Kippure

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Kippure
Cipiúr
KippurePoor5179w.jpg
Kippure, southern slopes with the transmission mast visible on the summit
Highest point
Elevation 757 m (2,484 ft) [1]
Prominence 262 m (860 ft) [1]
Listing County Top (Dublin), 100 Highest Irish Mountains, Marilyn, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam
Coordinates 53°10′41″N6°19′55″W / 53.178°N 6.332°W / 53.178; -6.332
Naming
English translationKippure
Language of name Irish
Geography
Island of Ireland relief location map.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Kippure
Location in Ireland
Location Wicklow & South Dublin Ireland
Parent range Wicklow Mountains
OSI/OSNI grid O1158215455
Topo map OSi Discovery 56
Geology
Mountain type Pale grey fine to coarse-grained granite [1]
Climbing
Easiest route Eastern path from the R115 Road (the "Military Road")

Kippure ( /kɪˈpjʊər/ ; Irish : Cipiúr) [2] at 757 metres (2,484 ft), is the 56th-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, [3] and the 72nd-highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. [4] [5] Kippure is situated in the far northern sector of the Wicklow Mountains, where it lies on the border of the counties of Dublin and Wicklow in Ireland. [6] Kippure is the County Top for Dublin, and its height and positioning over Dublin city have made its summit an important site for transmission masts, which are highly visible from a distance. [7] Kippure's slopes feed into the Liffey Head Bog which forms the source of the River Liffey. [6] [8] The summit can be easily accessed from the east via a path that lies off the R115 (also called the "Military Road") road along the route to the Sally Gap. [8]

Contents

Naming

According to Irish academic Paul Tempan, "Kippure" is simply a "transliteration of a pronunciation collected locally, but without any clear meaning". [2] Tempan notes that it resembles the Irish language term "ciop" (meaning stump) and "iúr" (meaning yew), however "stump of the yew" would be "Ciop Iúir". [2] While it is unlikely that yew trees could have ever grown on an exposed mountain such as Kippure, Tempan notes that there is a connection with a similar name in the lower valley, where the association with yew trees could have come. [2]

Geography

Kippure's large massif sits at the head of two major valleys: the valley of Glencree (part of Wicklow) to the east, which it forms with Tonduff 642 metres (2,106 ft), Maulin 570 metres (1,870 ft), and Prince William's Seat 555 metres (1,821 ft); and the valley of Glenasmole (part of Dublin) to the north, which is forms with Seefingan 724 metres (2,375 ft), and Corrig Mountain 617 metres (2,024 ft). [6] [7]

To the south of Kippure is the high mountain pass of the Sally Gap at 503 metres (1,650 ft), and the long winding "central spine" of the Wicklow mountains as the range runs to Mullaghcleevaun 849 metres (2,785 ft), and then on to Tonelagee 817 metres (2,680 ft), and finally to the terminus at Lugnaquilla 925 metres (3,035 ft) in the south, Wicklow and Leinster's highest mountain. [6] [8]

Kippure has two corrie lakes on its north-east flank, Lough Bray Upper and Lough Bray Lower. [8] The slopes of Kippure hold the sources of several rivers, including tributaries that feed the River Liffey from the Liffey Head Bog on the western slopes of Tonduff, and tributaries that feed the River Dodder. [8]

Kippure's prominence of 262 metres (860 ft) qualifies it as a Marilyn, and it also ranks it as the 32nd-highest mountain in Ireland on the MountainViews Online Database, 100 Highest Irish Mountains , where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres (328'). [9] [5]

On very clear days, Kippure can be seen from Wales. [10]

Transmission site

Transmitter mast on the summit Top of Kippure.jpg
Transmitter mast on the summit

At the summit of Kippure stands a 127m (417') television and radio transmitter mast. This is the oldest television transmission site in Ireland and was initially selected as a potential VHF FM radio transmitter site during the course of a Radio Éireann survey in the mid-1950s. The Irish Board of Works built an access road to the site in 1959, and the transmitter installation work was then started by the British company Pye Ltd. By the summer of 1961 the mast was erected [11] and test transmissions followed, consisting of slide views of Ireland, a test-card, and the music of Count John McCormack.[ citation needed ]

Telefís Éireann began with transmission from Kippure on 31 December 1961 using the British 405-line TV standard on VHF Band III channel 7, to be followed by a 625-line service on channel H in the summer of 1962. Kippure was the first of the original five main Telefís Éireann transmitters to come into service, the others being, Truskmore (1962), Mount Leinster (1963), Maghera (1963), and Mullaghanish (1963).[ citation needed ]

