The N71 road from Killarney to Kenmare passes a viewpoint called Ladies View which offers a view of the lakes and valleys. On the occasion of Queen Victoria's visit in 1861, the point was apparently chosen by the queen's ladies-in-waiting as the finest in the land; hence the name.[2]
Lough Leane (from Irish Loch Léin 'lake of learning')[3] is the largest and northernmost of the three lakes, approximately 19 square kilometres (4,700 acres) in size.[4] It is also the largest body of fresh water in the region.[5] The River Laune drains Lough Leane to the north-west towards Killorglin and into Dingle Bay.
Leane is dotted with small forested islands, including Innisfallen, which holds the remains of the ruined Innisfallen Abbey.[1] On the eastern edge of the lake, Ross Island, more properly a peninsula, was the site of some of the earliest Copper Age metalwork in prehistoric Ireland.[6]Ross Castle, a 15th-century keep, sits on the eastern shore of the lake, north of the Ross Island peninsula.
Also known as Middle Lake or Torc Lake, Muckross is just south of Lough Leane.[7] The two are separated by a small peninsula, crossed by a stone arched bridge called Brickeen Bridge.[1] It is Ireland's deepest lake, reaching to 75 metres (246 ft) in parts.[8] A paved hiking trail of approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) circles the lake.[2]
The Upper Lake is the smallest of the three lakes, and the southernmost. It is separated from the others by a winding channel some 4 km (2.5 mi) long.[1]
Folkloreedit
According to folklore, the lakes were the haunt of Kate Kearney, who is said to have sought there O'Donaghue, an enchanted chieftain, and to have died in madness. Kearney is the subject of Letitia Elizabeth Landon's poetical illustration to a view of The Upper Lake of Killarney. by William Henry Bartlett,[9] and in a further Landon poem, Kate is Craz'd., which accompanies a picture by Joseph John Jenkins.[10] This Kate Kearney should not be confused with the lady who provided refreshment at what is now Kate Kearney's Cottage at the Gap of Dunloe.
Galleryedit
Ross Castle visible across Lough Leane
Brickeen Bridge, where Lough Leane and Muckross Lake meet
The lakes as viewed from Ladies View
Hand-drawn map of the Lakes by French artist Alphonse Dousseau, between 1830 and 1869
Photograph of Upper Lake published by Fergus O'Connor circa 1920 with commotion in bottom right
^ abcdeScheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. pp. 204–205. ISBN0-89577-087-3.
^ abGuides, Rough (9 June 2015). The Rough Guide to Ireland. Penguin. ISBN9780241236222.
^Dúchas. . Archived from the original on 15 June 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
^. 7 February 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^The Department of the Environment and Local Government. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
^p142-146, Richard Bradley The prehistory of Britain and Ireland, Cambridge University Press, 2007, ISBN0-521-84811-3
^Ballantyne, Robert Michael (1 January 1865). The Lakes of Killarney. T. Nelson.
^Enterprise, Foran. "Killarney Lakes". www.gleannfia.com. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
^Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1831). "picture". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832. Fisher, Son & Co.Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1831). "poetical illustration". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832. Fisher, Son & Co.
^Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1839). "poetical illustration". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1840. Fisher, Son & Co.Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1839). "picture". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1840. Fisher, Son & Co.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lakes of Killarney.
