No 1 to through

There are roads for all seasons but today the weather gods are not playing along. The drive from to Leenaun along the N59 has been through an all-enveloping mist hiding the mountains and nullifying the dramatic impact of our first glimpse of .

But then, just as we turn onto our intended route along the R336/R345, the weather begins a partial, slow clearance.

We've turned off the N59 just before entering Leenaun proper, onto the R336 which will take us as far as Clonbur and then back to City.

This is a favourite road which offers 29km (17miles) of fast flowing roads with a generally good, often excellent surface. It's unusual for a road in the West of in that it has a flowing rhythm which allows brisk motoring without constant changes of surface quality.

We find only one small section of the road to be poor and it's being resurfaced in time for the tourist season. Yet, I'm not sure that this road is discovered by the majority of motoring tourists who travel this region, much their loss.

This is Joyce Country, named after the Welsh family which settled here in the 13th century and became one of the fiercest clans in the West of Ireland. They made their own this valley, now travelled by the R336, between the Maumturk and Party Mountains. Numerous ruined castles dot the landscape as evidence of their habitation in more dangerous times.

The R336 follows the course of the Joyce River after about 4km and continues on through the small village of Kilmeelickin to Maum, where we fork left onto the R345. Benbeg towers behind Kilmeelickin and here is a church with an Evie Hone stained glass window depicting St Brendan.

Nearby the Joyce and Bealanabrack Rivers meet before flowing into the western tip of , Ireland's second biggest lake. At a right turn leads to the scenic Doorus peninsula which juts out into the lake with splendid views on either side.

But we're not here to view the scenery, and the best of this road is about to come. About three quarters of the way along the R336/R345, as it goes towards Clonbur, the road begins to rise providing increasingly dramatic views of the surrounding Maum Valley now opening out into the western tip of Lough Corrib . . . at least it would if the mists would rise a little bit more and allow the weak sun to shine through.

We plan to take photographs here, but the mist obliges with only a partial lift and the light stays poor. Waiting for the weather to improve, we take the opportunity to drive through the mixture of both tight and sweeping bends which rise and fall dramatically against a backdrop of Lough Corrib and Hen Castle, also known as Castlekirk (Caisleán na Circe), which legend associates with the 16th century pirate queen, Grace O'Malley.

I'm tempted to say that this sequence of corners by itself makes the drive along the R336/R345 worthwhile for any keen motorist but that would be unfair. From Leenaun to Clonbur the road is well worth seeking out.

We've already decided that we'll come back again in better weather. Now, does anyone have any influence with the weather gods?

Great Irish Roads: A series by motoring historian Bob Montgomery

No 2: The R108 Ballyboughal to Drogheda

Some roads are meant to be driven, shall we say, briskly; others are born to be meandered. Today's subject is a road that repays a slow meandering drive along its length with glimpses of an ancient landscape, as the road climbs over successive hills and dales and houses betray their olden origins by lying nestled in sheltered hollows.

Yet this road, today lying between other newer and busier roads, was once the highway from Dublin to and then on to , having been arrived by Glasnevin, Santry and Forrest, just west of present-day Swords.

Taylor and Skinner's 1778 map contained in their seminal work, Maps of the Roads of Ireland, shows a road that has hardly changed today, two and a quarter centuries later. It's a landscape that shows remarkably few signs of change, the most notable being the swathe cut by the new M1 motorway which intersects the R108 a couple of kilometres north-east of Bellewstown.

Leaving Ballyboughal village one soon arrives at the foot of a gently climbing hill, where in 1925 and 1926 the Drogheda Motor Cycle Club organised a popular motorcycle hillclimb. The event must have been more speed trial than hillclinb as the road chosen ran from the bridge below the present-day Hollywood Golf Club to the crossroads at Nag's Head, a distance of seven-eighths of a mile with a gradient of 1 in 35. Interestingly, reports of the event describe the finish at "Knagg's Head" crossroads - Knagg, I believe, was the name of a local family.

Having passed Nag's Head and the ridge which is Cabinhill, the road falls steeply into the village of Naul with its Séamus Ennis Cultural Centre, whose restaurant is a good place for a hearty Irish breakfast! Out of Naul, the stone-age passage tomb at Fourknocks is but a short diversion to the west of the R108. Its inner chamber is 21ft across, far larger than , and is well worth a look.

The R108 now enters it's most attractive section, meandering across several hills which offer a surprisingly high view towards the sea at Balbriggan. In fact the highest point on the road is but 159 metres and later Mullaghteelin is some 148 metres above sea level. Neither hill is earth-shatteringly high but in what is generally a flat landscape they give surprising elevation and quite unexpected views to any motorist used to travelling north by the M1 or its predecessor, the N1/R132.

Here the R108 also passes the road to Bellewstown, the site of another hillclimb course in the 1950s and today noteworthy for its annual horse races. Soon afterwards the road drops down to intersect the M1 motorway before crossing the River Nanny and sweeping into Drogheda.

Just as the road reaches Drogheda, it turns sharp right past the old Church of Ireland. However, we finish our journey on the R108 by continuing straight on at this sharp turn, coming to Millmount, an 18th-century Martello Tower, although the mound on which it stands is probably of Celtic origin, and was later built up by the Normans into a huge motte.

In line with the road beside Millmount there are pedestrian steps leading down to the bridge over the Boyne into the heart of Drogheda. Taylor and Skinner's map shows that this was the original course of the road, leading to what was then the only bridge across the river. Indeed, this remained the road until, I believe, the 1920s, and was a notorious accident black-spot.

From Ballyboughal to Millmount is just 18.8 kms, a distance that takes the modern motorist on a short journey back in time over one of the most original ancient highways remaining in this part of Ireland.

A double delight by the waters of Erne

No 3 - R480 Ballyallaban Hillclimb:

Mont Ventoux, Friedburg, Prescott, Shelsley Walsh - the names of famous hill-climbs familiar to motorsport enthusiasts the world over.

Ballyallaban? Perhaps not well-known beyond this island's shores, but truly a challenge to driver and car to match any hill-climb venue in the world. As such, it undoubtedly merits inclusion in this series of great driver's roads and, despite its short length compared to other roads we'll travel, it has a fascination and challenge which is quite unique.

