Killarney jarveys crack the whip on four-wheeled rivals

A horse-drawn tradition will survive in one of the country’s premier tourist destinations, despite fierce competition from other transport providers.

That was the message yesterday from the jarvey business in Killarney, Co Kerry after the introduction, for this season, of two open-top buses, a shuttle bus and a ‘road train’.

Iconic horse-drawn carriages have been part of tourism in Killarney for at least two centuries.

But increased competition is being provided by hop-on, hop-off buses which take in well-known local attractions. The buses have been operating for some months along with a two-carriage land tractor-powered tram.

The 40-seat road train came into operation this week on two popular tourist routes, becoming the latest addition to the local transport scene.

The train also has wheelchair capacity and is travelling on two different tourist routes — one to Muckross House and a second as far as the Lake Hotel and Ross Castle. A recorded commentary is provided.

Similar trains are already operating in tourist towns stretching from Cobh and Clonakilty in Co Cork to Kilkenny, Galway and Bundoran, among others.

Independent Killarney county councillor Donal Grady, some of whose family are in the jaunting car business, said all the new competition was bound to affect the jarveys, but was having a much greater impact on the town’s taxi business.

“Taxis are already under pressure. They used to do local tours to places like Muckross House and Aghadoe but are losing out to the new buses much more than jarveys,” he said. “However, a trip on a horse-drawn jaunting car remains a special and unique experience for visitors to Killarney.

“As well as that, jaunting cars go into parts of Killarney National Park where cars and buses are not allowed and that gives them an advantage. I believe jaunting cars will survive for those reasons,” he said.

Taxi-drivers, meanwhile, said the new competition was having a serious impact on day-trade for the town’s 100-strong fleet of cars and minibuses. One driver said previously, the average waiting time for a daytime fare was two hours but it was now double that. The road train, meanwhile, is being operated by local men Barth Warren and Kieran Coffey who described it as a “family-friendly way of experiencing all Killarney has to offer”.