Killarney National Park
National Library of Ireland archives for the lakes
lakes, killarney, scenic, attraction, located, killarney, national, park, near, killarney, county, kerry, ireland, they, consist, three, lakes, lough, leane, muckross, lake, also, called, middle, lake, upper, lake, from, nearby, torc, mountainlocationkillarney. The Lakes of Killarney are a scenic attraction located in Killarney National Park near Killarney County Kerry in Ireland They consist of three lakes Lough Leane Muckross Lake also called Middle Lake and Upper Lake 1 Lakes of KillarneyThe Lakes of Killarney from nearby Torc MountainLakes of KillarneyLocationKillarney County KerryCoordinates52 2 30 N 9 33 0 W 52 04167 N 9 55000 W 52 04167 9 55000TypeLakeBasin countriesIrelandAverage depth13 4 m 44 ft Max depth75 m 246 ft Surface elevation20 m 66 ft IslandsInnisfallen Contents 1 Surroundings 2 Lough Leane 3 Muckross Lake 4 Upper Lake 5 Folklore 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksSurroundings editThe lakes sit in a low valley some 20 m 66 ft above sea level 1 They are surrounded by the rugged slopes of MacGillycuddy s Reeks Notable mountains in the range include Carrauntoohil which at 1 038 metres 3 406 ft is Ireland s highest mountain Purple Mountain at 832 metres 2 730 ft Mangerton Mountain at 843 metres 2 766 ft and Torc Mountain at 535 metres 1 755 ft citation needed The N71 road from Killarney to Kenmare passes a viewpoint called Ladies View which offers a view of the lakes and valleys On the occasion of Queen Victoria s visit in 1861 the point was apparently chosen by the queen s ladies in waiting as the finest in the land hence the name 2 Lough Leane editMain article Lough Leane nbsp Lough LeaneLough Leane from Irish Loch Lein lake of learning 3 is the largest and northernmost of the three lakes approximately 19 square kilometres 4 700 acres in size 4 It is also the largest body of fresh water in the region 5 The River Laune drains Lough Leane to the north west towards Killorglin and into Dingle Bay Leane is dotted with small forested islands including Innisfallen which holds the remains of the ruined Innisfallen Abbey 1 On the eastern edge of the lake Ross Island more properly a peninsula was the site of some of the earliest Copper Age metalwork in prehistoric Ireland 6 Ross Castle a 15th century keep sits on the eastern shore of the lake north of the Ross Island peninsula Muckross Lake editMain article Muckross Lake nbsp Muckross Lake viewed from Brickeen BridgeAlso known as Middle Lake or Torc Lake Muckross is just south of Lough Leane 7 The two are separated by a small peninsula crossed by a stone arched bridge called Brickeen Bridge 1 It is Ireland s deepest lake reaching to 75 metres 246 ft in parts 8 A paved hiking trail of approximately 10 km 6 2 mi circles the lake 2 Upper Lake editMain article Upper Lake Killarney nbsp Upper LakeThe Upper Lake is the smallest of the three lakes and the southernmost It is separated from the others by a winding channel some 4 km 2 5 mi long 1 Folklore editAccording to folklore the lakes were the haunt of Kate Kearney who is said to have sought there O Donaghue an enchanted chieftain and to have died in madness Kearney is the subject of Letitia Elizabeth Landon s poetical illustration to a view of nbsp The Upper Lake of Killarney by William Henry Bartlett 9 and in a further Landon poem nbsp Kate is Craz d which accompanies a picture by Joseph John Jenkins 10 This Kate Kearney should not be confused with the lady who provided refreshment at what is now Kate Kearney s Cottage at the Gap of Dunloe Gallery edit nbsp Ross Castle visible across Lough Leane nbsp Brickeen Bridge where Lough Leane and Muckross Lake meet nbsp The lakes as viewed from Ladies View nbsp Hand drawn map of the Lakes by French artist Alphonse Dousseau between 1830 and 1869 nbsp Photograph of Upper Lake published by Fergus O Connor circa 1920 with commotion in bottom rightSee also editList of loughs of IrelandReferences edit a b c d e Scheffel Richard L Wernet Susan J eds 1980 Natural Wonders of the World United States of America Reader s Digest Association Inc pp 204 205 ISBN 0 89577 087 3 a b Guides Rough 9 June 2015 The Rough Guide to Ireland Penguin ISBN 9780241236222 Duchas The Lakes Archived from the original on 15 June 2007 Retrieved 1 July 2007 Official Killarney National Park Website 7 February 2007 Archived from the original on 7 February 2007 Retrieved 24 March 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link The Department of the Environment and Local Government Living with Nature The Designation of Nature Conservation Sites in Ireland PDF Archived from the original PDF on 27 September 2007 Retrieved 1 July 2007 p142 146 Richard Bradley The prehistory of Britain and Ireland Cambridge University Press 2007 ISBN 0 521 84811 3 Ballantyne Robert Michael 1 January 1865 The Lakes of Killarney T Nelson Enterprise Foran Killarney Lakes www gleannfia com Retrieved 24 March 2017 Landon Letitia Elizabeth 1831 picture Fisher s Drawing Room Scrap Book 1832 Fisher Son amp Co Landon Letitia Elizabeth 1831 poetical illustration Fisher s Drawing Room Scrap Book 1832 Fisher Son amp Co Landon Letitia Elizabeth 1839 poetical illustration Fisher s Drawing Room Scrap Book 1840 Fisher Son amp Co Landon Letitia Elizabeth 1839 picture Fisher s Drawing Room Scrap Book 1840 Fisher Son amp Co External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lakes of Killarney Killarney National Park National Library of Ireland archives for the lakes Ross Island Archived 4 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lakes of Killarney amp oldid 1193460866, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