In terms of other hill-climb venues in Ireland or Britain, Ballyallaban is actually the longest (3.5 kms/2.2miles) and fastest currently in use, a fact which surprises the occasional visitor from abroad who travels to County Clare to take part in the annual hill-climb organised by the Galway Motor Club. It's a piece of road that commands respect and is a unique challenge which rewards skilful driving.

Bounded by solid stone walls which in turn are bordered by the unique limestone slabs which form the Burren's extraordinary and other-worldly landscape, Ballyallaban is not a place to make an error of judgment, as many competitors in the yearly hill-climb - including the author - have found to their cost over the years.

Despite these traps for the unwary, or perhaps because of them, this is a place which rewards the skilled driver like no other. The road is fast, with flowing corners, some of which are slightly banked, and generates a rhythm on a quick run. It's a piece of road that seems to have a "groove", which, when taken correctly, becomes apparent to a driver and is immensely satisfying.

Ballyallaban Hill-climb is situated on the R480 just 3kms outside the picturesque 19th century fishing village of Ballyvaughan. The hill-climb course starts just after the entrance to the Aillwee Cave car park. Aillwee Cave - discovered in 1940 and opened to the public in the 1980s - is a wonderful place where amongst other things, one can see the marks made by the fur of hibernating bears in the soft earth of the cave's recesses.

As the R480 winds uphill along the hill-climb course, to the east of Ballyallaban is Mullagh More, a fine 627ft-high rock strata, folded and contorted like dough, while in the distance to the west is the Burren's highest point, Slieve Elva (1134ft).

Like a prelude to the real thing, the lower sections of the course wind through left- and right-hand open hairpin corners before getting onto the faster section of the road.

To the right, one is aware of an increasing drop on the other side of the stone wall as the road climbs steadily but never steeply.

To a driver used to other shorter hill-climb courses, the course seems to go on and on, yet the corners flow, and as mentioned earlier, some are slightly banked. The last section of the hill-climb is signalled by a small viewing car-park before the 4,500- year-old Poulnabrone Dolmen is passed on the left of the road. Also nearby is Glenisheen wedge-tomb, where, in 1930, a young boy out hunting rabbits found a ribbed gold collar or gorget, dating from about 700BC, and which is now in the National Museum.

Too soon, this fabulous section of road is over but its unique challenge remains one of the most daunting in Irish motorsport. Mont Ventoux, Friedburg, Prescott, Shelsley Walsh, Ballyallaban . . No 4/The Wicklow Gap/R756 Laragh to Hollywood

The trouble with Wicklow is that by itself it could probably provide enough good driving roads to create its own series, so for once the question is not which roads to include, but rather which roads to leave out.

There is one road about which the question simply doesn't arise and which it would be impossible to exclude from a series such as this. It's one of the finest driving roads in the entire island of Ireland. And what a road!

One of the two main passes over the , the road over the Wicklow Gap is dominated by the towering bulk of (817m). At one end of it is the valley village of Hollywood which marks the beginning of this ancient pilgrims' road where pious travellers once began their ascent of the Wicklow Mountains, crossing the Wicklow Gap to reach the holy places of the monastic settlement at .

Today, the Gap is traversed by a superb modern road which provides a fast transit of the ancient pilgrim route. I drove it from the small village of Laragh, very much at the heart of Wicklow, situated as it is close by Glendalough and its historic landscape, at the confluence of the Glenmacnass and Avonmore Rivers.

Leaving Laragh along the Vale of the Glendasan River (which joins the other two rivers just south of the village), one soon passes the junction with the R757 leading to Glendalough. The first of several abandoned mines swings into view on the left hand side of the road as we begin to climb towards the pass itself.

Camaderry (698m) dominates the southern side of the road and soon after the artificial mound of the ESB's reservoir is visible atop . By now, Tonelagee dominates the northern skyline and the road reaches the Gap itself. Parking is provided so that one can pause and admire the spectacular views over Wicklow.

The road is a revelation: fast and smooth with flowing corners which are a delight to drive, each one opening up to a new view across the beautiful landscape. What a shame an army of electricity pylons strides across that land towards Hollywood. Judging by the high number of fast motorcycles I met on this road, it's evidently also very much to the liking of the two-wheel fraternity.

Having crossed the Gap, the landscape becomes softer and more fertile, and the road drops gently down towards Hollywood through a series of bridges and finally between the twin hills of Slievecorragh and Broughills Hill positioned like a gateway at one end of this wonderful road.

Along the way, glimpses are provided of the vast Pollaphuca Reservoir which seems in complete contrast to the road, and the landscape, just traversed.

This is a road to be enjoyed, but a word of warning: already, with the arrival of some good weather, tourist traffic on the road is growing. To enjoy this road at its best, find a time when it's deserted or nearly so, and enjoy a great road as it was meant to be enjoyed, flowing as it yields up new and spectacular vistas along its entire length.

I can think of few roads I would rather drive on a clear, blue-skied, crisp morning. See you there

No 5: L116 - The Cut

To paraphrase the well-known song, the first time ever I saw this road was one I shall never forget. It was on a blue-skied spring morning many years ago while driving my first car, a "bug-eyed" Austin Healey Sprite.

I climbed the snowy road to the spot known as The Cut and looked down for the first time on the forested mountains of Slieve Bloom. Icicles hung from the edges of the cutting through which the road passed.

I knew then I had discovered one of those lesser-known areas of beauty with which Ireland abounds. That scene has stayed with me ever since and to travel this road again for this series was a particular pleasure.

The are in the north-west corner of Laois where they form the border with Offaly. Starting from we take the R440 road to . After about five, we turn on to the L116 at Burke's Bridge, identified by its millennium plaque.

At first, as befits a road officially designated as a link road, the L116 is unspectacular as it begins the slow climb up into the heart of the Slieve Blooms. (Incidentally, such roads are no longer identified on the Ordnance Survey Discovery map series, which seems a pity given their ability to show great detail).

As the landscape climbs and becomes more and more wooded, I notice how much the trees have grown since I was last here. So much so, in fact, that they block a large amount of the view on the ascent towards The Cut itself. But then, we're not here to admire the view, but to drive the road.

