Mountains of the Central Dingle Peninsula

See also: Mountains of the Dingle Peninsula

Mountains of the Central Dingle Peninsula
Beenoskee and Stradbally Mountain from Gowlane Strand
Highest point
PeakBeenoskee
Elevation826 m (2,710 ft)[1]
Prominence491 m (1,611 ft)[1]
Coordinates52°12′50″N 10°04′39″W / 52.213863°N 10.077388°W / 52.213863; -10.077388[1]
Dimensions
Length20 km (12 mi) E/W
Width11 km (6.8 mi) N/S
Geography
Mountains of the Central Dingle Peninsula is located in island of Ireland
Mountains of the Central Dingle Peninsula
Mountains of the Central Dingle Peninsula
Location of Slieve Mish Mountains
LocationCounty Kerry
CountryIreland
Provinces of IrelandMunster
Topo mapOSI Discovery 71/70
Geology
Age of rockDevonian[1]
Type of rockPurple cross-bedded sandstone[1]

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.[2]

Geology

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Like many of the mountain ranges in County Kerry, such as the MacGillycuddy Reeks, the mountains of the Central Dingle peninsula are composed predominantly of Devonian period Old Red Sandstone, with a band of Ordovician period metasediments.[3][4]

The rocks date from the Upper Devonian period (310–450 million years ago) when Ireland was in a hot equatorial setting.[5] During this 60 million year period, Ireland was the site of a major basin, known as the Munster basin, and Cork and Kerry were effectively a large alluvial floodplain.[5] Chemical oxidation stained the material with a purple–reddish colour (and green in places from chlorination), still visible today.[5] There are virtually no fossils in Old Red Sandstone.[5]

The composition of Old Red Sandstone is variable and includes sandstones, mudstones, siltstones, and conglomerates (boulders containing quartz pebbles are visible throughout the range).[5] The mountains were subject to significant glaciation with corries and U-shaped valleys, however the range does not have the sharp rocky arêtes and ridges of the MacGillycuddy Reeks range.[5]

List of peaks

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Main article: Lists of mountains in Ireland

The following is a download from the MountainViews Online Database, who list 23 identifiable Central Dingle peaks with an elevation, or height, above 100 metres

  Marilyn: Any height, and prominence over 150 metres (492 ft).
Peaks of the Central Dingle Mountain range (MountainViews Online Database, July 2019)
Height
Rank 		Prom.
Rank 		Name Irish Name (if different) Translation Height
(m) 		Prom.
(m) 		Height
(ft) 		Prom.
(ft) 		Topo
Map 		OSI Grid
Reference
1 1 Beenoskee Binn os Gaoith Mountain above the Wind/Estuary[a] 826 491 2,710 1,611 70 Q580089
2 20 Stradbally Mountain Cnoc an tSráidbhaile Hill of Stradbally 798 40 2,618 131 70 Q587092
3 2 Slievanea NE Top — — 671 265 2,200 869 70 Q515064
4 12 An Cnapán Mór — The Big Lump[b] 649 81 2,129 266 70 Q522045
5 6 Cnoc na Bánóige[c] — Hill of the Grassy Patch 642 176 2,105 577 70 Q548048
6 21 Slievanea Sliabh Macha Ré Mountain of the Smooth Plain[d] 629 22 2,063 73 70 Q508057
7 19 Coombane[e] An Com Bán The White Hollow 610 42 2,001 138 70 Q568092
8 23 Croaghskearda Cruach Sceirde Stack of the Exposed Place[f] 608 13 1,995 43 70 Q509039
9 18 Knockmulanane Cnoc Mhaoilionáin Mulfinan's hill 593 48 1,946 157 70 Q568049
10 15 Beenatoor Binn an Tuair Peak of the Bleaching Green 592 66 1,942 217 70 Q559089
11 22 Knockmulanane West Top — — 563 15 1,847 49 70 Q560048
12 5 Dromavally Mountain Cnoc Dhroim an Bhaile Hill of Dromavally[g] 552 206 1,811 676 71 Q606067
13 9 Sliabh na nGabhar[h] — Mountain of the Goats 486 120 1,594 394 70 Q539072
14 7 Cummeen[i] Sliabh an Choimín Mountain of the Little Hollow 477 162 1,565 531 71 Q630077
15 17 Gob an Iolair[j] — Beak of the eagle 477 48 1,564 158 70 Q545074
16 14 An Starraicín — The Steeple[k] 458 71 1,504 233 70 Q528064
17 16 Cnoc na Bánóige N Top — 448 52 1,469 170 70 Q552061
18 13 Knocknakilton (unknown)[l] (unknown)[l] 423 79 1,388 259 71 Q638062
19 4 Brickany[m] Breicneach Speckled Place 374 219 1,227 719 71 Q632022
20 3 Knocknanacree Cnoc na nAcraí hill of na hAcraí/Acres[n] 286 260 938 853 70 V572998
21 8 Cnoc an Ghleanna — Hill of the Glen 252 136 827 446 70 V502987
22 11 Carrigadav Carraig an Daimh The Rock of the Bull 240 96 787 315 71 Q626097
23 10 Farrandalouge Fearann Dealúigh The Land of the Two Hollows 144 97 472 318 70 Q546115

