Great outdoors: Ranger captures stunning beauty of national park in all seasons
THE beauty of one of Ireland’s most idyllic national parks has been immortalised by a man who arguably knows it best – retired conservation ranger Peter O’Toole.
Locals and tourists alike are flocking to Killarney House and Gardens to visit the Kerry native’s photographic exhibition entitled ‘A Rangers View – Killarney National Park’.
Showcasing the many scenic and less known places conservation rangers encounter daily in the park, Mr O’Toole said he captured his love of nature in the photographs he took during his 40-year career.
“I regard myself as very fortunate working as a conservation ranger in a place which I have a deep passion and interest in.
“Several years ago, I took up landscape photography and this has given me the opportunity to capture the beauty of Killarney throughout the seasons of the year,” he said.
“All my images are taken in the area of Killarney National Park and I have found that my accumulated knowledge of the park, along with the use of my boat, allows me to view and capture Killarney’s beauty from a different perspective.”
The nature lover grew up in the town of Killarney where his father and grandfather introduced him to the surrounding lakes and hills. In June 1980 he secured his “dream job” as a park constable – later given the title conservation ranger.
Mr O’Toole came to know the 26,000 acres of Killarney National Park intimately as he focused on the management of the red deer, woodland conservation and control of the invasive rhododendron.