Along the way parking and picnic areas dot the landscape and have in common the undeniable fact that they've all seen better days. One of the attractions of the Slieve Blooms is that one is never likely to find it packed with tourists. Even so, the neglect of these facilities is striking in a region trying to attract tourists.

As we near the summit of our journey, we enter the narrow cutting through the rock which gives this road it's name. The Cut is a dark stretch perhaps 100 metres long, its slightly eerie effect heightened by the fact that it vertical sides form a gateway to an altogether different landscape to the one just passed.

As you emerge from The Cut the effect is startling - the landscape opens out to a panorama of mountain valleys and there's a fine view unrestricted by trees over the flat midlands towards , Mullingar and beyond.

The Slieve Blooms are not particularly high - at 526m is the highest point - but they seem much higher because they rise from an almost flat surrounding landscape.

On our left is the valley of Glenaineeoregan, while the right hand side is dominated by the rising to 483m. As we descend now towards the pretty 18th century village of , the view remains for all but the last few kilometres when high ditches and gorse banks begin to hide the landscape on both sides.

Finally, the L116 comes out onto the R422 just a half kilometre from Clonaslee along the road to .

There are other good drives to explore here as well. Some are signposted from Clonaslee and reward the driver with mountain roads carrying very little traffic, even at the height of the summer. The Slieve Bloom mountains and their roads remain, truly, one of Ireland's best-kept tourist secrets.

No 6: R286/288 Lough Gill

Some roads in this series pick themselves for inclusion on account of their location, character and history. Today's subject is one such road, and is a classic example of the type of road to be found in Ireland which combines an interesting journey with a beautiful and historic landscape

The R286 leaves Sligo town through its expanding suburbs and is for its first few kilometres quite a distance away from Lough Gill, which itself is eastwards of the town. When the lake does appear into view from the road, it is quite sudden and unexpected. Having embraced the lake, the road is everywhere smooth with a very good surface and meanders interestingly along the northern lakeshore. Lough Gill is surrounded by thickly wooded hills, and the first landmark reached is Parke's Castle, on the lakeshore at Fivemile Bourne.

Parke's Castle is a fine example of a 17th century fortified manor house, and stands on the site of an earlier stronghold of the O'Rourke family. The manor house was built in the 1620s by Robert Parke, whose father had settled in Sligo from Kent at the beginning of the 17th century. By now, the R286 has crossed into Co Leitrim and the remainder of our journey is in that county.

However, as in most of Sligo, it is impossible to escape the connection to Ireland's master poet, William Butler Yeats, who immortalised the tiny, somewhat unspectacular island of Innisfree which lies in the southeast corner of Lough Gill.

Having rounded the eastern end of Lough Gill, the R286 now swings northeast to continue its journey to Manorhamilton, while we continue along the lakeshore on the R288 to the pretty village of Dromahair. Before then, however, we round a small promontory marked by a spectacular outcrop of rock, around which the road swings through more than 90 degrees. Incidently, this spot marks a fine place to admire the views across this most beautiful of lakes.

Regular readers will know of my interest in milestones, those silent witnesses to our changing and evolving modes of transport down the centuries. Thus I was pleasantly surprised to find four such stones marking the western approaches to Dromahair. The first, sadly, was broken but the remaining three were in good condition and continued into the village itself.

Dromahair, which means the ridge of the air demons, is a small village on the Bonet River and lies south east of Lough Gill. Dromahair has associations with Saint Patrick and with one of the pivotal incidents in Irish history.

The seat of the powerful O'Rourke clan, it was the abduction of Dervorgilla, wife of the one-eyed Tiernan O'Rourke, by Dermott MacMurrough, King of in 1152 which led ultimately to the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1170. Somehow it seems hardly surprising that the sleepy village of Dromahair should have such momentous connections, for like so much of the Irish landscape, the road from Sligo to Dromahair winds not just through a beautiful landscape, but also through the pages of Irish history. An ancient highway to delight and surprise

No 7 - Antrim Coast Road A2 Larne to Cushendun

Coastal roads have provided some of the world's great driving roads and one thinks immediately of the legendary 'Big Sur', Highway 1, from Leggett, California to Los Angeles, or The Corniche along France's Rivera coast.

Coastal roads, it seems, have an additional indefinable "something" not apparent on inland roads. Perhaps it's the combination of man's age-old fascination with the sea, together with the freedom of the road which combines to give them a special attraction: whatever it may be, every country with a coastline seems to have a special coastal road.

In Ireland, there are several candidates but for me the 35 kms of the Antrim Coast Road from Larne to Cushendall come closest to providing the perfect coastal drive. I chose to begin my drive just north of the ferry-port of Larne, at the first of two limestone arches through which this road passes.

This road tunnel is a reminder of the origins of this road which was designed by Sir Charles Lanyon in 1834 as a work of famine relief. This tunnel, and its larger sister tunnel near Cushendun, reflect also the fact that for almost the entire distance of this road, lofty cliffs extend almost to the water's edge, leaving scant room for the road.

In winter, the road is liable to flooding and also to subsidence, again reflecting its exposure to the harsh sea elements.

The coastal road first winds through the small village of Ballygalley, and then around the headlands into Carnlough, situated at the head of a crescent bay, while nearby is the famous Glencloy, one of the nine Antrim Glens, with its beautiful waterfall.

From Carnlough the A2 winds around Garron Point, before passing through Glenariff and into the pretty village of Cushendall. Here, as in several other places, the builders of this road took as its foundations a raised beach of mesolithic times where many flints and other artifacts have been found.

Near here also, at Red Bay, is the second of the road Tunnels along this coastal drive. This tunnel, called "The Red Arch" from the old red sandstone rock from which it is carved, is the more impressive of the two and has been a landmark for touring motorists for more than a century, as evidenced by the accompanying photograph.

But it is the next village we meet which is the jewel of this road.

Cushendun nestles in a hollow at the mouth of the Glendun river and was designed by the architect Clough Williams-Ellis, who also designed the village of Portmeirion in . Williams-Ellis was asked to design the village by Lord Cushendun and his Cornish -born wife, Maud Bolitho, in 1912. The result is quite unlike any other village in Ireland.

