PAUL SWIFT continues his series on the Rivers of Ireland
The world famous Lakes of Killarney (Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and Upper Lough) are fed by numerous interesting rivers.
The largest of these, Lough Leane, is fed by the river Laune, river Deenagh and river Flesk. The River Laune is 14 miles long and flows past the village of Beaufort and then through the town of Killorglin before emptying into the sea at Dingle Bay.
The river Loe joins the Laune in the town land of Dunloe Lower. It is this area that we find the ruins of Dunloe castle which was built by the Norman Fitzgerald’s in the early 1200’s. This castle was an important strategic key in the defence of the Killarney area. It was used to command the passage across the river to the Gap of Dunloe.
On the outskirts of Killorglin the Cottoners River enters the Laune. Two bridges cross the Laune in Killorglin.
