As others have said, you can certainly drive yourself if you have a rental. We did get a car service for Dingle, however, just so my husband could fully appreciate the experience rather than having to give all his concentration to the road. We used Pat Keogh Chauffeur Services, and our driver, Carmel, was delightful. She picked us up in Killarney, and we spent most of the day with her. They might provide service in Killarney NP as well.

We drove the Gap of Dunloe, which I'm not sure is actually in the park, but adjacent and had no issues. You can ignore the signs discouraging rental cars - they just want you to pay for the jaunting cars instead. No issues, just go slow and watch ahead to plan spots to pass.

We also stayed near Kenmare - it's a great area. Surprisingly good Chinese food!

If you are interesting in sheep herding, ignore the big tourist places and go to a small place called Hidden Hills Waterville on the Ring of Kerry (which you should drive anyway). Amazing people and one of the highlights of our trip. I'd also do the Cliffs of Kerry - not that different than the famous Cliffs of Moher but way fewer tourists for a similar experience.

Anonymous wrote:Drive it yourself if you have a rental car- just be careful passing others as the road is very narrow.

This.
We spent 2 weeks in Ireland, rented a car, and drove all over. I'm so happy we chose to rent our own vehicle instead of relying on a tour or motor coach option. We saw so much more and were able to go at our own pace and explore.
Head down to Dingle while you're at it. Easy drive from Killarney and worth it. The Dingle peninsula is beautiful. We spent several nights in Killarney, and one of our days was spent doing most of the Slea Head Drive on the Dingle peninsula.

Drive it yourself if you have a rental car- just be careful passing others as the road is very narrow.

Any suggestions for good tours of Killarney National Park? It looks stunning but I'm not entirely sure where to begin. We will be staying in Kenmare and will have a rental car. Trip will be in summer.