Slievenamon

slievenamon

Before Christmas, I want to squeeze in a blog about the most beautiful mountain in Co. Tipperary – Sliabh na mBan, or Slievenamon. In the ancient times, when the slopes of the mountain were covered with forest of hazel, beech, oak and alder, young giant warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill went out hunting deer. It is when he met Sadhbh, the daughter of the magician Dearg,  in a form of a white doe. Sadhbh was turned into a deer by a druid Fear Doirich – Dark Man – whom she refused to marry.

The forest is long gone, but the magic remains. Slievenamon has a troubled history, and who knows, may be the Dark Man is to blame.

When driving from Clonmel to Waterford and back, Slievenamon is always in your sight. Seasons change, but Slievenamon doesn’t.

slievenamon

slievenamon

The only change is an occasional layer of snow on the top.

There are a few cute little villages at the foot of Slievenamon. Kilcash is the one from where Slievenamon can be climbed. Another place to visit in Kilcash is Medieval church and graveyard, and the ruins of the Butler Castle behind it.

kilcash church

kilcash graveyard

Standing in the graveyard, I look at the path I am going to take to reach the summit.

slievenamon

For a fit local resident climbing Slievenamon is a piece of cake, and it takes less than 50 minutes ( elevation 2,365 ft, climb 1500 ft ). People walk there with their dogs.  I have been to the summit only once, when I was much younger. Since then I was only able to make it to the stone wall half way to the summit. The good news – you won’t get lost because there is a distinct track.

y2013-006-19-064

slievenamon

slievenamon

slievenamon

Waterford bridge is 40 km away, but I can clearly see it.

Closer to the summit, it is cold and misty.

slievenamon

The ‘false summit’ – rather flat, with a pile of rocks (cairn) in the middle ( I am standing on it). Some people pick up a rock at the foot of the mountain and take it to the cairn to add to the pile. I was barely able to take myself up there… The cairn marks an entrance to the underworld, they say. Who knows. A less distinct path takes me a few meters higher to the real summit. Unfortunately I have lost the photograph. There is a waist-high standing stone up there.

slievenamon

On the other side of the valley there are beautiful Comeragh Mountains. I will write about them in January.

slievenamon

Always nice to see  a friendly face. Walking down the mountain does not take that long.

yy2013-175_1

And here is a famous Irish song Slievenamon for you to enjoy.

I share a link to the blog Walking in Sonoma County…mostly , and also to La Audacia de Aquiles mythology blog. Please visit and follow 🙂 I will be back with more historical facts and myths about this beautiful mountain.

www.inesemjphotography.comHave a wonderful weekend!

109 comments

  1. What a view! I find that picture of the path heading up the mountain so enticing, I want to walk up there right now 🙂 speaking of which, I’m heading to Galway for a family get-together in August and I’m planning to make a proper trip of it – expect to hear a whole lot more from me over the next few months!

    1. Thank you! I would be happy to go to Galway myself 🙂 If you have this marvelous opportunity, please visit Connemara. Later this winter I will do a post about Connemara. Have a glorious New Year! xx

      1. Please do! I just did a quick google and now I need to find a way of climbing into my computer screen…

  4. I really enjoyed learning about Slievenamon, Inese. Your photos and descriptions make it easy to see why this is a revered place. And the video/song was really great — a tribute to this beautiful mountain. It’s a great thing to have a mountain to love, thanks for sharing this one.

  5. I enjoyed hearing the story about Sadhbh. Irish mythology is fascinating, and I thank you for opening my eyes to the tales of your country. Slievenamon is beautiful, and the surrounding views and landmarks are rich in history. Thank you for the beautiful photos, history, and Gaelic music. I feel as if I’ve been to a mini vacation. Peace and ❤

    1. Thank you so much! I am so happy to hear you are charmed with our mythology 🙂 So am I 🙂 Slievenamon attracts me like a magnet, even though I am not in condition to take a decent hike anymore – I mean decent, without losing my dignity and camping every two minutes 😉 But that door to the underworld on the summit keeps me dreaming 🙂 ❤

  6. You live in such a beautiful area! I definitely have Ireland on my bucket list. Have a very Merry Christmas! I look forward to your future posts!