As with every other section of this road, it's this constantly changing aspect revealed at every turn which is its greatest attraction.

Here at Cushendun this road offers two choices - inland through the state-owned Ballypatrick forest to Ballycastle, or further along the coast to Ballycasle via Torr Head. This is another fascinating road, quite different in character to the one we have just traversed and one to which we'll return on a future occasion.

For now it's sufficient to pause and consider the fine road gifted to us by Sir Charles Lanyon and his famine-relief workers in the 1830s. Quite what they would of thought of the modern traffic "their" road carries we can only imagine.

What we can be sure of is that they too must have paused and admired the many faceted beauties this road unveils to those who travel its length.

The previous article in this series was the 6th, not the 7th as stated

No 8 - Dundrod Circuit

Awestruck in this Theatre-of-the-Giants Dundrod weather, the locals call it. Lines of sombre grey clouds marching across the rolling countryside. They seem to fit with the reputation of this place.

Seven and a half miles of sweeping road-circuit which in its day brought the cream of the world's racing drivers to . A formidable challenge, it claimed the lives of several of them . . .

I've come to Dundrod near Lisburn, Co Antrim, and in the hills to the northwest of Belfast where between 1950 and 1955 the famous Tourist Trophy and Ulster Trophy Races were contested.

Although I've often traversed the mile or so of the circuit formed by the B101 from Lisburn to Antrim town, I've never had the opportunity to drive around the full circuit which today has hardly changed from that used 50 years ago.

In fact, the only significant change is the by-passing of the Leathemstown Bridge - and, of course, the motorcycle fraternity, who return here annually for the Ulster Motorcycle Grand Prix, now avoid the notorious hairpin by using a less severe link only about 50 yards distant.

Given that this is a series of public roads in daily use, it's only possible to circulate at the speed of the flow of traffic. But that's more than enough to transmit the character of this place. And that character is formidable.

From the start/finish area with its empty motorcycle grandstand named in memory of the great Joey Dunlop, the road takes us through a series of fast sweeping corners over the mile to Leathemstown cross roads where the circuit joins the B101 road. Already the essential character of the circuit is apparent. It's fast, VERY fast.

The B101 sweeps past the old Leathemstown Bridge and into the first of the crests and dips which were such a feature of this section of the circuit. Lough Neagh visible in the distance, it was here at Deer's Leap, one of the route's double brows and dips, that the accident occurred in 1955 which brought motor racing here to a close.

It's easy to imagine a 1950s Grand Prix car here - but hard to imagine just how fast it must have been over these brows. There's the house visible in the famous shot of Mike Hawthorn in the Jaguar D-type in the 1955 Tourist Trophy Race.

At Cochranstown Corner the road swings to the right, away from the B101, followed soon by Quarterlands Corner and then Ireland's Corner. These right- and left-hand corners take us onto what I think is the most impressive part of the circuit with its two-mile series of long sweeping uphill corners running through Jordan's Cross and on to Wheeler's Corner, a right hander and the highest point on the circuit which is followed by a 1/4 mile straight.

From Ireland's Corner to Wheeler's fills me with awe. The thought of a 1950s Grand Prix car or a Mercedes 300 SLR, all skinny tyres and four wheel drift, making its way at full speed through these sweeping bends is staggering. The smallest mistake was liable to have permanent consequences for a driver.

It's a humbling reminder of the way an earlier generation of racing drivers accepted the risks inherent in the sport in the days prior to the safety crusade of Jackie Stewart and others. Modern drivers have a lot to be thankful for.

At the end of the straight from Wheelers is the sharp right hand corner called Tornagrough where several fatal accidents occurred. It's followed by another tight left-hander and a short downhill run to the Hairpin - this section caught many drivers out and even the great Fangio arrived going backwards at the Hairpin in one Ulster Trophy Race. From the Hairpin, there are a series of right and left sweeps before the long, very fast Quarry corner and another left sweep back to the start area.

Dundrod is a truly awe-inspiring reminder of the risks inherent in 1950s motor racing in the top echelons of the sport.

It's remarkable to have the opportunity to drive over this virtually unaltered circuit today and recall the great races and the brave drivers who drove over this circuit in its short heyday some 50 years ago. It's an experience which serves to adjust one's perceptions of motor sport in that era.

No 9 - Lough Navar Forest Drive

The majority of roads covered in this series are roads which I've discovered over many years of enthusiastic motoring throughout the length and breath of this island. But today's subject is different, having been discovered quite fortuitously while travelling to write-up a different road - which will appear later in this series.

Thus, it was a double-delight to find such a fabulous road and its spectacular setting high above the southern shore of Lower Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh.

I had never heard of the Lough Navar Forest road until stopped at a PSNI checkpoint just outside Enniskillen. The friendly constable identified himself as a Lotus enthusiast.

"We do like our cars up here, sir," he said, admiring our Elise. I can attest to this, having had it demonstrated to me on many occasions over the years.

Having pulled over to the side of the road to continue discussing the Elise, I took the opportunity to ask if there were any roads in the area which offered the sort of driving satisfaction this series has been extolling.

His answer was immediate and unqualified - Navar Forest Drive was unmissible for an enthusiastic motorist.

So it was that I diverted to the entrance to Lough Navar Forest, a couple of kilometres west of the A46 from Enniskillen to Belleek. The road to the entrance of Navar Forest is clearly signposted "Forest Drive" from several points along the A46. The actual entrance is located at Correl Glen.

At first I wasn't sure what to expect but this tarmac surfaced mostly single lane road soon settles into a pattern as it climbs to a height of between 250 and 300 metres. During its first few kilometers, it provides spectacular views over Derrygonnelly, Monea and on towards Enniskillen.

The road itself is twisty and winds its way around and over the natural contours of the land, reminding me of a sort of down-sized -Nurburgring. It's a spectacular road which eventually reaches an off-shoot leading to a viewing area.

This road is well worth taking - it ends in a spectacular car-park above the Cliffs of Magho, some 305 metres high and looking over the major portion of Lower Lough Erne. From here, the Sperrin Mountains in Tyrone and the mountains of Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal can all be seen.

