Slieve Donard
Encyclopedia
Slieve Donard is a 850 m (2,789 ft) mountain
in County Down
, Northern Ireland
. It is part of the Mourne Mountains and the highest peak in Northern Ireland and in the wider province
of Ulster
. It is the 19th highest peak on the island of Ireland
. Slieve Donard sits near the town of Newcastle
on the eastern coast of County Down, only 2 miles (3 km) from the Irish Sea
.
Dónairt is a modernised spelling. He was a follower of Saint Patrick
and founded a monastery at Maghera, north of Newcastle. According to tradition he was appointed by Saint Patrick to guard the surrounding countryside from the summit of Slieve Donard. He is supposed not to have died, but to have become a "perpetual guardian".
In pagan
times the mountain was known as Sliabh Slainge—named after Sláinge mac Partholóin (Sláinge son of Partholón
), who was allegedly the first physician in Ireland. According to Annála na gCeithre Máistrí
(Annals of the Four Masters), he died in Anno Mundi
2533 (2533 years after the creation of the world) and was buried under a cairn on the mountain.
s separate Slieve Donard from the neighbouring mountains of Slieve Commedagh
(to the northwest) and Chimney Rock Mountain (to the south). Slieve Commedagh, at 767 m, is the second-highest of the Mourne Mountains.
At the summit of Slieve Donard there is a cairn
and a small stone tower, which was built as a shelter. This tower is part of the Mourne Wall
, which passes over the mountain's southern and western shoulders. A triangulation pillar
sits on top.
, 30 miles north, and Dublin, 55 miles to the south.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is part of the Mourne Mountains and the highest peak in Northern Ireland and in the wider province
Provinces of Ireland
Ireland has historically been divided into four provinces: Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connacht. The Irish word for this territorial division, cúige, literally meaning "fifth part", indicates that there were once five; the fifth province, Meath, was incorporated into Leinster, with parts going to...
of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
. It is the 19th highest peak on the island of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Slieve Donard sits near the town of Newcastle
Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...
on the eastern coast of County Down, only 2 miles (3 km) from the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
.
Name
Slieve Donard is named after Saint Donard, known in Irish as Domhanghairt or Domhanghart.Dónairt is a modernised spelling. He was a follower of Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
and founded a monastery at Maghera, north of Newcastle. According to tradition he was appointed by Saint Patrick to guard the surrounding countryside from the summit of Slieve Donard. He is supposed not to have died, but to have become a "perpetual guardian".
In pagan
Celtic polytheism
Celtic polytheism, commonly known as Celtic paganism, refers to the religious beliefs and practices adhered to by the Iron Age peoples of Western Europe now known as the Celts, roughly between 500 BCE and 500 CE, spanning the La Tène period and the Roman era, and in the case of the Insular Celts...
times the mountain was known as Sliabh Slainge—named after Sláinge mac Partholóin (Sláinge son of Partholón
Partholón
Partholón, in medieval Irish historical tradition, was the leader of the second group of people to settle in Ireland, supposedly first to arrive after the biblical Flood. They arrived in 2680 BC according to the chronology of the Annals of the Four Masters, 2061 BC according to Geoffrey Keating's...
), who was allegedly the first physician in Ireland. According to Annála na gCeithre Máistrí
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
(Annals of the Four Masters), he died in Anno Mundi
Anno Mundi
' , abbreviated as AM or A.M., refers to a Calendar era based on the Biblical creation of the world. Numerous efforts have been made to determine the Biblical date of Creation, yielding varying results. Besides differences in interpretation, which version of the Bible is being referenced also...
2533 (2533 years after the creation of the world) and was buried under a cairn on the mountain.
Geography
Slieve Donard sits at the northeastern edge of the Mournes, overlooking Newcastle and Dundrum Bay. It has three subsidiary peaks on the seaward side—Millstone Mountain (460 m), Thomas's Mountain and Crossone. Two glenGlen
A glen is a valley, typically one that is long, deep, and often glacially U-shaped; or one with a watercourse running through such a valley. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower than a strath."...
s separate Slieve Donard from the neighbouring mountains of Slieve Commedagh
Slieve Commedagh
Slieve Commedagh is a 767 m mountain 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....
(to the northwest) and Chimney Rock Mountain (to the south). Slieve Commedagh, at 767 m, is the second-highest of the Mourne Mountains.
At the summit of Slieve Donard there is a cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
and a small stone tower, which was built as a shelter. This tower is part of the Mourne Wall
Mourne Wall
The Mourne Wall is a wall that was constructed to enclose a reservoir's catchment area in the Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland. It was built between 1904 and 1922 by the Belfast Water Commissioners to enclose the water catchment in the Mournes....
, which passes over the mountain's southern and western shoulders. A triangulation pillar
Triangulation station
A triangulation station, also known as a triangulation pillar, trigonometrical station, trigonometrical point, trig station, trig beacon or trig point, and sometimes informally as a trig, is a fixed surveying station, used in geodetic surveying and other surveying projects in its vicinity...
sits on top.
Climbing Slieve Donard
The mountain is an easy climb although the path is very eroded at places. In recent years a stone path has been made on the steepest parts of the mountain. The summit provides spectacular views of the coast and as far afield as BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, 30 miles north, and Dublin, 55 miles to the south.
Gallery
External links
- Interactive 360° view from the summit
- Computer generated summit panoramas: North, South, index
