Killarney's main street — New Street and High Street — is busy, commercial and dominated by tourist shops and chain restaurants. The town worth exploring is the one just off it. A network of laneways, courtyards and side streets connects the main thoroughfare to a different Killarney — independent cafés, local butchers, traditional pubs that haven't been renovated into anonymity, and the kind of spots that only reveal themselves to people who are willing to walk past the obvious choices.
The main street — what to know
New Street and High Street form the commercial spine of Killarney town. In summer they are busy with visitors and the shops reflect that — plenty of Aran sweaters, Waterford crystal and Kerry fudge. Not everything here is tourist tat; some genuinely good shops are mixed in. But the character of the town lives elsewhere.
Turn off the main street and walk fifty metres in any direction — that's where Killarney actually lives.
Plunkett Street and the eastern laneways
Plunkett Street runs parallel to the main street on the eastern side and has a more local character — a mix of independent shops, cafés and pubs that serve the town as much as the tourist trade. The laneways connecting it to High Street are worth exploring slowly, particularly in the morning before the crowds arrive.
College Street and towards the Cathedral
College Street leads towards St Mary's Cathedral and the quieter residential streets behind the town centre. The café and restaurant options here tend to be less crowded than the main street equivalents and often better value. The Cathedral itself — a Gothic Revival building designed by Augustus Pugin — is worth a visit in its own right.
The Market Cross area
The area around the Market Cross at the junction of New Street, High Street and Main Street is the historic commercial heart of Killarney. The streets radiating from here contain some of the town's oldest and most characterful buildings — look up above the shopfronts for the original Victorian and Edwardian facades that survive behind the modern signage.
Killarney market
Killarney has a regular market — check locally for current days and location. The market is the best place to find local produce, artisan food products, crafts and the informal social life of the town. Kerry cheeses, local honey, smoked fish and seasonal vegetables from Kerry farms are all typically available.
Local tip: The best way to explore Killarney town is to leave your phone in your pocket and walk. The laneways are short and the town is small — you're never more than five minutes from the main street, so getting lost is a feature rather than a problem.