Healy and Parnell remember Mrs O

Sugarloaf West as Simon mentions has two possible tops .The photo here is taken from the lower one looking down to Glengarriff.
As you enter Glengariff from Bantry on your left hidden by trees is the former site of Roches Royal Hotel.
It was here that Tim Healy, the future first Governor-General of the Irish Free State, was arrested for his activities with the Land League. Renowned for his wit and sharp tongue he went from being an ardent supporter of Parnell to one of his fiercest critics.
When Parnell asked his colleagues at one party meeting "Who is the master of the party?", Healy famously retorted with another question "Aye, but who is the mistress of the party?" referring to Parnells ongoing affair with Mrs O'Shea.
Tim Healy also gives his name to the nearby Healy Pass.
Last word though to Robert Llyod Praeger who, writing almost 75 years ago, summed up the magic of this area.
"Best of all is it to penetrate on foot the wild region of hill and cliff and lake lying just west of Glengarriff, not built on such a massive or lofty scale as Macgillycuddy's Reeks, but surpassing them for variety and sheer beauty.
Enter this enchanted region by way of Barley lake or Adrigole glen with strong boots and a raincoat to exorcise the demons of air and water, and I would wish to be with you in body, as I shall be in spirit" Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/341/comment/6067/

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simon3 on Sugarloaf Mountain Far West Top

Toberavanaha overlooks the wild glacial valley to the north-east as shown in this picture. The nearer lake rejoices in the anglicised name of Eekenohoolikeaghaun, the further is Derreenadarodia. The rough “corduroy” texture of the rock and the bare uninhabited nature of the valley make it appear so wild a place that you would think that it had only just been carved out by the glaciers. The high ground to the left of the picture is part of the lake studded Glenlough Mountain – really a broad plateau running north-south for over 2k. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/341/comment/519/

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simon3 on Sugarloaf Mountain Far West Top

Toberavanaha has two possible candidates for main summit, one to the north and west, one to the east. According to my best averaged value from the GPS, the height is at around 568 for the north and west one as against 564 for the east one, but I would be open to correction. What’s interesting about this place is that compared to the well known Sugarloaf that is so near, Toberavanaha is relatively unvisited, with a feel of remoteness. As we visited it we saw a fox.

Our photo shows Lough Toberavanaha with part of the Bantry Bay coastline east of Adrigole in view. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/341/comment/518/

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wellaway on Sugarloaf Mountain Far West Top

"The nearer lake rejoices in the anglicised name of Eekenohoolikeaghaun, the further is Derreenadarodia."
When we were small boys, we used to do a bit of rock climbing on the cliffs on the way into Lough Derreendarodia.(& party afterwards in Doc Ryans, just so you'll know our generation) I think we called the crag Ozymandias, dont know why. Last time I looked 10 years ago the carabiner was still stuck in a crack there.
Anyway one of th local farmers told me the name was anglicised from Loch Dereen dá Bó deag. i.e 12 cow lake. The legend involved one finding a herb that grew near the lake which enabled you to see the 12 cows and turn them back into 12 beautifull maidens or something. I have forgotten. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/341/comment/2521/

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Nice views over Adrigole

Unfortunately it looks like the access at A (V91465 53888) isn't an option any more - there are multiple no access signs and the gate is covered in barbed wire, just in case you didn't get the hint from the signs. As an alternative I parked on the roadside at Magn Str (V91700 54569) (1 car) and followed the old Beara Way towards Sugarloaf (which is visible from miles away). The summit is a few hundred metres off the new Beara Way track. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/341/comment/14735/

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