More Killarney delights.

Muckross House.

 Charlotte and Arthur left no record of anything else they did whilst in Killarney, other than their trip through the Gap of Dunloe, as evidenced in Charlotte's letter to Catherine Winkworth from Cork on 27th July 1854. However, it is highly unlikely that they would have just stayed ensconced in their lodgings when there was so much of beauty to see and admire in the area. So what else might they have seen and done whilst in Killarney?

They more than likely would have visited the beautiful estate of Muckross Demesne which is in a glorious setting located on the small Muckross Peninsula between Muckross Lake and Lough Leane, two of the lakes of Killarney, surrounded by mountains and set in beautiful woodland and gardens. The estate comprises of approximately 13, 000 acres and is 3.7 miles (6 kms) from Killarney town centre. 

As the Killarney National Park website informs us:

The Muckross estate dates back to the 17th Century when the first member of the Herbert family, who were originally from Wales, came to settle in Killarney. The present day Muckross House was built for Henry Arthur Herbert and his family. It was completed in 1843. It is situated close to the eastern shore of Muckross Lake, taking full advantage of the magnificent views which can be enjoyed from this location. Most of the house has been preserved as a late 19th century mansion, with furniture and artefacts from that period.

Muckross Gardens adjoin Muckross House and are mainly informal in style. They date back to the mid-19th century when extensive landscaping was carried out by the Herbert family in preparation for the visit of Britain’s Queen Victoria in 1861.

 So if the Muckross Estate was good enough for a visit from Queen Victoria, it was good enough for us to visit and enjoy too. Whilst strolling through the gardens and by the Lake, I could imagine it would have been something that Charlotte and Arthur would have done and enjoyed immensely in 1854. I could see them strolling arm in arm through the extensive gardens, down to the Lake and by the imposing house. 

 I visited the Muckross Estate on two occasions, once on a day with some rain and thunder and once on a lovely sunny day. Indeed, throughout our two week trip, following in the honeymoon footsteps of Charlotte and Arthur, both in Wales and Ireland, we were blessed with the most amazing sunny and warm (if not too hot) weather. To be walking in this rare rain, therefore, with the thunder echoing and reverberating around the mountains was very atmospheric indeed. It put me in mind of the excerpt from 'Jane Eyre' when Rochester fell from his horse as Jane was out walking in chapter 12: 

A rude noise broke on these fine ripplings and whisperings, at once
so far away and so clear:  a positive tramp, tramp, a metallic
clatter, which effaced the soft wave-wanderings; as, in a picture,
the solid mass of a crag, or the rough boles of a great oak, drawn
in dark and strong on the foreground, efface the aerial distance of
azure hill, sunny horizon, and blended clouds where tint melts into
tint.
The din was on the causeway: a horse was coming; the windings of
the lane yet hid it, but it approached.  I was just leaving the
stile; yet, as the path was narrow, I sat still to let it go by.  In
those days I was young, and all sorts of fancies bright and dark
tenanted my mind:  the memories of nursery stories were there
amongst other rubbish; and when they recurred, maturing youth added
to them a vigour and vividness beyond what childhood could give.  As
this horse approached, and as I watched for it to appear through the
dusk, I remembered certain of Bessie's tales, wherein figured a
North-of-England spirit called a "Gytrash," which, in the form of
horse, mule, or large dog, haunted solitary ways, and sometimes came
upon belated travellers, as this horse was now coming upon me.
It was very near, but not yet in sight; when, in addition to the
tramp, tramp, I heard a rush under the hedge, and close down by the
hazel stems glided a great dog, whose black and white colour made
him a distinct object against the trees.  It was exactly one form of
Bessie's Gytrash--a lion-like creature with long hair and a huge
head:  it passed me, however, quietly enough; not staying to look
up, with strange pretercanine eyes, in my face, as I half expected
it would.  The horse followed,--a tall steed, and on its back a
rider.  The man, the human being, broke the spell at once.  Nothing
ever rode the Gytrash:  it was always alone; and goblins, to my
notions, though they might tenant the dumb carcasses of beasts,
could scarce covet shelter in the commonplace human form.  No
Gytrash was this,--only a traveller taking the short cut to
Millcote.  He passed, and I went on; a few steps, and I turned:  a
sliding sound and an exclamation of "What the deuce is to do now?"
and a clattering tumble, arrested my attention.  Man and horse were
down; they had slipped on the sheet of ice which glazed the
causeway.  The dog came bounding back, and seeing his master in a
predicament, and hearing the horse groan, barked till the evening
hills echoed the sound, which was deep in proportion to his
magnitude.  He snuffed round the prostrate group, and then he ran up
to me; it was all he could do,--there was no other help at hand to
summon.  I obeyed him, and walked down to the traveller, by this
time struggling himself free of his steed.  His efforts were so
vigorous, I thought he could not be much hurt; but I asked him the
question -

"Are you injured, sir?"

