The 6 Stunning and Unique National Parks of Ireland

There are actually only 6 national parks in Ireland.

That may not seem like many, but the entire island of Ireland is only about the size of the state of Indiana.

For this post though, I’m referring to the Republic of Ireland only.

Remember that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom so its national lands are part of that country so not a part of the count.

But I digress.

I’m so lucky to have visited all of these parks and spent some time in each one, albeit one of them I was more “passing through.”

However I can say that each of these 6 national parks of Ireland has its own beauty and its own features that set it apart and make it special.

Where are these 6 parks?

The 6 national parks of Ireland are scattered about the country.

All but one of them are in the West of Ireland.

Oddly enough, Ireland’s largest county, Cork, does not have a national park.

It’s entirely possible to see a few of these parks in one visit although I think visiting all 6 in a 2 week trip would not be a good idea.

Wicklow Mountains National Park

This was the first national park in Ireland I visited.

And it happens to be the largest.

I was fresh off the plane with a quick change of clothes at my friend’s apartment near Dublin College.

She took me to Glendalough which is both a gorgeous glacial valley and a monastic site that sits in the national park.

We took a walk that led us up into the trees and provided views of the lakes.

And it was here on my first day in Ireland that I began to fall in love with this wonderful country — the soft mountains, all the shades of green, the misty-moody weather.

There are some easy walks and then there is the long distance, 127km Wicklow Way that runs through this national park.

My friend and her husband took me out on part of this trail on my second visit to Ireland.

The hike was fabulous with views to Lough Tay, the mountains and out to the Irish Sea.

The Wicklow Mountains are quite close to Dublin so this park makes a nice day trip from the city.

In fact, there are a few areas of the park that actually lie in south Dublin.

There are some lovely drives as well with a drive over Sally Gap a must for time in this national park of Ireland.

It’s a park I would love to spend some more time in and I think the 127km Wicklow Way might just be calling my name!

Tip: Think about staying a couple of nights out in the area rather than making a day trip from Dublin just to take advantage of really enjoying the park. It’s beautiful!

Killarney National Park

This is Ireland’s first national park and might be the most beautiful.

Okay.

It’s hard to choose the most beautiful national park in Ireland, but I admit that I’m partial to the mountains here.

Killarney National Park is also a park that I’ve been to or through 3 out of 6 visits to Ireland, so yes, I kind of like it here.

The park is located in County Kerry and is centered around Muckross House and Gardens where you’ll find the visitor center.

And you’ll see a lot of folks on the N71 which is the main road through the park.

There’s no doubt that it can be a busy place especially from late April to late September.

Muckross House, Muckross Abbey, Torc Waterfall and Ladies’ View are all popular spots within this national park of Ireland that are worthy of their star status.

However you can find some quieter corners of the park or things to do that aren’t so busy.

How about a kayak trip on the lakes?

Or a hike on the Old Kenmare Road?

I found it to be fairly quiet on the nature trails around Muckross Lake.

Killarney National Park is also a wonderful park for spotting wildlife with red deer, sika deer and loads of birds.

Tip: Do not stay in Killarney Town. It’s overly touristed, in my opinion, and fully of kitschy souvenir shops. Kenmare makes a much nicer base.

The Burren National Park

I wanted to spend more time in this national park of Ireland so a few years ago, on my 6th trip to Ireland I made it happen.

It’s fabulous!

This park is located in County Clare which is home to the famous Cliffs of Moher.

The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren area in general make up The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark.

The actual Burren National Park is a smaller area and is actually the smallest national park of Ireland.

The Burren looks almost like a moonscape in some parts. It’s made up of Limestone Pavement, Calcareous Grassland, Hazel scrub, Ash/Hazel Woodland, Turloughs, Lakes, Petrifying Springs, Cliffs and Fen.

It’s really one of the coolest, most unique and most interesting parks I’ve ever visited — anywhere!

While it looks as though nothing would grow here, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Grass pops up between the limestone that is actually good food for cattle and the wildflowers that flourish in the Burren range from Mediterranean-climate flowers to alpine flowers. The geology, biology and the history of this park are fascinating.

The best way to see the Burren National Park is to take some sort of guided walk.

I took a Burren in Bloom walk with Heart of Burren Walks.

This walk, led by Tony Kirby, is a wonderful way to learn about specific flowers, the geological history, the biology and the cultural history of this area. Tony is a great guide loaded with information on the Burren. He guides a variety of walks so be sure to check him out.

The other way to see this park is to simply get out and walk in it.

There’s a bit of “you can walk anywhere” thing going on in the Burren, but I’d only recommend doing this if you have good orienteering skills.

However, for those of you who like to hike, there are some excellent trails.