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ This name is locally understood to mean 'mountain above the wind', but as wind speeds tend only to increase the more height one gains, one has to ask what this could possibly mean. Another possibility is that gaoth is rather an archaic word for a water feature (possibly Lough Gill or the estuary of the nearby Owenmore River), and that the name was no longer understood once this word had fallen out of common use.[2]
  2. ^ An Seabhac also gives the alternative name An Sliabh Dubh ("the black mountain"). Previously Gowlane Beg.[2]
  3. ^ Also known as Banoge North.[2]
  4. ^ The anglicised form Slievanea would appear to derive from Ir. Sliabh an Fhia, 'mountain of the deer'. The deer is also an important symbol in Celtic mythology. In many tales they lure people into the realm of the gods. Remains of several fulachta fia (venison-cooking pits) can be found around Lough Adoon.[2]
  5. ^ Marked as 'Coombane' on the 6 map. The name refers originally to a hollow in the upper reaches of Kilcummin Beg townland.[2]
  6. ^ Near a path over the brow of the hill between Gowlin and Lisdargan there is an underground passage called Staighre Chaitlín (Cathleen's Stairs) which leads to a cave.[2]
  7. ^ Three cairns on the summit ridge of Dromavally Mountain are named Cú Chulainn's House, Cú Chulainn's Bed and Cú Chulainn's Grave.[2]
  8. ^ The Irish form is given as Slí na gCorr on the OS Discovery map. However, this is clearly not the name of a mountain. It either refers to a track or is perhaps a corruption of Sliabh na nGabhar.[2]
  9. ^ An Seabhac also mentions a peak called An Bhinn Bháin above Lough Acummeen, but this may refer to a cliff rather than the summit.[2]
  10. ^ Since Beenbo is clearly a separate name (probably from Ir. Binn Bó, 'peak of the cow'), it seems likely that it is the true name of the summit, while Gob an Iolair applies originally to the sharp point just N of the summit.[2]
  11. ^ This peak earns its name with its pointed peak.[2]
  12. ^ a b This name is not mentioned by An Seabhac in TCCD. It is unclear what the second element is.[2]
  13. ^ This hill, located in the townland of Ballynane, is unnamed on OS Discovery map but named on the old ½ series and on road atlases. Has been called Tullig.[2]
  14. ^ Acres (na hAcraí) is a townland name.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Beenoskee". MountainViews Online Database. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Paul Tempan (February 2012). "Irish Hill and Mountain Names" (PDF). MountainViews.ie.
  3. ^ "Site Name: Slieve Mish Mountains (Special Area of Conservation)" (PDF). Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Slieve Mish Mountains SAC" (PDF). National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland). September 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Ryan, Jim (2006). Carrauntoohil and MacGillycuddy's Reeks: A Walking Guide to Ireland's Highest Mountains. Collins Press. ISBN 978-1905172337.
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