Kerry Climbing

Killarney is a Photographer’s Paradise

For 40 years Peter O’Toole worked within Killarney National Park as a Park Ranger, and over that period its beauty fascinated him so much that he became a very talented landscape photographer.

Peter’s name, conservation expertise, and now his photography skills are known far and wide. There isn’t a part of the 26,000-acre National Park that he doesn’t know, and he is the ‘go to’ man when rare and wonderful animals or flora are discovered in Killarney’s stunning lands. His images are much loved far and wide, with his deep affinity with the land and its creatures captured regularly through his lens. From his beloved dog Oscar, who accompanied him on all his photographic outings, to Muckross House in the snow and during sunset, Innisfallen, Ross Castle and Ross Island, Yew Woodland on Muckross Peninsula, the upper and lower lakes, O’Sullivan’s Cascade, Cloughfane, Dundag Boathouse and Torc Mountain, Peter has captured it all

in beautiful detail. Peter retired from his ranger duties in 2019 and said that it now gives him more time to focus on his photography. Shortly after he said farewell he showcased a collection of his beautiful images entitled ‘A Rangers View – Killarney National Park’ in Killarney House and Gardens.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN Living in the Park, Peter only has to look out of his window to see the stunning nature all around him. “I’ve been on the lake all my life,” Peter explained. “My father and grandfather introduced me to the lakes.” His dream career came to fruition in 1980 when he secured a job as Conservation Ranger working in Killarney National Park. “I have a great love for the Park and I wanted the job and got it. I looked forward to going to work every day. I came across rare sightings of birds – things you only see once in a lifetime.” Most of his work included control of the growth of the invasive Rhododendron and he came up with a stem injection – a more environmentally friendly way of killing it so as not to damage the plants around it. He has led voluntary groups including educating them on how to beat the invasive plant. Over the years he has explored and photographed every inch of the Park. “I am enjoying my retirement, I missed it initially but I have never left the Park, I’m very lucky. Photography is the big thing, I still get out to most areas of the Park every day and I feel privileged to have it. I have photographed small waterfalls in places where no one knows they are. Some areas have rare plants and I have the advantage of getting out on the boat to The Brown Island, Innisfallen, The Rough Island, Cow Island on the lower lake on the eastern side, and from the upper lake I can take photos of various different points and that makes it interesting for me. Sometimes I use the boat as a foreground for interest.”

RARE SIGHTINGS Some of the rare sightings Peter has come across include the ring ouzel, a rare summer visitor to Ireland. “It’s like a blackbird but has a white ring on its breast. We’ve had only a couple of sightings seen at Mangerton, Knockbrack and Torc, the main red deer range. I also came across the long-earred owl. I came across a short eared owl also which is very rare, it was hunting along by the Crinnagh Fields. It’s very scarce and regarded as a vagrant. I knew it was something different when I saw it.” He also spotted the golden clover. “You’d hear them before you see them which would usually be around bogland by Cores. I’ve witnessed red deer calving. It’s amazing.” Showing Killarney’s true beauty to as many people as possible is Peter’s passion. He said he has no interest in selling his images and often shares them on social media. “I don’t sell them. That would take away from the enjoyment of it. I am quite willing to share them and I post online most days. It’s about showing off the beauty of Killarney.”