Leap (; or ''An Léim'')
is a village in
County Cork
County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, situated at the north end of
Glandore Harbour, several miles inland from the seacoast. Leap is located on the
N71 national secondary road
A national secondary road ( ga, Bóthar Náisiúnta den Dara Grád) is a category of road in Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national ...
which runs through
West Cork
West Cork ( ga, Iarthar Chorcaí) is a tourist region and municipal district in County Cork, Ireland. As a municipal district, West Cork falls within the administrative area of Cork County Council, and includes the towns of Bantry, Castletownber ...
from
Cork city
Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...
. It is in the parish of Kilmacabea which also includes
Glandore village.
Name and history
The Irish name of the village, ''Léim Uí Dhonnabháin'', means "O'Donovan's Leap" and is reputedly derived from the story of a chieftain called
O'Donovan, who was pursued by
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
soldiers, but escaped them by jumping across a ravine on the western side of the village.
In 1684,
Jeremiah O'Donovan (MP Baltimore), Lord of Clan Loughlin, obtained
letters patent from
Charles II of England. His extensive landholdings in the surrounding countryside were erected into the Manor of O'Donovan's Leap, or the Manor of the Leap.
Amenities
The village has four bars (of which two serve food and one which is a music venue) and a fast food diner. Connolly's of Leap has been a bar since 1810. The local anglican community is serviced by
Leap Church. The village also has a furniture and hardware store, a petrol station/shop and a hairdresser and a beauty salon.
An amenity park was opened in 2021.
See also
*
List of towns and villages in Ireland
References
Towns and villages in County Cork
O'Donovan family
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