Landmark Kerry castle on cover of travel magazine

One of the country’s landmark castles, visited by tens of thousands of tourists, has made the cover of a prestigious travel magazine with millions of readers.

Picturesque Ross Castle, on the shores of the Lakes of Killarney, receives top billing in the February /March edition of National Geographic Traveler, one of the world’s most widely-read travel publications.

The magazine showcases Kerry while profiling holidays in Ireland to millions of American travellers.

Under the headline, ‘Return to Ireland — A Journey Home’, 11 pages are dedicated to Kerry, with some stunning photographs and useful suggestions for US travellers, encouraging them to discover the “lyrical hills” of the Kingdom.

The author of the article is award-winning travel writer Andrew McCarthy, also a Hollywood actor who starred in Pretty in Pink and St Elmo’s Fire.

Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s manager in North America, said the publicity was an excellent way of showcasing Kerry and Ireland to a large audience of potential holidaymakers.

Last year was the best year ever for Irish tourism from the US, with numbers increasing by 13% over 2013, or 134,000 additional visitors.

“Tourism Ireland in New York will be pulling out all the stops this year to keep the momentum going and ensure that success continues,” said Ms Metcalfe.

Promoting the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route will continue to be a major focus of Tourism Ireland’s activity in the US and elsewhere in 2015.

The organisation will also showcase the new Dublin Discovery Trail.

As this year marks 150 years since the birth of poet and Nobel laureate WB Yeats, Ireland will be promoted for Yeats 2015, particularly to a “culturally curious” audience.

Tourism Ireland will also highlight ID2015, a showcase of the best of Irish design, raising the profile of Irish design and designers.

Ross Castle is a 15th-century tower house and keep on the edge of Lough Leane. Regarded as the ancestral home of the O’Donoghue clan, it is also better known for its association with the Brownes of Killarney who owned the castle until more recently. The castle is operated by the OPW and is open to the public seasonally with guided tours.