Moll’s Gap

Moll’s Gap is named after Moll Kissane. Moll was the landlady of what is known as a ‘Shebeen’. Shebeen’ is a small, unlicensed pub that was once commonly found dotted throughout Ireland. Moll’s ‘Shebeen’ sprung up during the construction of the Killarney to Kenmare road in the 1820s. The road would have required a lot of effort to construct, with many hardy-fellas said to take part in the build. Now, hard work builds a fine thirst. Moll spotted an opportunity. If you’re not familiar with Poitin, it’s one of the oldest Irish drinks. Poitin is a ‘hard liquor’, sometimes made from potatoes. The story goes that Moll made Poitin somewhere close to what we know as ‘Moll’s Gap’.The Poitin was said to fuel the men working on the road,or at least put a little fire in their bellies! Nowadays, the shebeen is long gone (there are some great pubs in Killarney if you fancy a pint!), but thankfully the road has been completed.