Black Valley

The Black Valley — Coom Dhubh in Irish — sits at the southern end of the Gap of Dunloe, enclosed on all sides by high moorland and mountain ridges. It is one of the most isolated inhabited places in Ireland, and the last valley in the country to receive electricity — not until 1976. Coming down through the Gap into the Black Valley is one of those moments where Ireland still feels genuinely remote.

A valley apart

The Black Valley takes its name — Coom Dhubh, the Dark Hollow — from the way the surrounding ridges cut off direct sunlight for much of the winter day. It is a glacial valley, carved deep into the mountains, and the sense of enclosure is immediate when you enter it. The valley floor is boggy, the hillsides steep, and the silence is broken only by water and wind.

A small farming community has lived here for centuries — somehow maintaining a way of life at the edge of what the landscape allows. The An Óige hostel at the valley floor is one of the most remote youth hostels in Ireland, and a base for walkers tackling the surrounding ridges.

Getting there

The most dramatic approach to the Black Valley is on foot or by bike through the Gap of Dunloe from Kate Kearney's Cottage — the valley opens out at the southern end of the pass after several kilometres of mountain scenery. It can also be reached by road from the Kenmare direction via Moll's Gap, though the road is narrow and winding. There is no through road connecting the Black Valley directly to Killarney town by car.

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Practical information