Whilst walking through the woodlands at Muckross with the thunder echoing ominously around the mountains, I too, like Charlotte heard the "tramp, tramp, tramp, a metallic clatter...a horse was coming..."

In my case it was a horse and jaunting car...but it still looked and sounded rather gothic!

Reminiscent of Rochester!

Muckross House and Rose Gardens.

Formal Garden by Muckross House.

Victorian greenhouse.

                                                                

Mountains as a backdrop to the gardens at Muckross House.

Formal gardens.

Sweeping views from Muckross House down to Muckross Lake with the mountains all around.

Informal landscaping...woodlands with many interesting trees.

Did Charlotte and Arthur stroll along together arm in arm here?

Jaunting cars on the Muckross Estate. 

Moody and threatening sky at Muckross Lake.

Thunder echoing around the mountains creating great atmosphere.

About 1.5 miles (2.4kms) from Muckross House is Torc Waterfall which is an easy stroll or jaunting car journey away. Strolling through woodlands and by a boulder strewn river, where moss and ferns abound, it is another atmospheric walk through the trees to the 60 foot (20 metre) high waterfall with a 360 foot (110 metre) long cascade formed by the Owengarriff  River as it drains from the Devil's Punchbowl corrie lake at Mangerton Mountain. 

Would Charlotte have wished to see the waterfall as she had happy memories of the Bronte waterfall near her home in Haworth where she and her dearly departed siblings had spent many a happy hour? If she did visit the Torc Waterfall would it have been a painful or a pleasant experience as she remembered past times at the Bronte waterfall?

The walk or drive there is rather special as can be seen from the photos below. I am sure that if Charlotte and Arthur did visit the waterfall they would have been impressed and gone away with lasting memories of it's leafy, dank, mossy and captivating location.

  

Walking from Muckross House to the Torc Waterfall.

Mossy boulders

The waterfall was not in full spate when we visited as there had been only half a day of rain in the time we were in Ireland. I would love to see it in all it's glory after a lot of heavy rain.

A couple of  final place that the honeymooners might have visited are Muckross Abbey and then Ross Castle. We have no evidence to say they did visit either of them, but, if they had time, these are potential locations for both 19th and 21st century visitors to enjoy.

Muckross Abbey

Might Charlotte and Arthur have visited the Abbey on the Muckross Estate?

The yew tree in the cloister

The cloister with yew tree. Quite a sight.

Muckross Abbey.

As it says on the Killarney National Park website about Muckross Abbey:

The Franciscan friary of Irrelagh, now known as Muckross Abbey was founded for the Observatine Franciscans about 1448 by Daniel McCarthy Mor. The friars remained in occupation at Muckross at least intermittently and despite the dissolution of the monasteries until Cromwellian times. The present well-preserved ruins include a church with a wide, square tower and fine windows, and a vaulted cloister with an arcade of arches around a square courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard grows an ancient yew tree, said traditionally to be as old as the Abbey. Muckross Abbey was the burial place of local chieftains, and in the 17th and 18th centuries, the three Gaelic poets, Geoffrey O’Donoghue, Aodhagan O’Rathaille and Eoghan Rua O’Suilleabhain. The graveyard in the grounds surrounding the Abbey is still in use with a number of burials there each year.

Then there is Ross Castle which commands a magnificent spot on the lower lake at Killarney.. From the Killarney National Park website we read:

Ross Castle sits on the edge of Killarney’s lower lake and was built by O’Donoghue Mór in the 15th century. The Castle came into the hands of the Brownes who became the Earls of Kenmare and owned an extensive portion of the lands that are now part of Killarney National Park . Legend has it that O’Donoghue still exists in a deep slumber under the waters of Lough Leane. On the first morning of May every seven years he rises from the lake on his magnificent white horse and circles the lake. Anyone catching a glimpse of him is said to be assured of good fortune for the rest of their lives. The large rock at the entrance to the bay is known as O’Donoghue’s prison. Ross Castle was the last stronghold in Munster to hold out against Cromwell. It was eventually taken by General Ludlow in 1652.

Might Charlotte and Arthur have visited Ross Castle?

Ross Castle

Finally, of course, our newlyweds most probably strolled around Killarney which we also did. I should imagine today's Killarney was a little different to that which Charlotte and Arthur experienced.

St Mary's Cathedral Killarney. Begun in 1842 but where building stopped and started due to the Great Famine in Ireland. Construction recommenced in 1853 with the cathedral opening for regular worship from 1855. The English architect was Augustus Welby Pugin who was renowned for designing  the interior of the Palace of Westminster in London together with it's iconic Elizabeth Tower housing Big Ben.

Interior of Killarney cathedral.

Killarney main streets

Killarney town centre 21st century style.

Charlotte and Arthur would have enjoyed the sights and natural beauty of Killarney. The mountains and lakes they would have seen and admired can still be seen to this day. It really is a most stunningly beautiful part of the emerald isle.