Killarney.

Charlotte and Arthur arrived at Killarney, however, we do not know where they stayed. Pauline Clooney, in her historical fiction novel 'Charlotte & Arthur '(Merdog Books), has them stay at the newly opened Railway Hotel where 'everything was of the highest standard' and there was even gaslight. But, as Pauline acknowledges, there is no recorded evidence of their actual Killarney lodgings. They may well have stayed at the Railway Hotel or indeed at any other number of hotels in the area. Neither do we know for sure what they did whilst they were in Killarney apart from one excursion they definitely did take and this was a trip through the magnificent Gap of Dunloe. We know this happened thanks to the letter Charlotte wrote to her friend Catherine Winkworth on 27th July 1854 from Cork in which she describes a frightening incident in which she was thrown from her horse whilst riding through the Gap of Dunloe…I assume she would have been riding side-saddle too, given the long frock she would have been wearing.

So, to experience the beautiful sights and sounds which Charlotte had experienced 168 years earlier, but hopefully not the accident which befell her, we too set off on an utterly memorable excursion through the Gap of Dunloe.

I’m not a fan of organised excursions nor package-tour types of holiday given the constraints inevitably placed upon the participants obliged to follow someone else’s timetable and itinerary. So I wasn’t convinced it was the best idea to visit the Gap of Dunloe by signing up to an organised tour. But I was wrong! In this era of reviewing just about everything we do, buy and eat, the reviews I read regarding the two local companies offering tours through the Gap, were all glowing with - “the best time we had whilst in Killarney National Park” oft' being written. 

Our trip entailed us picking up a mini bus from Killarney that drove the 8 miles along the top of Lough Leane to the rather touristy Kate Kearney’s Cottage. There the fun began. The next part of our tour was to find ourselves a jaunting car and driver. We were rather left to our own devices at this juncture and weren’t really sure what we were supposed to do to get ourselves a jaunting car. So, we stood, along with the other bemused and confused hopeful passengers, watching as different men shouted to each other, brought horses out, hitched them up to jaunting cars, counted the eager passengers, decided who could fit into which car etc. etc. 

Eventually, we were offered a seat in a jaunting car alongside two ladies from Vienna in Austria and a gentleman from Surrey. Mike was the driver, and what a character he was! Full of banter, cracking jokes, telling us interesting facts as we progressed through the Gap. The drivers really make the jaunting car experience very memorable! This was true Irish craic at it's best!

Mike our horse and carriage driver enjoying the banter!

We headed up the 5.5 mile (9km) magnificent and narrow mountain pass slashed through the highest mountains in Ireland. The scenery is truly beautiful with rugged and rocky mountains rising up on both sides. The pass separates the MacGillyCuddy’s Reeks mountain range in the west from the Purple Mountain range in the east with the pass running through north to south. Along the route, which is now a narrow tarmac road we progressed - imagine what the road surface was like in 1854 when Charlotte rode it.

The Gap of Dunloe was created naturally around 25,000 years ago during the last ice age of Ireland. A glacier in the Black Valley, estimated to be over 500 metres deep and part of the Templenoe Icecap, broke off into the head of the Gap, slowly pushing northward eventually resulting in a carved out U-shaped valley.

The beautiful glacial lakes are all connected by the river Loe. They too were created when the enormous glacier broke off. This glacial breach is a reason why the mountains in the Gap are characterised with their distinct, jagged appearance.

So what did Charlotte make of her trip through the Gap of Dunloe? Here are her words from the letter to Catherine Winkworth:

"We have been to Killarney - I will not describe it a bit. We saw and went through the Gap of Dunloe. A sudden glimpse of a very grim phantom came on us in the Gap. The guide had warned me to alight from my horse as the path was now very broken and dangerous - I did not feel afraid and declined - we passed the dangerous part- the horse trembled in every limb and slipped once but did not fall - soon after <she/it> 'she (it was a mare)' started and was unruly for a minute - however I kept my seat - my husband went to her head and led her - suddenly without any apparent cause - she seemed to go mad - reared, plunged - I was thrown on the stones right under her - My husband did not see that I had fallen - he still held her - I saw and felt her kick, plunge, trample round me - I had my thoughts about the moment - it's consequences - my husband - my father - When my plight was seen the struggling creature was let loose - she sprung over me. I was lifted off the stones neither bruised by the fall nor touched by the mare's hoofs. Of course the only feeling left was gratitude for more sakes than my own."

I wonder if the layers of material in Charlotte's dress and petticoats, and, maybe even an outer coat, protected her from any bruises, cuts and scrapes when she was thrown from the horse.

Whilst we were travelling through the Gap of Dunloe a young lady was following in Charlotte's footsteps 168 years later, riding on horseback, as Charlotte had done, but not side-saddle and in totally different attire. I wondered if the horsewoman was called Charlotte? I also hoped her horse wouldn't "go mad, rear and plunge". Here she is making her way up the Gap Of Dunloe.

Charlotte 2022 style.

Following in Charlotte Bronte's footsteps 168 years later

                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

What caused the horse to rear? In her letter Charlotte wrote:

"A sudden glimpse of a very grim phantom came on us in the Gap".

So what could this 'phantom' have been? I read somewhere, but cannot now find the source, that maybe the 'phantom' was a Brocken spectre phenomenon. A Brocken spectre occurs when the sun shines behind a person standing on a peak above clouds or fog, casting a magnified shadow and a large halo onto the misty depths below. This is due to a process called diffraction. Diffraction occurs when sunlight penetrates water droplets.

Brocken Spectre phenomenon.

Or, was the 'phantom' the Phooka? In Irish folklore the Phooka is a shape-shifting goblin who appears as a small horse, a black bull, a centaur (half man half horse) a goat, big dog or satyr type of creature. It can be a mischievous and roguish trickster, confounding and terrifying humans. It can also be more benevolent than malevolent. Here is an interesting link to the Irish legend of the Pooka/Phooka. https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/irish-legend-pooka

 In A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare, Puck is a similar creature - a mischievous fairy, sprite or jester. 

Whatever spooked Charlotte's horse, she luckily survived unscathed. Once through the Gap, Charlotte, Arthur and anyone else in their guided party would have travelled back the same way they came...this time, however, maybe Charlotte chose to travel in a jaunting car to avoid any further mishaps? 

On our 2022 trip and once through the Gap, we took a relaxing and scenic boat trip across three lakes and along two rivers of the Killarney National Park to Ross Castle.

Here is a promotional video of the tour we truly enjoyed...with no Phooka in sight!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzEIMtOP8iw

Below are a series of photos and videos of our special day in The beautiful Gap of Dunloe.

Jaunting car clientele.

                                           .

Mike our horseman and jaunting car driver.

                                           

Just short of a Bronte bonnet.

                                

                                       

                                                   

Ross Castle

In spite of Charlotte's frightening experience of being thrown from her horse in the Gap of Dunloe, I am sure that both Charlotte and her dear, new husband Arthur would have thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful scenery and spectacular views - just as we did on our memorable day.