“Músgraighe
Uí Fhloinn” a tugtar ar an ndúthaigh stairiúil in Iarthar Chorcaighe, athá
suite siar ó Ínis Cara go
teórainn a’ chúndae, agus ó Shléibhte na Bograighe go Cnoc na Seithe ar a’ dtaobh ó dheas. An chuid is sia siar dhi
(ó Lios a’ Chraosaigh siar go dti an teorainn, is ó Shliabh Riabhach ó dheas go
Céim an Fhiadha), mar aon le cuid de ceantar Uíbh Laoghaire, sin Gaeltacht
Iarthair Chorcaighe. Tá sé cinn de
bhailte beaga ar fuaid an cheantair seo: Baile Bhúirne, Baile Mhic Íre, Béal
Átha an Ghaorthaidh, Cíll na Martra, Cúil Aodha is Réidh na nDoirí. Is é Maigh Chromtha an baile mór is gaire
dho.
Ceantar fíor álainn é Iar-Mhúscraí. D’inneóin forbairt ar an mogalra bóthar & tionscail áitiúil,
tá sé ‘na cheantar suaimhneach tuaithe i gcónaí. Más láimh le bailte 
móra é, is iad ag fás ar buile, níor súadh isteach iontu go
fóil é... is ná dtaga an lá san go Lá
Ph’lib a’ Chleite! Tá locha, sléibhte
& gleannta mór-thímcheall na háite. Is i nGuagán Barra thiar a éiríonn
abhainn na Laoi. Is í ag silleadh soir, cothaíonn sí Locha Ghuagáin Bharra,
locha Bhéal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, locha Ínse Gheimhligh, agus tar éis tamail, an Gaorthadh
féinigh. Dar ndóigh, is é An Sulán an
abhainn cháiliúil eile sa dúthaigh seo, is de réir deabhraibh, an t-aon abhainn
fhireann in Éirinn. Is minic a deintear
trácht air i bhfilíocht is i mbéaloideas
Mhúscraí: “Mise an Sulán, fuar,
fada, fireann...” Éiríonn sé i mBarr D’ Inse, & tagann sé an’iar trí Chúil
Aodha agus Baile Mhúirne, soir ansan trí Pholl na mBró, is amach leis ar a
shuaimhneas go mbuaileann sé leis an Laoi i Maigh Chromtha.
“Músgraighe Uí Fhloinn” is the name
of the historical district of West-Cork, stretching west from Ínis Cara to the
county bounds, and south from An Bhograch mountain to the Seithe mountain. The most westerly part of Múscraí Uí Fhloinn
(from Lios a’ Chraosaigh west to the bounds, and Sliabh Riabhach south to Céim
an Fhiadha), along with a small, adjacent part of Uíbh Laoghaire, another such
historical district, comprises the West-Cork Gaeltacht, or Gaelic-speaking
area. There are six villages throughout
this region: Baile Bhúirne, Baile Mhic Íre, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, Cíll na
Martra, Cúil Aodha and Réidh na nDoirí.
The nearest town is Maigh Chromtha/Macroom.
West-Múscraí is an area of exceptional natural beauty. Despite improvements in the roads
infrastructure, and the growth of locally based industry, it retains a
traditional, rural 
character which belies its proximity to several urbanised and
growing towns. Lochs, mountains and
glens dominate the landscape. The river
Laoi/Lee rises west in Guagán Barra. As
it runs eastwards it feeds the lochs of Guagán Barra, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh,
Ínse Gheimhleach, and eventually thAn Gaorthadh its self. The other famous river of the locality is of
course An Sulán, said to be the only river in the country with a masculine
name. It is a major element of local
seanachas, or folklore, and figures heavily in songs and poetry: “Mise an Sulán, fuar, fada, fireann...” An
Sulán rises west in Bárr D’ Ínse and flows east through Cúil Aodha and Baile
Bhúirne, then east through Poll na mBró and flows gently into Maigh Chromtha to
meet An Laoi.