KATE KEARNEY’S COTTAGE FROM MOONSHINE TO SUNSHINE

Moonshine, Poitín, Mountain Dew - call it what you will, but illegal booze is wrapped in the history and folklore of nearly every corner of the world.

One of Killarney’s most famous landmarks, at the entrance to The Gap of Dunloe, can trace its 250-year-old history to illegal booze.

Kate Kearney’s Cottage first operated as a síbín around the time of the famine in the 1840s.

Kate, said to be a very beautiful woman, served her own form of Poitín to the weary traveller who passed her door.

Poitín is a form of ‘Irish Moonshine’ and although it continues to be distilled under cover (you just need to know where to look), it remains illegal to this day. The drink is so strong that it can be sometimes produced with up to 90 percent alcohol content. The Gaelic word for a hangover is derived from the word póit!

Kate Kearney lived in her now famous cottage before the Great Famine of 1845 to 1849.

Her self-distilled and largely potent brew was known as ‘Kate Kearney’s Mountain Dew’.

Her enterprise got her in trouble with the law but she continued, undeterred, to serve the explosive drink to passersby. It was so strong that it needed seven times its own volume in water to offset its strength. It is not clear today if the passing travellers were merely passers-by or if they had deviated from their chosen route to sample the delights of the famous Mountain Dew.

Regardless, Kate Kearney’s Cottage remains as a public house today. Situated at the gate of The Gap of Dunloe, it is an ideal base for exploring the local mountain passes or to while away a few hours in silence.

The current owner is Sean Coffey who is a great-great-great-grandson of Julia and Donal Mór Moriarty. The Moriarty family took over the cottage and pub following Kate’s passing.

Sean and his family continue that tradition today. Food is served daily, and the bar offers welcoming refuge from all weathers but on a fine sun-shiny day there is no better place to sit than in the pub’s outdoor section.

The area around The Gap of Dunloe and further over into hamlets of Beaufort and Kilgobnet are renowned for maintaining Irish traditional music and locals can be found in the bar every night with a fiddle and accordion or two.

A day in Kate Kearney’s and the wider Gap region is a day well spent even if sourcing a glass of Kate’s famous Dew might prove a little difficult in this day and age!

Killarney is a paradise for adventure junkies seeking an adrenaline rush.

The town, surrounded by lakes, mountains and dirt tracks, offers a vast range of outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, cycling, kayaking, and rock climbing. Killarney National Park, with its rugged terrain and breathtaking scenery, is a hotspot for adventure enthusiasts. The park is home to Ireland’s highest mountain range, the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, and several picturesque lakes, including the famous Lakes of Killarney. Whether you’re an experienced adventurer or a beginner, Killarney has something to offer everyone.

If sweating over the hills and lakes of Killarney is your thing, check out Quest Adventure and also the Wander Wild Festival that runs in March. So pack your bags, gear up and get ready for a thrilling adventure in Killarney!

Pat Falvey Irish And Worldwide Adventures

We welcome walkers, hillwalkers and mountain climbers and all holidaymakers.

From beginners through novice to experienced, we have trips, treks, holidays and adventures for everyone who wants to spend time in the magnificent Irish outdoors. From Kerry’s ancient roads and forests through boglands to magical hills, mountains and seascapes, we offer a wide range of treks, hillwalking, climbs and boat trips throughout the year to enable you to experience nature in all its colours and moods. We also offer a variety of holistic de-stress day and multi-day tours and experiences.

KILLARNEY RENT A BIKE O’SULLIVAN’S CYCLES

David & Fiona O’Sullivan opened O’Sullivan’s Cycles in the early ‘90s in Bishop’s Lane, New Street, Killarney with bike sales and repairs. Since then they have expanded this family business to three outlets within Killarney town to include bike rental and outdoor gear sales.

O’Sullivan’s Cycles are agents for the leading bike manufacturers of the world including Trek, Giant, Specialized and many more. They have a wide range of bicycles for hire to suit all tastes, whether you’re interested in exploring the nearby National Park for a day or planning a week-long excursion around Kerry.

Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry

T: 087 2669710

E: fionadavid1@gmail.com www.killarneyrentabike.com

The Mountain Lodge, Beaufort, Killarney, Co Kerry, EIRCODE: V93YK75

T: +353 646 644181

E: info@patfalvey.com www.patfalvey.com