Reaching the Blarney Stone

We all made our way up to the Blarney Stone so we could say we'd seen it, but only my husband, his sister, and her husband actually kissed it. The rest of us were happy to admire it without participating in that particular tradition!

Getting up to the stone was quite an adventure in itself. The castle has narrow, winding stone staircases, and climbing through the old structure made the experience feel like a real castle adventure. It's one thing to see pictures of a castle, but it's another to climb through it and imagine what life must have been like within those walls centuries ago.

The castle is a partial ruin today, but that is part of what makes exploring it so interesting. You can see the historic structure up close while making your way through the different levels.

Exploring the Gardens

The gardens were another highlight. There was so much to see beyond the castle itself, and I would encourage anyone planning a visit to leave plenty of time to explore the grounds.

One area we visited was the Poison Garden, which contains plants that are poisonous or otherwise dangerous to people. It's an interesting educational experience because it demonstrates how plants found in nature can be harmful, even when they look ordinary or beautiful.

A warning for other moms traveling with children: please keep a close eye on your kids in the Poison Garden!

When we visited, the poisonous plants were not roped off or guarded in a way that prevented visitors from reaching them. We could get close enough to touch them. YIKES!

The garden is designed to educate visitors about these plants, but I was surprised by how accessible they were. I would definitely make sure children understand that they must not touch or pick anything, and I would stay close to them while walking through this area.

That warning aside, the gardens were fascinating, and the entire visit was one of the experiences I was happiest we included in our itinerary.

You can explore the official Blarney Castle and Gardens website to learn more about the castle, gardens, and visitor information.

The Rock of Cashel: The Stop We Missed

Not every part of our itinerary worked out as planned.

We had intended to visit the Rock of Cashel around the same time as Kilkenny Castle, but we miscalculated how much time we needed that day. By the time we realized it, we simply didn't have enough time to fit in both stops.

We tried to find another day when we could return, but doing so would have required too much backtracking as we continued around Ireland. Eventually, we had to accept that the Rock of Cashel wasn't going to happen on this trip.

I was genuinely disappointed. The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland's most remarkable historic sites, with a dramatic collection of medieval buildings perched on a limestone outcrop. It was once the seat of the kings of Munster, and the surviving structures include a round tower, a Romanesque chapel, and the remains of a Gothic cathedral.

It was exactly the kind of historical place I wanted to experience in person.

Unfortunately, despite trying to rearrange our plans, we never found another opportunity to make it back that way during the rest of our trip.

It's a good reminder that even a carefully researched itinerary has limits. When traveling with a large group, you have to balance driving times, opening hours, meals, the needs of children, and the simple fact that you cannot see everything in one visit.

If you're planning your own trip, I recommend being realistic about how many major stops you can fit into one day. We learned that lesson firsthand!

You can find visitor details and historical information through the official Heritage Ireland page for the Rock of Cashel.

Our Tips for This Part of Ireland

• Consider a home base in County Kerry. Killorglin worked well for our group, and having grocery stores nearby made feeding everyone much easier.

• Look for accommodations that fit your whole group. Our renovated pub gave 15 people a place to stay together, with a hot tub and shops close by. Search for Key73 on Airbnb if you'd like to look for the place we stayed.

• Make time for Ireland's natural beauty. Even a shorter walk to a waterfall can be a wonderful change of pace between historic attractions.

• Allow plenty of time at Blarney Castle. The castle, winding staircases, and gardens offer more to explore than just the famous stone.

• Keep children close in the Poison Garden. In our experience, the plants were accessible, so don't assume there will be a physical barrier keeping little hands away.

• Be realistic about your daily itinerary. We wanted to see both Kilkenny Castle and the Rock of Cashel, but our timing didn't work out. Build in more time than you think you need, especially when traveling with a big group.

• Remember that missing something doesn't ruin the trip. I still wish we'd seen the Rock of Cashel, but we made wonderful memories at the places we did visit.

Making Memories in Ireland

Our time around County Kerry was filled with the kinds of experiences that make travel so memorable: walking to a waterfall, climbing through a medieval castle, exploring beautiful gardens, and staying somewhere completely different from home.

Blarney Castle and Gardens was one of my favorite stops of the entire trip, and I'm so glad we made time for it. At the same time, missing the Rock of Cashel was a reminder that no matter how much planning you do, you may have to make difficult choices along the way.

And that's okay.

We traveled to Ireland as a family group of 15, with adults and children of different ages, and our goal was to experience as much as we reasonably could while enjoying the time together. We didn't see everything on our wish list, but we came home with wonderful memories—and a few places still waiting for us if we ever have the chance to return!