Irish academic Paul Tempan notes that the pass element of Conavalla's name likely refers to the various routes from the Blessington lakes area (e.g. the R756 road to the Wicklow Gap) in the west that crossed parts of Conavalla's boggy massif to get into the Glenmalure valley in the east (note that the Wicklow Gap can be used to access the neighboring Glendalough valley without having to cross Conavalla's massif). (see below).