The Islands taking the opposite direction are Dursey at the end of the
Bear peninsula; Bear island in Bantry Bay opposite Castletown; and further
inlandnear Bantry town is Whiddy. Cape Clear island is at the extreme south
and on its south-west is the Fastnet Rock. Sherki is between Cape Clear
and the mainland with other small islands in the neighbourhood. Cork Harbour
contains Great Island, Little Island and Foaty; Haulbbowline and Spike Island,
formerly a Convict Station.
| The only Lakes calling for notice are those formed as
already mentioned in the course of the River Lee. North of these lies
another range running east and west, beginning on the west with the
Derrynasaggart Mountains (2,133) on the buondary between Cork and Kerry
midway between Macroom and Killarney;
east of these are the Boggeragh Mountains, culminating in Missheramoe
(2,118) rising over Millstreet; further east are the Nagles Mountains
terminating near Fermoy. This whole range from the west end of Derrynasaggart
Mountains to Fermoy is over 40 miles in length. |
 |
The chief rivers are the Blackwater and the Lee, the Bandon and their tributaries.
The Blackwater rises at knockanefune Hill near Kingwilliamstown in Kerry.
It runs east and then south, forming for 11 miles the boundary between Cork
and Kerry; then flowing east for over 50 miles it forms, for a couple of
miles, the boundary between Cork and Waterford; then flowing through Waterford
past Cappoquin, it enters the sea at Youghal. The chief tributaries of the
Blackwater in Co. Cork are the Bride, the Tourig, the Glen, the Allow, the
Dalna, the Awbeg (Spenser’s Mulla), the Funshion and the Araglin.
The RIVER LEE or River Lea (both spellings are in general use) is a river
in England. It originates at Luton in the chalk beds of the northeast Chiltern
Hills and flows generally east and then south to London where it meets the
River Thames, the last section being known as Bow Creek. It forms the traditional
boundary between the counties of Middlesex and Essex. The spelling Lea is
predominant west (upstream) of Hertford, but both spellings are used from
Hertford to the River Thames. The river rises just west of Luton, and flows
through (or by) Luton, Harpenden, Welwyn Garden City, Hertford, Ware, Hoddesdon,
Cheshunt, Waltham Abbey, Essex, Edmonton, Tottenham, Upper Clapton, Hackney
Wick, Stratford, Bromley-by-Bow, Canning Town and finally Leamouth where
it meets the River Thames (as Bow Creek). Between Tottenham and Hackney
the Lee feeds Tottenham Marshes, Walthamstow Marshes and Hackney Marshes
(the latter now drained). In its early days, Tottenham Hotspur played their
matches as football amateurs on the Marshes. In 1571, there were riots after
the extension of the River was promoted in a private bill presented to the
House of Commons.
The remote western area of the county, known as West Cork, is a popular destination
for tourists, who visit the small villages and islands including Sherkin Island,
Clear Island and Dursey Island. Mizen Head, the "southwesternmost point in
Ireland" is also in West Cork, as is Sheep's Head. In 1601 the decisive Battle
of Kinsale (Cath Cionn tSáile) took place in County Cork, which was
to lead to English domination of Ireland for centuries.
