Knockowen is one of the highest Caha peaks and lies about 2.5 km NE of the Healy Pass. There's much undulating ground with many rocky ledges either to circumvent or to incorporate into a hike. It's the door to some very remote terrain between the Healy and Caha Passes.
SW. From the south west, park at V78640 53567 A where there is room for 3 cars. If the shop is closed parking is also possible at V78656 53463 B. There is a rough track leading east from the high point of the pass. Pick your way upwards around easy, rock shelfs onto a level rocky ridge. As you leave this ridge look for a grassy slope on the side of Knockowen to ascend to the summit cairn on a low rock shelf. 1.5 hrs should have you there comfortably.
W. You can also head from the west by parking at the hairpin bend (V78987 54544 C) where there is room for a couple of cars. First ascend the steep, grassy slopes to the rocky summit of Stookeennalackareha. After that, head due east, dropping slightly before a long pull up to the summit of Knockowen. [ allow 1.5 to 2 hours to summit this way]
If you're interested in a long day in very remote terrain look no further that track/2767 which is a 21k loop taking in 6 summits among its 1,125 metres of ascent.
Views are widespread to the north-west looking over Glanmore lake and over to the Iveragh peninsula while S and E there are great views of the nearby hills and valleys of the Cahas and on to Sheep's Head and Mizen peninsulas.
Beware of very steep ground to the N. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/175/comment/4935/

As described by Paddy Dillon this makes an excellent little trip from the top of the Healy Pass (786536 D): two to three hours is perfectly leisurely, making it ideal for a Sunday afternoon after a Saturday night (yes, another one of them). In clear weather the large amount of outcropping rock is easily outmanouevred (or incorporated: there's a huge amount of pleasant bouldering/scrambling to be had along here)...in less clement conditions the ill-defined nature of the ridgeline would be 'interesting', I should think. The mountain views are indeed bleak: the mass of Hungry Hill blocking any view down the peninsular, while in the other direction the barren nature of much of the Cahas is very apparent. All is softened by the valley and seaward prospects mind you, which are most lovely (see example: from the ridge north-west over Glanmore to the Kenmare River.) And there's St Patrick's Cabbage about, which always adds to the day I find. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/175/comment/3184/

The highest point of the central Caha ridge walk from Healy Pass to Turners rock. Most special feature is the tremendous drop into Glenrastel to the West. My picture looks north towards Cushnafiaculla to give a sense of this remote and airy place Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/175/comment/455/

Paddy Dillon [The Mountains of Ireland] says “Knockowen is a good place to sit and study the bleaker parts of the Caha Mountains, but there are also views across to the big mountains of the Iveragh peninsula.” Richard Mersey [The Hills of Cork and Kerry] waxed more lyrical about the view from nearby Lough Namimna “.. there is a fine view north to the Matterhorn of Ireland – Mullaghanattin, across the Kenmare River." Our photo shows the summit cairn and a misty view of somewhere much nearer: Canshanvoe, a ridge that extends south of Knockeirky, the hump of some 577m, to the east of Knockowen. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/175/comment/601/

Lough Namuinna is between Knockowen and Cushnaficulla. David Herman [Hillwalkers’ South Kerry and West Cork] mentions a rock with a “remarkable square cross-section” on the side of the Lough. There’s a blown up view of what I take to be this rock in the picture. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/175/comment/603/