Overview

Moll's Gap is a dramatic mountain pass on the N71 road roughly midway between Kenmare and Killarney, and one of the most photographed stops on the Ring of Kerry. The gap is a classic example of a glacial breach, formed when a 500-meter-deep glacier in the Black Valley broke through the ridge during the last ice age, leaving behind the narrow pass and the old red sandstone rock faces that line both sides of the road today.

The name dates to the 1820s, when a local woman named Moll Kissane ran a shebeen - an unlicensed pub - alongside the road as it was being constructed. Her speciality was poitín, the traditional Irish spirit distilled from potatoes, which she sold to the laborers building the Killarney-to-Kenmare road. Descendants of Moll still live in the area, and the Kissane family now runs a sheep farm nearby.

The gap sits at roughly 260 meters above sea level and offers long views across the Macgillycuddy's Reeks toward Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain.

What You'll See

The viewing area looks out on old red sandstone walls rising up on either side and across the mountains of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, with Carrauntoohil to one side and the Gap of Dunloe to the other. The road itself is winding and scenic in both directions - the approach from Killarney via Ladies' View and Looscaunagh Lough is frequently cited as the more dramatic route in.

At the pass stands the Avoca Cafe and store, housed in a building on a rocky ridge, selling Irish wool goods, jewelry, homewares, and souvenirs from Ireland's oldest working woolen mill. A coffee and food menu is available inside. Kissane Sheep Farm, operated by descendants of the original Moll Kissane, sits nearby and offers sheepdog demonstrations, sheep-shearing, and lamb feeding during the season.

Tips

The view is at its best on clear days, but even in misty or moody weather the gap offers its own unique atmosphere. Approach from Killarney via the N71 if you want the full dramatic buildup past Ladies' View and Looscaunagh Lough before reaching the pass itself.

Combine naturally with Ladies' View (10 minutes toward Killarney), Torc Waterfall (25 minutes), and Killarney National Park for a strong afternoon, or with Kenmare and its stone circle for a half-day loop. The road through the gap is narrow with tight bends and is popular with cyclists - drive slowly, use pull-offs to let faster vehicles pass, and give cyclists plenty of room.