From Killarney to Killarney: The Brosnan Story Comes Full Circle

As many of our campers know, Wynola Country Cousins is more than just a beautiful place to stay – it’s part of a living family story, shaped by generations of hard work, love of the land, and a connection that spans continents.

Right now, Bernie and I are in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland – the original Killarney, nestled among mountains and lakes that look strikingly like the ones we call home in southern Queensland. We're walking the streets and tracing the paths of our ancestors, the Brosnans, who left this breathtaking corner of Ireland in the late 1870s and set sail for a new life in Australia.

Like many Irish families of the time, the Brosnans settled in Queensland’s Southern Downs and took up farming – producing butter, cream, milk, and timber. When they arrived, the landscapes must have stirred something familiar. So familiar, in fact, that the small border town they helped shape was named *Killarney*, after the one they had left behind.

One branch of the Brosnan family eventually made Wynola their home, and now, three generations later, our family is still here – sharing this land with campers from all over Australia who come for the same reasons our ancestors fell in love with both Killarneys: the rivers, the hills, the fresh air, and the stories written into the land.

Standing here in the Irish Killarney, it’s humbling to feel that connection stretch across time and ocean. There’s a deep sense of gratitude – for our heritage, for the place we’ve built back home, and for everyone who comes to stay and be part of the story in their own small way.

Here are a few photos from our travels. We hope you enjoy them – and we look forward to welcoming you back at Wynola soon, where the spirit of both Killarneys lives on.

— Jo & Bernie Brosnan