Pictures: Valerie O’Sullivan
It’s summertime, the livin’ is easy – and a rare breed of cattle in Killarney seems particularly pleased to welcome the warmer season.
Kerry Cattle, native to the county, have a very distinctive black colour and they can be found grazing outdoors in all conditions as they are extremely hardy.
These snapshots, captured by experienced Killarney outdoors and nature photographer Valerie O’Sullivan, show cows and new-bron calves relishing the soft green pastures of Muckross in Killarney National Park.
It provides them with a welcome change of scenery, from the concrete floors and straw bedding indoors, to life in the great outdoors and this sight, when cattle are driven out to the summer pastures, usually heralds the beginning of the tourist season in Killarney.
In olden times, rituals were performed to protect the cattle, people and crops to encourage growth and when bonfires were lit, the belief they had protective powers.
Descended from the Celtic Shorthorn, the Kerry Cattle were brought to Ireland as early as 2000 BC and it is considered one of the oldest breeds in Europe, renowned for their gentle nature and wonderful milk quality as the globules of butterfat in Kerry milk are much smaller than those found in other breeds, thus making it easier to digest.
The cows enjoy a long life and are still strong and calving regularly at 14 and 15-years-of-age. Their agility enables them to travel safely over rough ground and they do little damage to the pastures.
Killarney National Park recognises the importance of conserving the historic Muckross herd and the cattle come into focus for hundreds of visiting photographers every summer.
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