I took a hike in the Mullaghmore area and it’s superb.

Tip: Do take a guided walk of some sort with a qualified guide. It will really help you understand just what a special place this is.

Connemara National Park

I love this park!

Out of the 6 national parks of Ireland, this is probably my favorite.

But it’s difficult to choose because they all rock!

So …

Connemara National Park is located in the Connemara area which is the western part of County Galway.

It’s made up of mountains, peaty bogland, heaths, grasslands and woodlands.

Connemara is another unique area in terms of biology and geology.

I feel like there’s a desolate beauty to this park and to the Connemara area in general.

You won’t find much mammal wildlife here but you will find loads of birds.

There are some awesome hikes in this national park — from the easy bog road walk to the more challenging trek up Diamond Hill with its stunning views.

While Connemara National Park is small, it packs a major punch in terms of beauty.

This is another park where taking a guided walk to learn about the bogland is a good idea.

I’ve not done this personally as they run these free walks only in summer.

But if you have the opportunity, I highly recommend it.

Tip: If you are fit then do make the hike up Diamond Hill if the weather is decent. The views are magnificent. And my second piece of advice is to stay in the town of Clifden.

Wild Nephin Ballycroy National Park

This is the newest of Ireland’s national parks and probably the least visited.

Located in northwest County Mayo, Wild Nephin Ballycroy is comprised of Atlantic blanket bog and some mountains.

It’s actually one of the last intact active blanket bog systems in Ireland and Western Europe.

Another unique and beautiful area!

Because I only drove through parts of it in 2017, I must admit I don’t have a lot of personal experience with Wild Nephin Ballycroy.

However I stopped in the park and did take a short walk out part of the Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail which is a boardwalk over the bogland. 

It’s beautiful!

In 2017 Wild Nephin was added to Ballycroy.

The hope is to let this area get back to its natural state over time.

Beside the Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail which is an easy walk, there are other hikes in the park many of which are more suited for experienced walkers with good orienteering skills.

But there are 3 loop walks that begin near the town of Letterkeen that are well marked and suitable for walkers with some experience. 

These trails range from moderate to difficult in level and from 6km to 12km in length.

One interesting bit of information I just learned is that Wild Nephin Ballycroy and some of the surrounding areas are now a part of Mayo Dark Sky Park which is Ireland’s first International Dark Sky Park.

These dark sky parks are so cool in that there is no light pollution so you can really see the night time skies — stars, planets, the Milky Way and meteor showers.

Cool, huh?!

Tip: Do get out and walk on the Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail and do try to visit at night to see the stars on a clear night. I know that’s high on my list!

Glenveagh National Park

This park — the second largest — is what I refer to as the jewel in the crown of the national parks of Ireland.

Glenveagh is located way up in the northwest corner — in County Donegal.

I refer to it as the jewel because while it sees a fair amount of visitors, it doesn’t see loads of them.

And so many folks come strictly for the brilliant castle and its lovely gardens.

There are some lovely easy walks around the castle and its gardens.

But if you get out on some other trails, you’ll probably find the crowds quickly disappear.

There are stunning mountains, the beautiful Lough Veagh and Lough Inshagh and enchanting oak woodland where you expect to find leprechauns and fairies.

You can take a shuttle bus from the parking area to the castle or you can walk — which I recommend as it’s a lovely walk along a paved trail to the castle.

There are other fabulous trails like the one to Lough Inshagh (wanted to do but didn’t have time) and the trail that continues past the castle and along Lough Veagh.

If you’re really adventurous you can keep walking along this Glen Trail as it leads up through the Derryveagh Mountains.

I really fell in love with this park.

Tip: Do walk along Lough Veagh beyond the castle at least for a while as it’s simply stunning. And be sure to stay in the town of Dunfanaghy which is about a 30 to 40 minute drive.

Final thoughts on the National Parks of Ireland

These 6 parks are true treasures of Ireland.

Yes, the US and Canada might have some national parks that have a bit more wow factor.

But these parks each have a uniqueness to them and a special beauty.

And they are very accessible to everyone.

So no matter where you travel to in Ireland, I do hope that you’ll spend some time in 1 or 2 of them.

You won’t regret it!

Please note that Wander Your Way does not recommend international travel at this time due to the current global health situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although some countries are beginning to open, it is complicated.

If you do decide to travel internationally, please do your research or use a travel planning service such as Wander Your Way. Please stay up to date using official sources like the WHO and CDC.

I am continuing to write about incredible destinations and to offer tips on travel to Europe, so that you will find some solace in these posts — so you dream about travel and learn about places. And hopefully make that bucket list! This way when we can all fully travel again, you’ll be ready to go. For now, stay close to home and stay safe!

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