THE ROAD THROUGH THE GAP: ITS MEMORIES AND ITS RUINS
The principal lakes of Killarney are three in number--the Upper Lake
is the smallest, but often adjudged the most beautiful; it is two
miles and a half in length by half a mile in breadth, the Middle (Torc
or Muckross) Lake is two miles long by one broad, while Lough Leane
("the Lake of Learning") is five miles and a half long by two miles
and a half in breadth.
These lakes are connected by channels, narrow, though sufficiently
wide to admit of the passing of a boat, so in a sense they may be
considered as one, yet each lake possesses a character peculiar to
itself and very distinctive.
Killarney is easy of access in these days. In less than sixteen hours
the tourist may reach it from London, via Holyhead, while Queenstown,
Liverpool and the newer route by Rosslare afford facilities for
visitors from every land. And once arrived they find all the comforts
and luxuries of modern civilization in the first class hotels, which
have sprung up to meet the ever increasing need of accommodation;
hotels from some of which the visitor may view the beauty of lake and
mountain, the lights and shadows, the glory of their colouring,
without going further afield.
Killarney itself is a small town of which there is little to record.
Adjoining is the Earl of Kenmare's demesne, with its fine gardens and
splendid golf links; the latter one of the best inland courses in
Ireland. Visitors can use it on payment of a small green fee.
To proceed by land to the far-famed Gap of Dunloe, and, traversing it,
take the road to the Upper Lake, is the general plan followed by the
stranger, for this best shows a great and varied extent of country,
with such contrasts of softness and grandeur--nay, desolation--as no
other scenery presents.
In this land the past has graven deep its records in ruined castle,
tower and abbey, each with its tale. And the first of these after
leaving Killarney, is to be found at Aghadoe (in Irish Acadh-da-ca,
"the field of the two yew trees"). It is about two miles from
Killarney, and a slight detour to the right must be made to visit it.
Aghadoe stands on an eminence commanding most lovely views of the
lakes and mountains. It was an ancient bishopric, and here is the ruin
of its Cathedral church, which consists of two chapels of distinct
periods of antiquity. They lie east and west of each other--that to
the east, probably dating from about 1158, is in the Pointed style,
and dedicated to the Holy Trinity; the more ancient, in
Hiberno-Romanesque style, appears to have been built some centuries
before the coming of the Normans, and is far richer and more
beautiful. The western end contains a doorway of recessed arches,
covered with particularly fine mouldings and decorations.
Not far from the western end are the remains of what must have been a
very fine Round tower, judging from the style of its masonry, now,
however, only about 15 feet in height. Many of its stones have been
taken away and converted into tombstones for neighbouring churchyards,
or some other need of the mason. The Castle is another massive
circular fragment of about 30 feet in height, sometimes called "The
Bishop's Chair," sometimes "The Pulpit," and believed to have been
the residence of the bishops of the diocese.
Following the road to the north side of the lake, several fine
demesnes are passed, one of them, Lakeview House, being the residence
of Sir Morgan Ross O'Connell, Bart., grand-nephew of the Liberator. It
is a beautiful drive, and many a tale of the past will enliven the
way, as, crossing Beaufort Bridge over the Laune, you reach Dunloe
Castle at the west end of the lake, about seven miles from Killarney
town.
Dunloe Castle stands on a height from whence the view is glorious.
This Castle is the seat of the Mahonys, and is very ancient. An old
history of Kerry mentions that its floors are formed of very fine
planks of the yew tree, a wood which, when well wrought, has a more
beautiful grain and polish than mahogany. Bees have taken up their
residence for centuries in this old fortress. They are in curious
niches and angles behind the massive walls and under the floors. They
disturb no one and refuse to be evicted. A bee-keeper tried if he
could tempt them beyond their bounds by laying "sections" in a place
to which they had access, with a hope of securing some of the honey.
They took no notice. Through a cupboard in one of the walls, you can
see far back a host of these little people, the self-constituted
guests of Dunloe Castle, very busy over their affairs.
There is a fishing lodge close to Dunloe Castle. This is let during
the season, and very fine sport is to be had. The splendid lake and
river fishing about Killarney is no small attraction to the angler,
both being well stocked with the finest trout and salmon.
A very remarkable cave near the Gap of Dunloe was accidentally
discovered in 1838, and was then and subsequently explored with much
interest. Its roof has now fallen in. It was a subterranean chamber of
circular form, the walls of uncemented stones inclining inwards, with
a roof also of long transverse stones, the angles of which are covered
with Ogham writing, "which is to the Irish antiquary what the Runes
are in the north, the Arrow-headed or Wedge characters in Babylonia or
Persepolis. Archæological discoveries in Ireland are of more general
interest than formerly, as the earth is laying bare her secrets all
over the world, and what is discovered in one country is found to have
its bearing on something brought to light in another." The discovery
of Ogham characters in this cave was additional evidence that the
Irish had a literature far in advance of the rest of Europe and long
before the Christian era.
Close to the entrance of the Gap stands Kate Kearney's cottage as,
whether it contains a "Kate" or not, it will always be called. There
is many a pretty girl in Kerry whose bright eyes, clear colouring and
beautiful hair attract the passer by, but Kate will be remembered to
the end of time, because of the few lines which, "lilting" from a
poet's heart, conferred upon her the crown of immortal youth and
beauty:
"From the glance of her eye, shun danger and fly,
For fatal's the glance of Kate Kearney!"
It is the fashion to depreciate Moore as a poet, to compare his lyrics
to the notes of a musical-box, sweet indeed, but devoid of true
inspiration. Yet he fulfilled a noble mission in his day, rescuing and
bringing to light the music of his country, wedding it to words that
tell its story or reveal its beauties instead of the worthless jingle
which had so often degraded it. It was Moore's poetry which greatly
helped to make Killarney known early in the last century to many in
England.
