Much of the house and grounds remains as it was in the 1860s and provides a singular look at the lavish lifestyle of the Victorian age. It is easy to imagine the ornate balls, the grand dinners, the flocks of servants, the sporting events that were part of this place. The queen's bedroom, done up in yellows and reds, has remained much the same all these years. The sweeping grounds that give way to views of forest and lake provide an unparalleled setting that stirs an appreciation for both nature and history.

Pity and gratitude are just two of the emotions you will feel in this part of Ireland, which seems to draw forth feelings and sentiments in large measure. For visitors, Killarney is one of the most popular spots in the country, both on its own merits and as a launching point for the Ring of Kerry, one of Ireland's most spectacular drives. The area seems to epitomize the opinion of George Bernard Shaw that "an Irishman's heart is nothing but his imagination." There is plenty of scope for both feeling and fancy here.

Reverence is the feeling of Muckross Abbey; respect that of Castle Ross. These two structures are also part of Killarney National Park, linked in many ways, including the words of poet D.D. Kelleher in 1894: "The abbey, grey and holy, the castle proud and strong. Mementos of our fathers great — of saint and soldier throng."

The abbey was founded in 1445 by the Franciscans as an "observational order," notes the sign at the site, "so named because of strict obedience of rules of order, diet and personal possession." Another distinction, however, is the fact that it was sacked by Oliver Cromwell's forces in 1651. (You won't be in Ireland long before you learn that Cromwell is one of the least-favored folk in the country's history.)

The well-preserved ruins capture the faith of that earlier age, especially if you happen by in early morning stillness when the cloisters and halls seem to echo with whispers of long-forgotten chants.

The cemetery is the resting place of not only the friars, but local chieftains and, in the 17th and 18th centuries, some of the famed Kerry Poets: O'Donoghue, O'Rathaille and O'Suillebhan.

In the early morning you might also happen upon a deer or a rabbit that has ventured out of the nearby woods. The name Muckross actually means "pig's wood" though few, if any, of those are still found here.