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The
mountain of Slieve Gullion is mentioned many many times in the ancient
Irish battle epic, the Táin
Bó Cuailnge, as Sliabh Cuilinn. Situated a few miles west of
the Cooley Mountains, it lies just across the border in Northern Ireland.
Gullion, along with the Cooley Mountains, is volcanic in origin. It is
573 metres at its tallest point. There is a lake at the top of the mountain,
known as the "Lake of Sorrow", or the Calliag Bheara's lake.
The Calliag is a witch or a hag, and she has associations with other peaks,
such as the hills of Loughcrew
in County Meath, and the hill of Bellewstown, home of the famous annual
race meeting, also in Co. Meath. There are two cairns either side of the
lake. The Northern Cairn is a round or circular mound of stones approximately
40 feet in diamet er, while the Southern Cairn is a large Passage-Grave
standing at 570 meters above sea level, making this the highest surviving
passage tomb in Ireland. This is an ancient area, people have lived here
for over 6,000 years and have left their traces in stone, in megalithic
tombs, burial chambers and cairns. See the story of Finn
Mac Cumhaill and the Hunt of Slieve Gullion. The following are some
photos I took while driving on the eight-mile scenic drive on the slopes
of the mountain. In all cases, click the photo for a larger version.
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| Trying
to see the wood from the trees on the slopes of Slieve Gullion! |
The
moon rises over the slopes of the mountain. |
One
of the many erratic rocks on the slopes of Slieve Gullion. |
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| A
beautiful lake on the slopes of Slieve Gullion in County Armagh. |
Go
néiri an bóthar leat! - May the road rise to meet you! |
There
are many trees, particularly evergreen species, growing on the mountain. |
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| A
view down the mountain towards other mountains. |
An
idyllic home, plus derelict outbuildings, long since abandoned. |
A
small waterfall at the edge of the road on Slieve Gullion. |
Go
to the Ancient Sites section |
Slieve Gullion, Co. Armagh