Maolán Buí is in the eastern part of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks in County Kerry, Ireland's highest mountain range. The peak lies on a ridge between Cnoc na Péiste (to the northeast) and Cnoc an Chuillinn (to the southwest), which are themselves part of the larger eastern ridge of the Reeks, which includes The Big Gun and finishes at its far eastern end with Cruach Mhór .