Pictures show Killarney Park wonders in all their glory

A chance bus trip through Killarney National Park more than 20 years ago “mesmerised” a young landscape photographer and sparked a compulsion in him to picture its wonders in all their glory.

But how does someone go about getting a different image of scenic spots that have graced picture postcards since the late 19th century? That was the challenge facing Norman McCloskey when he set out to produce the first book of photographs on the 10,000-hectare park.

“I was mesmerised by the empty beauty, ruggedness and sheer drama of the forests, bogs and lakelands, all overlooked by the powerful McGillycuddy’s Reeks and craggy Dunkerron Mountains,” he recalled.

Iconic landmarks such as Ross Castle, the Eagle’s Nest, and the Meeting of the Waters have been pictured millions of times, but Mr McCloskey aimed to photograph them in a way not seen before.

His task involved shooting early in the morning, or late in the evening, and he found it exhilarating to be in the wilderness all alone.

“I sought out places I’m sure very few had ever thought to visit with a camera and returned to some areas many times,” he said.

Some locations took up to three years to finally capture as he intended, mainly because of challenges posed by light in a park flanked by mountains on most sides.

“I tried to make full use of the entire day and often stayed on shooting well after sunset, sometimes hiking back to the car in pitch darkness,” he said.

For shots on higher ground, he sometimes camped out overnight to catch the last and first light.

Mr McCloskey, based in Kenmare, Co Kerry, sensitively captures the varying moods of the park, with cloud and sky often reflected on lake waters. The woods and hills are captured in their wild magnificence in Parklight – Images of Killarney National Park — while Red deer also jump out from the pages.

There are also memorable shots of Muckross Abbey in the snow, bluebells in the old woods and rainbows arched over Ladies’ View.

Nor are the 80 or so families that once farmed in the glens forgotten, with stone walls that formed simple dwellings and marked out fields providing reminders of a lively community in the shadows of the hills, long ago.