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KER
officers and men; and the two batteries on the islands of
Carrigue and Tarbert, each mounting six 24-pounders
and containing bomb-proof barracks for about 20 men.
Kerry is the most western county of Ireland, and
the fourth in extent; it is surpassed by many in fertility.
From its aspect it seems well adapted to become a
valuable tillage country, but, though improvements have
been very rapid of late years, a great part of it lies still
in a very unproductive condition. The northern part
lying towards the Shannon is comparatively low. From
the mouth of the river Cashen to Kerry Head, which
forms the south side of the mouth of the Shannon,
stretches a bank of upland which is chiefly a heathy
moor, and near Kerry Head rises to a considerable eleva-
tion. The coast towards the ocean is partly high sand
hills and partly steep cliffs, on which the ruins of some
dismantled castles are boldly situated: that of Doon
stands almost perpendicularly over the ocean. The
northern tract of low country has on its south a range
of upland, rising gradually into the boundaries between
Limerick and Cork: this upland, in passing eastward,
expands to a great width. Still more southerly is an
extensive range of mountains, many of the summits of
which are among the highest in Ireland: they com-
mence at the eastern side of the bay of Dingle, and,
with little interruption, pass along the southern side of
the lake of Killarney and onward to the county of
Cork, emhracing some deep and extensive vales. The
general aspect of this part of the county is rude: the
valleys are commonly occupied with bog, round the
upper edge of which, and along the margins of the
streams, are narrow stripes of cultivated land, behind
which the mountains rise to an elevation of from 1500
to 2000 feet, presenting bold rocky cliffs towards the
bay of Dingle and the Atlantic. The southern baronies
of Iveragh, Dunkerron, and Glanerough are the wildest
and most uncultivated tracts in the county: the last-
mentioned, which takes its name from the river Roughty,
that flows through it, is separated from the adjoining
barony of Bere, in the county of Cork, by a range of
lofty mountains, the greater part of which was formerly
the estate of the O’Sullivans. Macgillycuddy’s Reeks,
in North Dunkerron, are the highest mountains not
only in the county, but in Ireland; their most elevated
summit, called Carran Tual, or Gheran Tuel, being 3410
feet above the level of the sea. Mangerton is next in
height. Towards the west are the mountains of Drung
and Callee, the highest summits of the range that sepa-
rates the baronies of Iveragh and Dunkerron. This
chain proceeds eastward to the south of the lakes of
Killarney, along Tomies mountain, Glena, Torc, Man-
gerton, Crohane, and the Paps, which latter are particu-
larly remarkable for the regularity of their convex or
conical form. The range of which they form a part is
connected with the hills of Glanflesk, which overhang
O’Donoghoe’s country. North and east of Tralee are
the ranges called Stack’s mountains and the Glanrud-
dery mountains: and between the harbours of Castle-
maine and Tralee is a range of high mountains, called
Slieve Mish, attaining an elevation of upwards of 2200
feet; and hence mountains extend westward into the
peninsular barony of Corkaguiney under various names,
among which, one of remarkable conical shape is called
Cahir-conrigh. Considerable tracts of these mountains
have been improved and brought into tillage. This
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KER
barony is esteemed the granary of the county: the
northern side, called Litteragh, is richly cultivated, and
rendered very productive by the great facility of obtain-
ing sea manure. Brandon hill rises to a great height,
and its top or sides are often enveloped in clouds. From
tne base of the mountains various brooks run into both
bays. From the southern coast a long peninsula of
sand hills, called Inch island, extends into the bay of
Castlemaine.
The lakes in the mountainous regions are numerous,
but few are of large dimensions. The most remarkable,
both for extent and beauty, is the celebrated Lough
Leine, the principal of the lakes of Killarney, three in
number, which are connected by straits, or short rivers.
They are distinguished by the names of the Upper, the
Torc, and the Lower lake. The last is about six miles
in length and of great breadth, with mountains of the
richest grandeur on one side, which is increased by the
contrast of the level shore on the other, and overspread
with islands of the most luxuriant beauty. Torc Lake
is separated from it by the richly wooded peninsula
of Muckross and Dinis island, and is still more pic-
turesque; but the wildest sublimity is that of the Upper
Lake, about 2½ miles in length, and wholly surrounded
by the mountains. [For a more detailed account, see
the article on Killarney.] The other lakes are as fol-
low:—Lough Currane, near the shore of Ballinskellig
bay, which has several islands, and is fed by a stream
called the Cummaragh river, flowing from the smaller
lakes of Derriana and Elaineanc, in the mountains;
Lough Scall, about halfway between Tralee and Dingle;
Lough Cara, near the harbour of Castlemaine; and
Lough Quinlan, near that of Kilmacalogue, which con-
tains several small floating islands. The Devil’s Punch
Bowl is a very deep hollow near the summit of Man-
gerton mountain, upwards of 1500 feet above the level
of the sea, which discharges its surplus water by a
large stream that rolls down the mountain side in a
succession of cataracts distinguished by their white
foam at a considerable distance. At the foot of the
same mountain is Lough Kittane, a secluded and pic-
turesque lake.
Several of the mountain ridges form headlands pro-
jecting boldly into the sea, the intermediate valleys
being the basins of noble bays and estuaries, into which
the rivers empty themselves. Commencing at the
southern extremity of the county, the first of these is
the bay or estuary of the Kenmare river, which pene-
trates 25 miles into the country, and is navigable at
high water up to Kenmare town at its innermost ex-
tremity: it contains, on the south side, the harbours
of Ardgroom and Kilmacalogue, and on its northern
side, that of Sneem; and along the northern shore is a
succession of small islands, of which the principal are
Rossmore, Hansherky, Cappanacoss, and Dunkerron.
The next bay is that of Ballinaskellig, near the entrance
of which are the Hog islands, and towards the west are
the Skellig islands, which, with the other principal is-
lands here noticed, are described under a separate head.
Beyond these is Puffin island (see Killemlagh), and
beyond it is Valencia island, forming a harbour by the
channel that separates it from the main land, which has
an entrance at each end; it is considered one of the
safest and most commodious on the western coast.
Between Valencia island and the Blasquets is Dingle