Parking
Use the small lay-by on the N71 about 1 km on the Killarney side of Derrycunnihy Church. Keep the access clear. The route starts where the gravel track meets the road; the church car park is a separate, longer Kerry Way approach.
Overview
About Derrycunnihy Falls Walk
Why go
- A real waterfall a few minutes from the N71.
- Mostly level gravel track to the bridge.
Heads up
- The small lay-by must be kept clear.
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Killarney Tour Guide
Your drive to Derrycunnihy Falls Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Killarney National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Derrycunnihy Falls and Cascade0:00 / 0:29
“The lay-by for Derrycunnihy Falls is coming up. From here, a mostly level gravel track takes about twenty minutes out and back to the lower falls.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Killarney Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Derrycunnihy Church and the Mass Path
- Ladies View
- Upper Lake Viewpoint: Rock Shaped by Ice
- Looscaunagh Lough Viewpoint
- 18 audio storiesacross Killarney’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Sika Deer, Feral Goat, and 10 more
- Works offlinemaps, 29 trails, 32 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Derrycunnihy Falls Walk
A quick walk to the FallsDerrycunnihy Falls Walk is a 0.5-mile out-and-back from the small N71 lay-by to the lower Falls.
Derrycunnihy Falls Walk is a 0.5-mile out-and-back from the small N71 lay-by to the lower Falls. The gravel track runs about a quarter mile each way and is mostly level; allow around 20 minutes with a short stop. It’s an easy break on the Ring of Kerry. Use the lay-by start for this mapped distance—the church car park follows a longer Kerry Way approach.
The lower FallsThe track reaches a wooden footbridge beside the lower Falls, close to where Queen’s Cottage…
The track reaches a wooden footbridge beside the lower Falls, close to where Queen’s Cottage once stood. The cottage was one of the hunting lodges built for Queen Victoria’s 1861 visit to Killarney; no ruins remain. From the bridge, frame the dark rock ledge and pools below. The water is more dramatic after heavy rain, when the rocks beside it are also slicker. Dogs are welcome in the park but must stay on a lead.
The larger CascadeThe larger Derrycunnihy Cascade is upstream and separate from the lower Falls.
The larger Derrycunnihy Cascade is upstream and separate from the lower Falls. Local route descriptions reach it by leaving the main track for a rough riverbank spur, about 500 m beyond the Falls. That spur isn’t included in this mapped walk, and the rocks can be slippery when wet; stick to the gravel track if the bank or route is unclear.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Killarney
104 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
207 sightingsSika DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
12 sightingsFeral GoatMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
49 sightingsSwanMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
48 sightingsHeronMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
15 sightingsCormorantMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Killarney. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