Entrance gate RTE Kippure Transmitting Station Entrance Gate - geograph.org.uk - 465473.jpg
Entrance gate

VHF FM transmission of RTÉ  Radio (the former Radio Éireann) commenced in 1966, with stereo broadcasting beginning in 1969.[ citation needed ]

405-line transmission from Kippure ceased in 1978 with the arrival of RTÉ 2, however, Kippure did not transmit RTÉ 2 until much later. Initially on Channel J at low power later moving to Channel H with RTÉ 1 moving to Channel E.[ citation needed ]

Kippure's importance in radio and television transmission has diminished since the late 1970s with the opening of three new UHF transmitter sites at Three Rock in County Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Clermont Carn in County Louth, and Cairn Hill in County Longford, which provide better reception in most areas previously served only by Kippure. Today the Irish DTT service, Saorview, the national FM radio stations, and some commercial radio stations are broadcast from the site.[ citation needed ]

Current transmissions

Digital television

FrequencyUHFkWMultiplexPol
578 MHz34125 Saorview 1H
586 MHz35125 Saorview 2H

FM radio

FrequencykWServiceNotes
89.1 MHz50 RTÉ Radio 1 Shared with RnaG before 1985
91.3 MHz50 RTÉ 2fm 95.3 MHz before 1985
93.5 MHz50 RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta 89.1 MHz before 1985
98.7 MHz50 RTÉ lyric fm Since 1999
100.9 MHz50 Today FM Since 1997

Kippure relay transmitters

DTT RelayCountyMux 1Mux 2kWPol
LaraghWicklow47440.025H
RathnewWicklow22250.5V

Bibliography

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonelagee</span> Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camaderry</span> Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Sugar Loaf</span> Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maulin</span> Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonduff</span> Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarr</span> Mountain in Wicklow, Ireland

Scarr Mountain at 641 metres (2,103 ft), is the 174th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 207th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. Scarr is situated in the central sector of the Wicklow Mountains range, but off main "central spine" of the range that runs from Kippure in the north, to Lugnaquillia in the south. Scarr lies on its own small massif that includes Scarr North-West Top 561 metres (1,841 ft) and Kanturk 523 metres (1,716 ft); it is bounded by Lough Dan to the east and the Glenmacnass Valley on the west. Scarr's sharp peak gives it a distinctive profile amongst the rounded summits of the Wicklow mountains, and it forms the backdrop to scenic views across the Guinness Estate and Lough Dan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince William's Seat</span> Mountain in Dublin/Wicklow, Ireland

Prince William's Seat at 555 metres (1,821 ft), is the 296th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, however, it does not have the elevation to quality as a Vandeleur-Lynam. Prince William's Seat is on the border of the Wicklow Mountains and Dublin Mountains in Ireland, and lies on the northern side of the Glencree valley, positioned at its entrance. Prince William's Seat is separated by a small col from neighbouring Knocknagun, which is also 555 metres (1,821 ft) in height. Prince William's Seat and Knocknagun are popular peaks with hill-walkers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Kippure". MountainViews Online Database . Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Paul Tempan (February 2012). "Irish Hill and Mountain Names" (PDF). MountainViews.ie.
  3. Simon Stewart (October 2018). "Arderins: Irish mountains of 500+m with a prominence of 30m". MountainViews Online Database.
  4. Simon Stewart (October 2018). "Vandeleur-Lynams: Irish mountains of 600+m with a prominence of 15m". MountainViews Online Database.
  5. 1 2 Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, ISBN   978-1-84889-164-7
  6. 1 2 3 4 Dillion, Paddy (1993). The Mountains of Ireland: A Guide to Walking the Summits. Cicerone. ISBN   978-1852841102. Walk 2: Tonduff and Kippure
  7. 1 2 MountainViews Online Database (Simon Stewart) (2013). A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins. Collins Books. ISBN   978-1-84889-164-7.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Fairbairn, Helen (2014). Dublin & Wicklow: A Walking Guide. Collins Press. ISBN   978-1848892019. Route 10: Kippure and the two Lough Brays
  9. "Irish Highest 100: The highest 100 Irish mountains with a prominence of +100m". MountainViews Online Database. September 2018.
  10. "Wales from Ireland". telescoper.wordpress.com. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  11. RTÉ NL. "Video: Building the transmitter Network". RTÉ NL. Retrieved 6 November 2012.