Ireland/Irish > Black's guide to Killarney and the south of Ireland

THE BHACK VALLEY.
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distant. I was more struck by the view after passing the
Gap, up what is called the Dark Valley, a wide and desolate
hollow, surmounted by the finest peaks of this mountain
range.” The road for a little way up the Gap keeps to the
right of the stream, passing the lowest of the tarns, sometimes
called Cosaun Lough, which is about nine miles from Kil-
larney. Quarter of a mile further on, it crosses the stream
below the second, or Black Lough, and keeps to the left of
Cushvally Lough, and Auger Lough. The Pike Rock is
situated at the upper end of the latter, being about eleven
miles from our starting point.
Cars are never taken beyond this point, from whence the
tourist may either walk or ride the four miles to Lord
Brandon’s cottage, where he embarks. It would be
well even to send back the car at the first lake, as the
road is very trying for the horse. Parties frequent
this valley with cannon, which they discharge in order
to awake the magnificent echo, which passes from hill
to hill.
Emerging from the Gap at its upper end, we come within
sight of
THE BLACK VALLEY, Coom-a-Dhuv* which stretches
away to our right, and seems lost in its own profundity. The
darkness of the valley is not caused by any excess of vegeta¬
tion, what exists being, on the contrary, very stunted, and
sparingly scattered. The effect is produced by the height of
the hills surrounding the vale, and the immense quantity of
dissolved peaty matter in the water. We are inclined to con¬
cur with Mr. Inglis, when he describes this vale asmore striking
than that which we have just left, for few could look into its
wild recess without a feeling of awe akin to horror. Mr.
Windele thus describes the valley:—“ On our right lies the
deep, broad, desolate glen of Coom-Duv, an amphitheatre
buried at the base, and hemmed in by vast masses of mountain,
whose rugged sides are marked by the course of descending
* Unfortunately there seems to be no rule among writers for the spelling of
Irish words. Cummeenduff, Commenduff, Com-a-Dhuv, Coom-Duv, and Coom-
Dhuvh, are among the different versions given of the Irish name of the Bark
Valley. We prefer Coom-a-Dhuv, because it comes nearest the pronunciation of
the natives.