There is also a sad reminder of other darker times in the twin memorials to aircrew who perished in flying boats operating from the lake during the second World War. Eleven crewmen are remembered here, the crews of Catalina and Sunderland flying boats, who died in 1943 and 1944.

Having rejoined the road through the forest once more, we now start to descend down from the heights of Magho and back towards the Forest Drive exit slightly further along the road towards Belleek. This part of the drive is less spectacular, the road winds through less attractive terrain with fewer views.

A few short sections are not surfaced with tar-macadam. However, these sections are smooth and provide no difficulty.

The total length of the Lough Navar Forest Drive is 14 kilometres. It feels longer as this is a road not to be driven quickly but rather one to meander along.

For me this road was a real pleasure to drive, especially since its discovery was unexpected. A special thanks to the anonymous PSNI constable who recommended that I seek it out. It's a road you should also seek out and enjoy.

No 10 - Tim Healy Pass

Kerry. Kingdom of rugged landscape, tourists and some of the greatest driving roads in this country. And there's one road which stands out from all the rest: discovered first by rally-organisers who made it one of the classic special stages of the Circuit of Ireland Rally before that event forsook it's traditional base in Kerry.

The road? Ireland's answer to the famous Stelvio Pass - the Tim Healy Pass.

This famous road was created in 1847 as - like the Antrim Coast road - part of a scheme for famine relief in the Beara region. It provided the first road link between the Kerry and sides of the Beara Peninsula.

But it was Timothy Michael Healy, the Cork politician and first Governor-General of the Irish Free State (and incidentally one of the nationalist politicians who played a key role in introducing the parliamentary legislation which enabled the 1903 Gordon Bennett Race to be held in Ireland) who was responsible for the road taking the form it has today. After his death in 1931, the road was named the Tim Healy Pass in his honour.

And what a road! Best approached from the southern side of the Beara peninsula, turn onto the R574 at Bridge bordering Ardrigole Harbour about halfway along the Glengarriff to Castletown Bearhaven road. At first the road rises gently with Adrigole Mountain on the left dwarfed by (685m) to the southwest.

The character of the road soon changes as signs of habitation disappear to be replaced by surprisingly lush mountain landscape. After about three kilometers the section of road begins which gives the Tim Healy Pass its distinctive character.

Here is a series of hairpin corners more akin to some of the more famous Continental mountain passes - most notably the Stelvio Pass. Snaking thus, the road winds its way up to its highest point where it crosses mountains collectively known as the .

Pause here to admire the view across the southern Beara Peninsula and marvel at this road. Here too is a plaque commemorating Tim Healy's part in it's construction and also the ancient name of this place, Bealach Scairt - The way of the Sheltered Caves.

As so often happens in Ireland a distance of less than a kilometre brings a very different landscape as we cross over from Cork to Kerry side and begin our descent from the Pass. As we head towards the road's end at Lauragh Bridge, the view is dominated by Glanmore Lake to the west and an altogether more lush landscape than was evident on the first part of our journey.

We drop from the heights as the wonderfully named Stookeennalaokareha rises to the east. Soon we arrive at Lauragh Bridge just north-east of the village at the head of Kilmakilloge Harbour.

The Tim Healy Pass covers a distance of just 13 kilometres - nothing like the distance of the famous continental Älpine passes - but long enough to provide the keen driver with a taste of that type of road which is virtually unique in Ireland.

It's a road to be savoured, driven, and then driven again.

No 12: to St Mullins

Regard this journey as a Sunday drive for it links together some of Ireland's prettiest villages as it zigzags around the dominant features of this landscape - the Rivers Nore and Barrow - two of the "Three Sisters".

We began our journey at Thomastown turning off the busy N9, forsaking its 18th century bridge and instead taking the road for along the banks of the River Nore.

I wish I could say that there are spectacular views of the river as the road winds along beside it but, as so often in Ireland, the views are hidden by high hedges. (Some have unkindly suggested that the views would be visible if I were driving something other than a Lotus but I've checked and can confirm that it makes little difference!)

Crossing the River Nore we enter into the village of Inistioge with its 10-arched bridge, ruined castle and 18th and 19th century houses and streetscape. It's a pretty place with a surprisingly cosmopolitan aspect derived from its roadside bars and cafes grouped beside its grassy square. As a backdrop, , topped by a cairn, rises in the background. An unusual feature of Inistioge is the closeness of its Catholic and Protestant churches - they are tucked away together and divided only by a graveyard.

Continue now along the R700 past Woodstock Gardens and Arboretum, created by Lady Louisa Tighe, for several kilometres until turning left at the sign for the village quaintly named .

We now follow the R705 to . All along this road are views across the valley of the towards the rising in the distance, and Blackstair Mountain being the most prominent peaks.

Before long the valley becomes heavily forested before dropping down to Graiguenamanagh, the "dwelling of the monks". Here the Blackwater and Barrow meet and are crossed by George Semple's seven-arched 18th century bridge. Here also, reminding us once again of their hold on this area in times long gone, is a ruined Norman castle.

Despite its modern bustle there is a peace and tranquility, a timelessness in this valley which was perhaps best captured by Seán Ó Faoláin: "The whole valley swoons in an air so delicately moist that it seems too heavy to move, so that on wet days even the clouds lie asleep across distant mountains, and one gets the overpowering sensation of steamy growth, of success over nature, of peace as unbroken as the buzzing of bees."

Nowhere in this beautiful valley was this more apparent than in St Mullins, the end of our journey. As we left Graiguenamanagh over its high-backed bridge and crossed into the village of we turned right to follow the signs for St Mullins taking us once again along the road nearest the river.

St Mullins, or St Moling's House, is steeped in history which enchants with its tranquility and sense of being far removed from our world.

Moling, a pupil of St Kevin at Glendalough, founded a monastic settlement here in the 7th century. Today the ruins of four or five churches are visible together with the base of a round tower and a small oratory.

These ruins are grouped close to a church of much more recent origin, now apparently no longer in use and surrounded on the southwestern side by a graveyard which contains the last resting place of many who died in the Rising of 1798.

