Leap’s Head

The extreme West of this Country is a Peninsula, almost encircled on the North and South by MALBAY, and the SHANNON, two Miles in Breadth, scarcely one in some Parts, dividing the two great Waters.

This Western Neck, is rather low than high Ground, bounded by Verdant Eminences gradually ascending: the Soil so agreeably answering the Expectations of the Laborious Husbandman, that the Markets of Limerick, Tralee and Ennis, are often supplied from thence with Cargoes of Wheat and other Grain.

From this pleasant Retirement, are visible a great Part of this County, the West of CONAUGHT with the Isles of AREN, MOHAR UI RUAIN and MOUNT CALLAN, the County of KERRY in almost it’s full Extent, with it’s distant High Lands.

At the Western Extremity of this Peninsula, is a Light House Tower-like built on a rising Plain, commanding the stupendous Cliffs of that notable Point in the Sea-faring World, call’d LEAP’S HEAD, which is a Rock or small Island, and within a Stone’s throw of the Continent, it is call’d by Navigators LUP’S HEAD, the same appearing to them, at some distance, like unto a Wolf’s Head; This Appellation of LEAP’S HEAD properly Originates from CONGULLUS or CUCHOLLAN (an Ultonian Champion and Chief of the Irish Combatants of that Æra) who leap’d from the opposite Shore into that Island, and since that Time, it is called by the Irish Antiquarians, the Leap of CUCHOLAN: Note, that this Northern Hero flourish’d in the beginning of the first Century, and most probably, the Distance between the Shore and Island, widen’d considerably since that early Period.