Slieve Beagh

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Slieve Beagh
Bragan Townland - geograph.org.uk - 782344.jpg
Bragan Townland Looking northwards
Highest point
Elevation 380 m (1,250 ft) [1]
Prominence 285 m (935 ft) [1]
Listing County Top (Monaghan), Marilyn
Coordinates 54°19′08″N7°15′11″W / 54.319°N 7.253°W / 54.319; -7.253 Coordinates: 54°19′08″N7°15′11″W / 54.319°N 7.253°W / 54.319; -7.253
Naming
English translationmountain of birch
Language of name Irish
Geography
Relief Map of Northern Ireland.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Slieve Beagh
Location in Ulster
Location County Monaghan, County Fermanagh, County Tyrone
Parent range Fermanagh/Tyrone Mountains
OSI/OSNI grid H523436
Official nameSlieve Beagh
Designated28 July 2000
Reference no.1035 [2]

Slieve Beagh[ pronunciation? ] (Irish : Sliabh Beatha) [3] is a mountainous area straddling the border between County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland and County Fermanagh and County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. A point just east of its summit is the highest point in Monaghan; however the true summit is on the Fermanagh-Tyrone border. [1] The point where the three counties meet, is referred to as the "Three County Hollow". [1]

Contents

Name

The original Irish name for the area is Sliabh Beatha, which has been anglicised to Slieve Beagh, but sometimes the two languages are combined to form Sliabh Beagh. [4] According to Irish mythology, the name refers to the mythological figure Bith, who was buried in a cairn on top of the mountain. [5] Although the summit is in fact marked by a cairn, called Doocarn, it is likely that the name's original meaning is "mountain of birch". [5] In County Monaghan, the locals typically refer to the Slieve Beagh as the "Bragan Mountains", taking the name from a townland within the Slieve Beagh. [1]

Geography

Slieve Beagh has many low, smooth summits. The highest is at 380 metres (1,250 ft) and lies just inside County Fermanagh. The area is mainly blanket bog, with many small lakes and streams throughout. In Northern Ireland, much of Slieve Beagh has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation. [1] The Finn River rises on the slopes of Slieve Beagh.

Bragan Penal Cross, alias Leacht a 'tSagairt. Bragan Penal Cross - geograph.org.uk - 782382.jpg
Bragan Penal Cross, alias Leacht a 'tSagairt.

A large Celtic cross now tops a Mass rock known as Leacht a 'tSagairt ("The Priest's Flagstone") is said in the local oral tradition to mark where a priest hunter shot a Fr. McKenna while saying Mass there on Christmas Day, c.1754. The priest hunter was assassinated soon afterwards near Emyvale by local rapparee leader and folk hero Shane Bernagh. [6]

Ramsar site

The Slieve Beagh Ramsar site (wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention), is 1884.68 hectares in area, at latitude 54 20 53 N and longitude 07 11 38 W. It was designated a Ramsar site on 14 December 1999. The Ramsar site boundary coincides entirely with that of the Slieve Beagh Area of Special Scientific Interest and the Slieve Beagh Special Area of Conservation. [7]

Vegetation is characterized by sphagnum mosses and ericoid dwarf-shrubs. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Monaghan</span> County in Ireland

County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is part of Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county was 61,386 according to the 2016 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slieve Croob</span> Mountain in Northern Ireland

Slieve Croob is a mountain with a height of 534 metres (1,752 ft) in the middle of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the heart of a mountainous area known as the Dromara Hills, north of the Mourne Mountains. It is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is the source of the River Lagan. There is a small road to the summit, where there is an ancient burial cairn and several transmitter stations with radio masts. It has wide views over all of County Down and further afield. The Dromara Hills also includes Slievenisky, Cratlieve, Slievegarran and Slievenaboley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lists of mountains in Ireland</span> Highest mountains in Ireland

In these lists of mountains in Ireland, those within Northern Ireland, or on the Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, are marked with an asterisk, while the rest are within the Republic of Ireland. Where mountains are ranked by height, the definition of the topographical prominence used to classify the mountain, is noted. In British definitions, a height of 600 metres (1,969 ft) is required for a mountain, whereas in Ireland, a lower threshold of 500 metres (1,640 ft) is sometimes advocated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slieve Donard</span> Highest mountain in Northern Ireland

Slieve Donard is the highest mountain in Northern Ireland and the wider province of Ulster, with a height of 850 metres (2,790 ft). The highest of the Mourne Mountains, it is near the town of Newcastle on the eastern coast of County Down, overlooking the Irish Sea. It is also the highest mountain in the northern half of Ireland, and 7th highest on the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slieve League</span> Mountain in Ireland

Slieve League or Slieve Liag is a mountain on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, Ireland. At 601 metres (1,972 ft), it has the second-highest sea cliffs in Ireland after Croaghaun, and some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuilcagh</span> Mountain in Cavan/Fermanagh, R. Ireland/N. Ireland

Cuilcagh is a mountain on the border between County Fermanagh and County Cavan. With a height of 666 metres (2,185 ft) it is the highest point in both counties. It is also the 170th highest peak on the island of Ireland, and Ireland's only cross-border county top. Water from the southern slope flows underground until it emerges some miles away in the Shannon Pot, the traditional source of the River Shannon. The area is sometimes referred to as the Cuilcagh Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slieve Foy</span> Mountain in Louth, Ireland

Slieve Foy or Slieve Foye is a mountain on the Cooley Peninsula in Louth, Ireland. It rises to 589 metres (1,932 ft), making it the highest of the Cooley Mountains and the highest in Louth. It overlooks Carlingford Lough and the village of Carlingford, and is sometimes called Carlingford Mountain.