Once again the Norman hand on the landscape is felt here as a motte rises in front of the graveyard. Finish your journey in St Mullins by exploring these ancient sites at this bend in the River Barrow, silent witness to our history.

No 13 - The Ballaghnabeama Gap

THE Ballaghnabeama Gap has intrigued me since I came across a photograph taken around 1900 of a hardy - and adventurous - group of cyclists making their way through the rocky defile which forms the pass. It's a rugged, wild place in this old photograph and very different to any other road I had travelled in Ireland.

It took me a while to find it - the original photograph gave no information other than its name. Eventually, a search of the most likely locations revealed that it was situated on the Peninsula close to the heart of the mighty Macgillycuddy Reeks and within sight of Ireland's highest mountain, the 1038m Carauntoohil.

A close study of the latest edition of the excellent Ordnance survey of Ireland Discovery series map of the area revealed that there appeared to be a car-navigable road crossing the Gap.

I decided to approach the Ballaghnabeama Gap from the west as the whole interior of the Kenmare Peninsula looked interesting on the map, seemingly sparsely populated and dotted with mountains which promised to make for an interesting road to travel.

So it was that I turned off the N70 about 3 kilometres north of Waterville forsaking the tourist trail of the Ring of Kerry for I knew not what. I turned off the N70 at a crossroads marked by a church and followed the signposts for Glencar.

Initially, the road is fairly straight and is reasonably wide having the good surface which characterised the entire route I took. Soon, the scattered houses grew fewer and I began to realise that I had entered a part of the Kingdom very different from the better-known tourist locations.

Over the next 20 kilometres I met a postman's van and a single car. By then I had gently climbed through Derreennageeha Forest to Ballaghisheen, between the twin pillars of Knocknagapple (466m) and the higher Knocknausha.

Crossing the gap at Ballaghisheen, the landscape unexpectedly stretched ahead of me in a lush but empty plain to the Macgillycuddy Reeks, reminiscent of some of the landscapes from Peter Jackson's beloved new Zealand in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The lack of any sign of habitation or other cars added to the pleasant illusion.

Turning south at a Y-junction signposted for Sneem and , I now began to travel through an area of considerably more roads, but clearly sign posted towards my destination. Climbing away from the Glashwee river the Ballaghnabeama Gap came into sight, confirming its identity by its very wildness, so evident in that century- old photograph.

THE GAP itself was soon reached and proved every bit as wild and rugged as hoped. In all I spent about half an hour there savouring its still, empty silence and wondering at the total lack of tourists here between the rocky heights of Mullaghanattin and Knockaunattin.

Perhaps, the narrowness of the road - only sufficient for a single car although there are plenty of places to pull in to allow two cars pass - puts them off. If so, they are missing out on one of the most wonderful places I have discovered anywhere in Ireland.

After Ballaghnabeama, I have to admit, the rest of the journey could only be an anti- climax as one descends down to the junction with the R568 leading to Moll's Gap or southwest to Sneem.

Seek out this road. It will reward your effort. But don't tell too many people. It's a Kerry secret.

No 14 - The

Like so many others who regularly travel the Dublin to Belfast road, I have long been beckoned by the Cooley Peninsula to come explore its secrets.

And secrets it has aplenty for this is a very historic landscape which played a central role in the story of the Táin Bó Cuailgne legend, as well as being associated with Finn MacCool. Many raths, as well as much evidence of the Norman presence here, are to be seen throughout the varied landscape.

Having turned off the main Dublin-Newry road as it enters Newry at Drumalane onto the B79 following the signs for Omeath and Carlingford, the road runs beside the old Newry Canal which once brought ships into Newry itself. Victoria Lock, now an amenity area with picnic tables and car parking, at the head of the Newry Canal is a good place to start our journey.

The Newry Canal was the first summit level canal built in Britain or Ireland (1742) and facilitated the passage of goods from Carlingford Lough to Lough Neagh. Heading towards Omeath the B79 becomes the R173 as we cross the border.

The dark bulk of Slieve Foye (579m), the highest mountain in the Carlingford range, now rises ahead of us with its smaller companion, the Eagles Rock (528m), closer to us. Across Carlingford Lough can be seen Warrenpoint as our view of the lough opens out for the first time revealing the Mournes in all their glory on the opposite shore.

This is a very attractive road now hugging the coastline as it leads us to historic Carlingford. Few Irish towns have so much history woven into their structure as Carlingford with its Norman fortress of King John's Castle, medieval Tholsel and 15th and 16th century townhouses, as well as portions of its medieval wall. As a centre for walking, sailing and other outdoor pursuits, modern Carlingford is a bustling base for anyone who wishes to explore the Cooley Peninsula.

After Carlingford, one can continue along the R173 turning inland towards the road junction at The Bush, or alternatively one can continue alongside the coast for another few kilometres by taking the R176 towards Greenore.

This road ends in a junction with the R175, which taken in a south-west direction will lead us to the same junction at The Bush. At this junction of five roads take the road for the Windy Gap to begin the most spectacular part of our journey through this varied landscape.

As with so much of this peninsula, the Windy Gap is associated with 's legendary Queen Maebh and her fabled raid into Cooley in search of the brown bull. Her route took her through the and she is credited with having gouged out the Windy Gap - Bearnas Bó Cuailgne - as a form of insult to the warriors of Ulster.

The road from The Bush to the Windy Gap is mostly straight climbing of the heather coloured slopes gently until it reaches the narrow Gap itself.

The road now begins a descent towards the town of Omeath providing spectacular views across the lough and back towards the Cooley Mountains. However, about 2½ kms from the Windy Gap watch for a narrow road branching left. For its first 2 kms, it's not the greatest surface (but certainly traversable without difficulty or damage). It leads up towards the Black Mountain (508m).

The road soon improves and along the way are several parking places with spectacular views across Carlingford Lough and, once the highest point of the road is passed, west towards Slieve Gullion.

The wooded slopes on the western side lead down to the end of our journey at Carrickcarnan on the main -Newry road close to where the old customs posts were once located.

Arrival back on the busy main road yet again brings home to one that it's still possible in Ireland to be in the wilderness yet only minutes from busy areas of human activity.

