Beenoskee


Beenoskee or Benoskee is a mountain on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. It rises to and is the highest of the 'Central Dingle' Mountains.

Geography

Beenoskee is part of the Dingle Mountains, and is the highest of the "Central Dingle" group and the 28th highest in Ireland. The mountain overlooks Brandon Bay, to its north. It is in the Gaeltacht.
Beenoskee's neighbouring peak is known as Stradbally Mountain, which is slightly lower at. Between the two peaks is a small lake called Lough Acummeen, which sits at a height of.

Name

Beenoskee is an anglicised spelling; the mountain is called Binn os Gaoith in Irish. Researcher Paul Tempan writes: "this name is locally understood to mean 'mountain above the wind', but as wind speeds tend only to increase the more height one gains, one has to ask what this could possibly mean". He suggests that it could have originally meant 'mountain above the estuary'; gaoth historically had this meaning, and is found in a few placenames such as Gaoth Dobhair.
In 1841, the Ordnance Survey recorded the mountain's name as Beniskehaun and Beann na Scaoith, while variants such as Beann na Scaioth, Binn o Scaoith, and other, also existed.

Plane crash

On 19 December 1944, at 3 am, a RAF airplane crashed into Beenoskee, killing all 9 members of the crew.