The government is set to announce the creation of a new national park in west Kerry later today (Monday, April 22).
Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí will cover over 70,000ac of land and sea making it the largest national park in the country.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan are due to officially launch the park at an event in Dingle this afternoon.
National park
The new park based around Corca Dhuibhne and will bring together some of the most ecologically valuable sites in Europe.
It includes a large tract of land in the iconic Conor Pass which was placed on the market by its US owner last August.
The 1,400ac holding comprising a mixture of forestry, lowland and mountain grazing, along with three lakes, Lough Atlea, Lough Beirne and Pedlars Lake.
The land had an asking price of €10 million, however, it is understood that the State bought the land for around €6 million.
Last year, then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the government would be interested in buying the land, but at “a reasonable price”.
Almost 20,000 people signed an online petition calling on the government to acquire the lands for a national park.
Local Fianna Fáil Breandán Fitzgerald previously told Agriland that the land offered “a once in a lifetime opportunity” to create a national park in the region.
The new park will also include 450ac adjacent to the Conor Pass, known as the Owenmore River Fishery, which was acquired by the State last month.
Described as one of the most unspoilt fisheries in Western Europe, the land comprises an entire river from source to sea and includes 9 lakes.
Lands at Mount Brandon, the sand dune system at Inch, along with lands on the Great Blasket Island, the UNESCO World Heritage site Sceilg Mhichíl, and Derrynane House will all be incorporated into the park.
When it is officially launched later today, Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí will become Ireland’s eighth national park and the second in the county.
Killarney National Park was the first park to be established in Ireland in 1932.