Killarney House will opened to the public yesterday (3 July) following a multi-million euro restoration at a ceremony presided over by both Minister for Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, and Minister for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin.
As noted by The Irish Examiner, the 19th century mansion's gardens opened to the public last year after undergoing a €7 million makeover facilitated by Fáilte Ireland in conjunction with the Department of Arts and Heritage.
The ceremony saw the opening of the first section of the house, with antiques on display once owned by the house's original residents, the Earls of Kenmare. The garden room, dining room, drawing room and living room have all been restored in period style, while new exhibition rooms are set to follow to serve as an interpretive centre for the surrounding 25,000-acre national park.
