The Minister of State for Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Malcolm Noonan TD, visited Killarney National Park on Friday last and officially opened the new access road and car park to the ever-popular Tomies Wood, among other engagements.

“It is great to see this project completed,” the Minister said. “Tomies Wood and the Tomies Loop have always been popular as a recreational walk, and in providing an official car park and road to the wood, the National Parks and Wildlife Service have enabled a better experience for all our visitors.”

The Minister planted an Oak tree to mark the occasion.

“This project would not have been possible without the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and I would like to thank the Department of Rural and Community Development for all their assistance.”

BLUE POOL TRAIL

Following the opening of the new road, Minister Noonan spent time discovering the Blue Pool Trail which is under development at Cloghereen in conjunction with the Kerry office of NCBI and Down Syndrome Kerry. The Pool Wood Trail has been completely resurfaced, new guide ropes and braille discs have been installed along with universal seating and picnic furniture.

Minister Noonan then visited Killarney House and Gardens to raise the Green Flag and view an international children’s art exhibition in the grounds of Killarney House. The Project 2020 Le Chéile exhibition was started by the Irish Museum of Childhood online earlier this year. It has gone on to be nominated at the Family Friendly Museum Awards 2020. The first outdoor staging of this project is in Killarney House, before it transfers to Nepal for the next outdoor exhibition in January.

NATIONAL PARK VISIT

Later in the day, the Minister viewed the renovations by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to Derrycunnihy Church and saw the considerable repair and conservation works undertaken there in 2020. This was a partnership project between Built Heritage and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

The Minister commented that it was “beautifully situated” on the ‘Ring of Kerry’ route, adjacent to Galway’s Bridge, and seen by many thousands of visitors travelling through Killarney National Park. Derrycunnihy Church is a protected structure, which contains a protected maternity roost of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat, in addition to a pair of barn owls and swallows.

“This project was aimed at repairing the historic structure of the church and sustaining and enhancing the protected Lesser Horseshoe Bat roost,” the Minister said. “I am thrilled that the success of these conservation works has been proven by the fact that a number of bats have already returned to the roost!”

The Minister concluded his visit to the National Park by expressing his gratitude for the continued commitment shown by the staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

“The staff of the NPWS who managed these projects that I have seen are essential workers, and remained on duty throughout the COVID-19 emergency, keeping the Park open to the local residents, while all the time promoting safety and continuing to work tirelessly with the day to day work of the park and of major projects, I am proud to work alongside them."