Altmore ) is a hamlet and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is five miles from Carrickmore and four miles from Pomeroy. The townland is actually called Altmore and is situated in the historic barony of Dungannon Middle and the civil parish of Pomeroy and covers an area of 1117 acres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotstown</span> Village in Ulster, Ireland

Scotstown is a village in the townland of Bough in north County Monaghan, Ireland. Scotstown is located in the parish of Tydavnet, along the Monaghan Blackwater, Scotstown being the village closest to the river's source. Scotstown is centred in the townland of Bough, but extends into Carrowhatta, Teraverty, Drumdesco and Stracrunnion townlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slieve Gullion</span> Mountain in County Armagh, Northern Ireland

Slieve Gullion is a mountain in the south of County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The mountain is the heart of the Ring of Gullion and is the highest point in the county, with an elevation of 573 metres (1,880 ft). At the summit is a small lake and two ancient burial cairns, one of which is the highest surviving passage grave in Ireland. Slieve Gullion appears in Irish mythology, where it is associated with the Cailleach and the heroes Fionn mac Cumhaill and Cú Chulainn. It dominates the countryside around it, offering views as far away as Antrim, Dublin Bay and Wicklow on a clear day. Slieve Gullion Forest Park is on its eastern slope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountains of the Central Dingle Peninsula</span> Mountain range in Kerry, Ireland

The Mountains of the Central Dingle Peninsula are the generic name given to the mountains that lie on the Dingle Peninsula between the Brandon Group of mountains in the west, and the Slieve Mish Mountains at the eastern end of the peninsula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slieve Mish Mountains</span> Mountain range in Kerry, Ireland

Slieve Mish Mountains, is a predominantly sandstone mountain range at the eastern end of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. Stretching 19 kilometres, from the first major peak of Barnanageehy outside of Tralee in the east, to Cnoc na Stuaice in near Central Dingle in the west, the range has over 17 material peaks, with the core of the mountain range based around the massif of its highest peak, Baurtregaum, and its deep glacial valleys of Derrymore Glen and Curraheen Glen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keeper Hill</span> Mountain in Tipperary, Ireland

Keeper Hill or Slievekimalta is a mountain with a height of 694 metres (2,277 ft) in the Silvermine Mountains of County Tipperary, Ireland. Traditionally, it was deemed to be part of the Slieve Felim Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawel Mountain</span> Mountain in Northern Ireland

Sawel Mountain is the highest peak in the Sperrin Mountains, and the 8th highest in Northern Ireland. It is also the highest mountain in Northern Ireland outside of the Mourne Mountain range located in County Down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slieve na Calliagh</span> Hilly area, with megalithic tombs, in County Meath, Ireland

Slieve na Calliagh are a range of hills and ancient burial site near Oldcastle, County Meath, Ireland. The summit is 276 metres (906 ft), the highest point in the county. On the hilltops are about twenty passage tombs, some decorated with rare megalithic art, which were built in the 4th millennium BC. Also called the Loughcrew tombs, it is one of the main passage tomb cemeteries in Ireland, along with Brú na Bóinne, Carrowkeel and Carrowmore.

Shane Bernagh Donnelly was an Irish rapparee who was active in the Cappagh and Altmore area of County Tyrone during the 17th century who would use the mountains as a vantage point to launch daring hold ups on carriages passing through the area on the main Dublin to Derry road nearby. Local legend has it that the highwayman assisted impoverished locals with his robberies, which primarily targeted members of the Protestant Ascendancy. A barracks was built in the Altmore area in an attempt to curb his activities but to little avail. Because of this Bernagh has over time become a local legend in the mould of Robin Hood who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slieve Commedagh</span>

Slieve Commedagh is a mountain with a height of 767 m (2,516 ft) in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the second-highest of the Mourne Mountains, after Slieve Donard, and the second-highest mountain in Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paps of Anu</span> Pair of mountains in County Kerry, Ireland

The Paps of Anu are a pair of breast-shaped mountains near Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. The eastern summit, The Paps East, is 694 metres (2,277 ft) high and the western top, The Paps West is 690 metres (2,260 ft) high.

Killykeskeame is a townland in the Civil Parish of Killeevan, in the Barony of Dartree, County Monaghan. It consists of 126.49 acres. The name Killykeskeame is an anglicisation of the Gaelic "Cill Choiscéim" which means the 'Church of the Footstep', referencing a medieval chapel that once was located in the townland.

Clanvaraghan is a small village in County Down, in the north-east of Northern Ireland close to the Irish Sea. Clanvaraghan is located approximately 3 miles north of the town of Castlewellan. The village has a population of 186 residents while the number of people living within this rural townland is much greater.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Slieve Beagh". MountainViews . Ordnance Survey Ireland. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  2. "Slieve Beagh". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. "Placenames Database of Ireland: Slieve Beagh/Sliabh Beatha". Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  4. "Sliabh Beagh Way". sliabhbeaghadventures.ie. Sliabh Beagh Adventures. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  5. 1 2 Tempan, Paul. Irish Hill and Mountain Names Archived 2 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine . MountainViews.ie.
  6. Tony Nugent (2013), Were You at the Rock? The History of Mass Rocks in Ireland, The Liffey Press. Pages 200-201.
  7. "Designated and Proposed Ramsar sites in Northern Ireland" (PDF). Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
  8. "Slieve Beagh Ramsar site". NI Environment Agency. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2008.