  7. Even without the swathe of ancient forest, Slievenamon is an imposing and mysterious feature on the landscape. I read a novel about Fionn mac Cumhaill many years ago, although his name was the English version, Finn McCool. The story of his the woman he loved being turned into a deer is very poignant. We saw quite a lot of this area when we came to Ireland, and it’s beautiful.
    Well done with climbing up the mountain as high as you did. The climb was worth it, if only to get those amazing photos of the wonderful green land.
    Lovely post, Inese. 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, Millie! I want to go there again, one more time, with no rush, with long breaks 🙂
      Fionn had a good few wives after he lost his beloved Sadhbh. There are many stories. I have to look up, was it her who gave him the son, Oisin, the poet, or was it some other woman. So many stories, and so little time.
      Thank you again!

  10. I love walks that take me up onto high ground with wonderful views, although there are no mountains where I live, just the South Downs, which should really be called the South Ups! It takes me slightly longer climbing them these days, although I have a long-legged son to keep up with, and I’m not one to be beaten easily.
    Wishing you a wonderful Christmas, Inese, and a New Year filled with peace and blessings.

  12. I love the 17 photographs, what an astounding selection of natural beauty with warmth in a fuzzy, furry sheep and coldness in the mountains with snow. I enjoyed the most, Inese the patchwork quilt of green shapes made by fields with walls. 🙂
    Hope to be back before Christmas but time at work is long, after work many little tasks left to do. . .
    Hope you have a wonderful and special family time over the holidays. I count our friendship as a blessing. Thank you for your gifts of beauty and light. ❤

      1. I am not sure if there will be peace within our fun, wild celebration but the gift of Light will fill our hearts. ❤
        This was such a lovely response, Inese. Thank you (returned)! Merry Christmas!

  13. How beautiful, Inese! The song sounds like your pictures look! You make me wonder where my Irish ancestors hailed from. All I know is that they came in the mid/late 1800’s. And… I adore your friendly faced sheep! 😀

    1. Resa, I wish you knew a surname. It is possible to find the records from the boats they traveled on. Glad you love my favorite mountain and the sheep:)

  14. A distinct path? And quite wide at that. I will do this hill. Seriously? Lovely, lovely pictures and post. Oh and as aye, the wee bit on the dark side with the cemetery. All the reasons I love stopping by xxxxx

    1. The path is naturally made by all the feet that walked along it for centuries, but it also serves as a stream bed when it is raining. It is the only path, I have never seen anyone walking off it but sheep. I hope to go there again in spring, to take pictures of the minuscule alpine plants. xxxx

      1. Ah… I like the idea of centuries. I’m already looking forward to spring now. You will find some beauties and your capturing of them will be exquisite xxxxxx

        1. The flowers on the mountain top are an inch tall, probably pollinated by ants. A little bit of heather here and there – that is all. And it is very cold on the summit. You have a beautiful scenery where you live. I hope to see more pictures from your hikes, just be very careful in the future 🙂 xxxxxx

  15. Excellent post, and t’s always a treat to hear a beautiful Irish ballad like “Slievenamon”….especially when sung by a lass with such a lovely voice. Because of the setting in Co. Tipperary, I was half-expecting a rendition of “It’s A Long WayTo Tipperary,” but I’m glad you chose “Slievenamon,” as I hadn’t heard it before.

    1. Thank you so much! I think I have already shared A Long Way – I often write about County Tipperary. Glad the Slievenamon song is new for you and you like it 🙂

    1. No, he didn’t shoot her, he married her, and she gave him a son, but the Dark Man found her and took her away, this time forever. Fionn has been married several times, and there is a story about each of his marriages 🙂

Comments are closed.