The Cooley Peninsula is an exploration worth making and will reward anyone who forsakes the main road for Maebh's ancient landscape.

No 15: The Road to Moll's Gap

When Killarney hosted the annual Circuit of Ireland Rally, one road was synonymous with the event. Moll's Gap was the classic stage over the Killarney-Kenmare road. To be one of the thousands of spectators on Moll's Gap was an experience to be savoured as top drivers showed their skills on this demanding test of driver and car.

Today, Moll's Gap is better known as the starting point of many tourist journeys around the Ring of Kerry. As a result many choose to avoid it for quieter, less travelled roads through the Kerry landscape.

However, to do so is to miss one of the great roads in Kerry, a road which has much to offer the enthusiastic driver. For Moll's Gap at its best, leave Killarney by the N71 early in the morning before the tourist coaches begin their circuits.

Heading out past , one travels through the , its vast 27,000 acres embracing mountains, woods and three lakes. This is one of the last remnants of Ireland's primeval countryside and red deer roam freely through its oak and yew woodlands.

Along this section, the road takes on the essential character which it retains to the top of Moll's Gap. Smooth, with an excellent surface, the road quickly develops a rhythm as it twists left and right, rising and falling on the gentle climb past the and smaller Muckcross Lake.

To your right, Tomies Mountain (733m) and (832m) rise against a backdrop of the MacGillycuddy Reeks. On the other side rises (535m) and behind it some 300 metres higher.

Along this section, the rock-face runs down to the edge of the tarmac, the site of many retirements in past Circuit of Ireland rallies by drivers who failed to give the road the respect it demands. Here too, the road passes through an arch cut through the rock when the road was built.

The twistiest part of the run follows. If morning mists have cleared, one sees the Upper Lake and the famous Ladies View. Soon one passes Moll's Gap itself and begins the drop to Kenmare.

Immediately, as so often is the case, the road changes character on this side of the mountains. The landscape is no longer clothed in trees as on the Killarney side of the pass, giving a much more windswept aspect to the road as it clings to the edge of the mountainside. Finally, Peakeen Mountain (554m) rises on your left.

In all the N71 from Killarney to Kenmare winds its way along 32 kms of twisting road with an excellent surface and some of Ireland's most famous views.

As you travel, spare a thought for the road's ghosts. Recall the sounds of fast cars driven by some of 's great names over this most Irish of special stages.

Great Irish Roads - Ballycastle to Cushendun via Torr Head

The northeastern corner of Ireland comprises a jagged coastline which juts out into the North Channel on many rocky promontories, or, in complete contrast, broad sandy beaches. Our journey, the last in this year's series, begins in Ballycastle, the largest town in the Antrim Glens. Famous as the venue of the Ould Lammas Fair, the oldest and allegedly the most popular fair in Ireland, which has been held since the 1400s. From the busy harbour in Ballycastle one can look across at Rathlin Island and towards Benmore, better known as Fair Head and familiar to several generations from the daily shipping forecast. Beyond Fair Head can clearly be seen on all but the most inclement days the Mull of Kintyre on the west coast of Scotland. Our journey took us out of Ballycastle on the A2 towards Ballyvoy where the road branches and we left the A2 to take the road signposted to Torr Head. For the keen driver this is a most attractive road with sweeping, flowing bends which rise and fall and a fine surface for the initial part of our journey. However, a small word of warning at this point. The road which takes us around the coast to Cushendun is often very narrow and rises and falls with great rapidity. It's not a problem provided one takes some extra care, for one can meet an oncoming vehicle suddenly and without warning. Having said that, it's a road well worth taking the trouble to explore as the views along the coastline are spectacular. It's possible to take short excursions off this road to both Fair Head and Torr Head - itself jutting out beyond Portaleen Bay - or alternatively just enjoy this road as it winds around Carnanmore (379m) and Cushleake Mountain towards Cushendun. Along much of the way the road clings to a sharply sloping coastline and winds its way down to Cushendun Bay and the pretty, and unusual, town of Cushendun. Cushendun is situated at the foot of Glendun, one of the Glens of Antrim and was designed by the architect Clough William-Ellis, who designed the village of Portmeirion in Wales, at the request of Lord Cushendun and his Cornish-born wife, Maud Bolitho, in 1912. The heart of the village is the town square, built in Cornish style with vernacular buildings and Georgian-style windows. The square's terraces are linked at the corners by twin arches and the courtyard can only be entered by way of a pair of very large gate piers. The row of cottages known as Maud cottages were built later in 1925 and again show Cornish influences. The whole village is now a conservation area in the safe- keeping of the National Trust. Last year this series came to an end at Hook Head on the southeastern edge of Ireland, so it's entirely appropriate that this year's series should end at the other end of the island having traversed Torr Head on the northeastern coast. We look forward to bringing more Great Roads for you to explore in the spring of the New Year.

Great Roads: The (Part 1)

A rugged drive among barren hills

GreatRoads: The Shehy Mountains (Part 1) In the first of the new Great Roads series, Bob Montgomery takes a drive from to Coomhola Bridge

In my travels around Ireland seeking out roads for this series, I have long felt that the Shehy Mountains and their surroundings in West Cork and partly in Kerry offered several interesting possibilities.

Previous attempts to survey the area were ruined by torrential and persistent rain and it seemed at first as if I was to be thwarted once again on this occasion.

My first attempt found me near the top of Knocknamanagh in zero visibility with no possibility of taking suitable photographs. However, an early start from Cork on the next morning proved more promising, although as I travelled the N22 through Macroom and the sky once again took on an increasingly ominous aspect.

At Poulgorm Bridge I turned south-east along the R569 to Kilgarvan. At Kilgarvan a left turn followed very soon afterwards by a right turn and then another left had me on my intended route.

At first the road appears anything but promising, passing through an area of scrubland, but then we came upon our first surprise: tucked away on this narrow road is a motor museum.

This is the Kilgarvan Motor Museum of John and Joan Mitchell and their sons, a personal collection assembled over many years and on display since 1985.

All of the cars are running and a visit is well worthwhile.