[Illustration: THE HEAD OF THE GAP OF DUNLOE.]
Readers of the literature of that day will know what an influence
Moore was in its intellectual circles--his wit, his geniality, his
singing, "the effect of which," writes N. P. Willis, who met him at
Lady Blessington's, "is only equalled by the beauty of his own words."
His voice was of small compass, but exquisitely modulated and
expressing every shade of feeling and sentiment, so that women have
been known to faint as they listened to his singing, which awakened,
perhaps, a buried sorrow, a long past anguish.
Once enter the Gap of Dunloe and the scene utterly changes; gone is
the soft verdure, the brilliant tinting, silent the song of birds. On
either side rise huge rocks, of strange, fantastic shapes, often
appearing half suspended over the path, while never far from it rushes
the dark Loe, "a brawling and angry stream," which traverses the whole
length of the Gap, about four miles, often passing along heights, then
tumbling into depths with rush and roar, now near, now distant, but
ever voicing the wild emotions which seem to lurk amid the gloom of
this stern defile. It expands into five lakes, called collectively
the Cummeen Lakes, during its passage through the Gap.
Tradition ascribes the origin of this wild pass to a stroke from the
sword of a mighty giant, which separated the mountains and left them
apart for ever, MacGillicuddy's Reeks on one side, Toomies and the
Purple Mountain on the other. Very stern and grand look the Reeks, one
of their peaks, Carn-tual ("the inverted sickle") rising higher than
any mountain in Ireland--3,414 feet above the level of the sea. There
is softer beauty on the mountains to the left, the Purple Mountain in
particular (2,739 feet in height). The lovely hue which pervades this
mountain is generally ascribed to a purple heath, which covers its
sides, almost to the top, with perpetual bloom. Its name, however, was
originally derived from an immense pile of loose stones and slates of
a purple tint, which becomes intense when the sun shines upon them.
It is from the Gap of Dunloe that the Purple Mountain should be
ascended; it is not a formidable climb, but ponies await those who
fear the fatigue. The view from the summit is magnificent.
The western base of this mountain descends into Augher Lake, and
close to this spot is the Woodwork Factory, where carved specimens of
arbutus and other woods can be obtained in inlaid tables, chess and
backgammon sets, card cases, etc.
Chess is believed to have been played in prehistoric times by the
ancient Irish, and the frequent mention of the game long before the
Norman invasion shows it was a favourite one. "The chess board was
called in Irish 'fithcheall,' and is described in the _Glossary_ of
Cormac of Cashel, composed towards the close of the ninth century, as
quadrangular in shape, and having straight spots of black and white.
Some of these were inlaid with gold and silver and adorned with gems.
No entire set of the ancient men is now known to exist, though
frequent mention is made of the brigade or family of chessmen in many
old manuscripts. Kings of bone, seated in sculptured chairs, about 2
inches in height, have been found, and specimens of them engraved in
recent antiquarian publications" (D'Arcy Magee's _History of
Ireland_).
The most striking part of the Gap is where the valley contracts so as
to bring the precipitous sides very close together. The peasants have
named this the Pike, and to the grotesquely formed rocks along the
pass they have also given names--the Turnpike, O'Donoghue's Heart, and
so on. The impression conveyed as you proceed, is of gloom and of a
certain aloofness from the ordinary. The eagle soaring above is no
uncommon sight.
A little distance from the Pike is a lonely tarn called the Black Lake
(Loch Dubh), where St. Patrick imprisoned the last Irish snake, which
is supposed to live in its depths. A little south of the Pass the spot
is pointed out where the last Irish wolf was slain.
There is a stamp of wild force in all that meets the eye while
traversing the Gap, which is not diminished as at Gap Cottage the end
is neared. At its commencement cars have had to be abandoned. You must
ride or walk. If you have elected to walk you will probably now be
footsore and weary. Even the sure-footed ponies generally used may not
prevent fatigue from the rough, precipitous road, but it is forgotten
when, on leaving the Gap, a turn in the path brings in view one of the
most famous glens of Killarney--the Black Valley. This was formerly
described as so black, so desolate, that it might have been named the
Valley of the Shadow of Death. It owes this reputation merely to its
English name--a mistranslation from the Irish one--Cumin Dubh
(O'Duff's Valley). No one knows who this O'Duff was, however, and the
Black Valley is a more romantic name for a singularly wild and
beautiful scene.
The path now inclines to the left, bringing in view the Upper Lake,
its waters glowing like burnished gold, if, as often happens, it
approaches the sunset hour when you reach it. How lovely it looks,
guarded on every side by those great mountains which hold so many
secrets!
Not without a passing regret do we leave the Gap. It has its own
charm, arousing wonder and curiosity and a certain awe. One really
feels when the Pike is reached as though there was nothing strange in
its having emanated from the giant's sword.
The scene surveyed from here is very beautiful, and tempts delay, but
the Upper Lake must be reached. By the side of the hill you descend is
the Logan stone, or "balanced rock," long considered a wonder of
Druidical times. Some affirm now that its rocking motion is from
natural causes, but, set as it is on the lonely hill, it looks as if
it well might have been fashioned by those stern old heathen.
Still descending, the road takes a sharp backward curve to the foot of
Fubrahy's Crags; then, turning again, it continues till, after
crossing a bridge, it passes through an opening in the wall into
Gurmaheen Demesne, within which are tea and waiting rooms, called
"Lord Brandon's Cottage." From thence a short path descends to the
Upper Lake, where in some sheltered bay your boat awaits you.
[Illustration: {THE EAGLE'S NEST, KILLARNEY.}]