Ireland’s most charming tea room

Deenagh Lodge is located at the entrance of Killarney National Park beside the river Deenagh. It was built using the local river reed which being hollow offered excellent insulation during the winter and kept it cool during the summer. The lodge has beautiful features including a traditionally decorated thatched roof, overhanging eaves, verges, and Tudor-style chimneys. These fantasy houses are known as ‘cottage ornes’ or ‘ornamental cottages’. Today it operates as a glorious tea room and is operated by Downs Syndrome Ireland. Their goal is to help people with Down Syndrome and make their futures as bright and as independent as possible by providing education and training for possible work opportunities in the hospitality industry. You can also see Spraoi Chiarrai traditional Irish music with song and dance performances right outside the lodge throughout the year.

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Thanks to David Hankey for atmospheric video of Killarney National Park