Resuming our journey, the road now begins to rise quite quickly and the bulk of Gullaba Hill rises directly ahead. On our left is the valley of the Slaheny river, across which Carran and Knockantooreen rise to 567m and 450m respectively.

Our road now clings to the edge of the slopes of first Bird Hill (412m) and then Knocknamanagh (637m) while (680m) rises behind. A sort of tunnel leads us into the twistiest part of the road and reveals more and more spectacular views across the valley and into the southern distance.

Eventually the road swings to the east and climbs across a barren mountain landscape and swings around the horseshoe-shaped edges of the head of the Borlin Valley before slowly starting to descend along the edges of Conigar (564m) and the other mountains at the heart of the Shehy Mountain range.

The Coomhola River runs through the valley below and accompanies us for much of the long descent to our journey's end at Coomhola Bridge.

This road promised much when viewed on the map and didn't disappoint, providing an interesting road through some spectacular mountain country.

During my journey we met just one car, supporting the thought that this is one of the lesser known drives in this most tourist-orientated part of our country. Seek it out and prepare to be surprised.

Best of all, its end at the Coomhola Bridge leaves us less than a kilometre away from the start of another spectacular, yet quite different drive, over Priest's Leap which we'll tackle in the next of this series in two weeks time.

GreatRoads: The Shehy Mountains (Part 2)

Rising up through the barren hills

GreatRoads: The Shehy Mountains (Part 2) In his second Great Roads article, Bob Montgomery continues on through the Shehy Mountains to Priest's Leap

On our last journey we travelled through the Shehy Mountains from Kilgarvan to Coomhola Bridge. There's a signpost there for Priest's Leap which is where we're headed, the turn for this spectacular road being just a very short distance from Coomhola Bridge.

Within a few kilometres of the start of this road it begins to climb quite steeply along the edge of Coomhola Mountain (472m) while the wonderfully named Cooleenlemane River hugs the valley floor increasingly far below on our left to the west.

The hills on the other side of the valley are most striking for their very clearly-defined and exposed strata running mostly at an angle of 45 degrees - one of the best examples of this feature I've seen anywhere.

The landscape, in contrast to the road from Kilgarvan to Coomhola described in the previous article, quickly becomes barren mountainscape, reflecting how much more exposed it is than our previous subject. At this point a word of warning is in order, for this is a narrow road with a number of sharp blind brows reminiscent of the brows on the road to the top of Slieve League in Co Donegal which will not be to everyone's taste. However, if you do decide to continue along this road be prepared for some magnificent views both to the north and to the south.

Although the road is narrow and bumpy - although not unacceptably so - there are plenty of passing places. There is a point where one crests a particularly sharp brow to unveil a view of the most extraordinary beauty northwards towards the Macgillycuddy Reeks, while southwards in the direction from which we have come, Bantry Bay and Whiddy Island are visible.

The landscape on either side of the road is barren save for a small ribbon of trees clinging to the lower slopes of the eastern side of the valley. A roadside cross marks the highest point of the road before we begin to descend towards Kenmare in the distance. This side of the mountains is less barren and the road quickly descends into a tree-covered landscape. The road itself on this side of the mountaintop is also of much better quality, perhaps reflecting the predominant direction of the wind and weather patterns.

Eventually the road ends in a T-junction, a left turn followed by a right taking you out onto the N71 beside Mileens post office, from whence one can head south west to Glengarriff or north to Kenmare.

In many ways the most striking feature of this road over Priest's Leap, apart from its spectacular views, is how different it is in character to the road from Kilgarvan to Coomhola Bridge, only a few kilometres away and which we described in this series two weeks ago. But then, that's one of the great beauties of the Irish landscape - its ability to pack widely differing landscapes into such small areas and to surprise again and again.

Great Roads: The Vee in the Knockmealdowns

Driving on with his Great Roads, Bob Montgomery navigates the R668 - The Vee - through the mountains of Waterford and Tipperary

Known locally as The Vee, this road, the R668, carves its way through the picturesque between Waterford and Tipperary. It's a well-travelled road which carries a fair amount of traffic, but nonetheless is well worth seeking out, particularly for the descent from its highest point to its finish at the village of Clogheen.

The Vee is best approached from the south and there are two alternative starting points, the towns of Cappoquin and Lismore. We choose to start from the pretty town of Lismore, dominated by the massive square towers and battlements of Lismore Castle.

Lismore Castle dates back to 1185 when Henry II's youngest son, Prince John, chose the site for a castle. The present castle was largely rebuilt in the 19th century by the sixth Duke of Devonshire, and today his descendants still live there.

The R668 from Lismore is signposted for Clogheen and The Vee, and runs through pretty woods, initially accompanied on its western side by the river Owennashad flowing beside the road.

At first the road is twisty but well surfaced, and culminates in a deep gorge with heavily wooded slopes. The landscape then begins to give way to a more barren mountainous vista as we climb gently towards the Knockmealdown Mountains now visible ahead. Do watch out for sheep straying on to the road, particularly on some of the hidden corners.

There are plenty of viewing points along the climb and the view in both directions - north towards Clogheen and south towards Lismore, from whence we have come - is spectacular.

Perhaps it's a sign of the times, but there's a new sign in many of these parking areas, warning visitors of the danger from thieves to any belongings left in their cars. As I said, a sign of the times in which we live.

In the biggest of these viewing areas one can look down on a road far below twisting its way through a deeply wooded landscape. It's a surprise to realise that this is the same road, the R668, which has spectacularly wound its way down to a much lower level in a short distance from the highest point of The Vee.

Before we begin that descent, we pass a small lake to the west of the road - Bay lake, and as we start our descent the lonely outcrop of (719m) is prominent to the northeast, while directly to the east of the R668 the main range of the Knockmealdown mountains rises to 793m. Following a number of hairpin corners, the R668 now descends swiftly through the heavily forested Killballyboy Wood before coming to our journey's end at the village of Clogheen. This is a surprisingly satisfying road to travel, and once again our Audi TT has provided us with a near ideal means of transport with which to explore it.

If you don't know The Vee seek it out; if you do know The Vee then return to it, and remind yourself what a fine road through spectacular landscape this is.