Priest's Leap facts for kids
Priest's Leap (in Irish, Léim an tSagairt) is a very steep and narrow mountain road in Ireland. It connects Coomhola Bridge with the village of Bonane. This pass is found between County Cork and County Kerry. It is the highest road pass in Munster, reaching 463 meters high. The pass crosses a mountain that is 519 meters tall.
Driving the Priest's Leap Pass
The road over Priest's Leap is very narrow. It is mostly a single-track road, meaning only one car can fit at a time. Some parts even have grass growing in the middle! It is also very steep, especially on the northern side.
Because the road is so narrow, there are special wider spots called "passing places." These are for cars to pull over so that other cars can pass. If you meet a car coming the other way, one of you might have to back up to a passing place.
The Legend of Priest's Leap
The name Priest's Leap comes from an old local story. It tells of a priest who was being chased by soldiers a long time ago. To escape, the priest and his horse made a huge, amazing leap from a mountain cliff. This leap took them from the area called Cummeenshrule into County Cork.
The story says the chase started in a place called Killabunane. There, you can still see a rock that supposedly melted under the soldiers' dogs. This rock has deep marks that look like paw prints. It is known locally as Carraig na Gadharaigh.
A few miles from Bantry, there is another rock. This rock is said to have marks from the priest's knees and hands, and his horse's hooves. These marks are where he supposedly landed after his incredible jump.
The name "The Priest's Lepp" was already on maps around the year 1600. This shows that the legend is very old.
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