At the highest point of the road, be rewarded with a spectacular sight in Moll’s Gap. See the skies, huge and vast, filled with rolling clouds passing slowly over the ancient green landscape. Mountains rise on either side.
Moll’s Gap is a stop along a special and spectacular road, one of the loveliest scenic routes in Ireland. From the viewing area, look out at the old red sandstone rocks rising up on either side, in front of the panorama of the mountains of Macgillycuddy Reeks.
Many people take their cars over these winding turns, but it’s also popular to tackle the hills on a bike. Pedal along and enjoy the fresh air in your hair and face. When the weather is clear, use Moll’s Gap as a starting point for a ramble through the mountains. Pick up a commemorative Irish souvenir at the on-site store and café. Sip coffee while looking out at the view.
Learn about the history of Moll’s Gap. Legend says that the gap was named after the woman who ran a friendly pub nearby around 1820 when the road was being built into these hills. Her pub was famous for her skills as a brewer, making illicit “poitin” or potato whiskey. This was Moll Kissane. Her descendant John Kissane still lives on this patch of land and runs the Kissane Sheep Farm. Visit the farm to see cute woolly sheep and lambs roaming the hills with sheepdogs watching over them.
Find Moll’s Gap on the watershed of the Iveragh Peninsula. Look for a pass on the road from Kenmare to Killarney in County Kerry. This stretch of road is 10 miles (16 kilometers) long and forms part of the Ring of Kerry scenic route. Parking spots are easy to find. Tour buses pass through here regularly as well. From the café, see the Killarney Lakes, Ireland’s highest mountain Carrauntoohil and the Gap of Dunloe beyond.