Slieve Donard
Slieve Donard (/ˌsliːv ˈdɒnərd/ SLEEV DON-ərd; from Irish Sliabh Dónairt, meaning 'Dónairt's mountain') 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 seventh-highest on the island.
| Slieve Donard | |
|---|---|
| Sliabh Dónairt | |
Slieve Donard and Newcastle | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 850 m (2,790 ft) |
| Prominence | 822 m (2,697 ft) |
| Listing | County High Point (Down), P600, Marilyn, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam |
| Coordinates | 54°10′49″N 5°55′15″W |
| Naming | |
| English translation | Dónairt's mountain |
| Language of name | Irish |
| Geography | |
Location of Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland Slieve Donard (County Down) Slieve Donard (island of Ireland) Slieve Donard (the United Kingdom) | |
| Location | County Down, Northern Ireland |
| Parent range | Mournes |
| OSI/OSNI grid | J357276 |
| Topo map | OSNI Discoverer 29 |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Granite granophyre Bedrock |
The Mourne Wall – built in the early 20th century – runs up the western and southern slopes of the mountain, joining a small stone tower at the summit. Also on the summit are the remains of two ancient burial cairns, one of which is the remains of the highest known passage tomb in Ireland. In Irish mythology the mountain was associated with the mythical figures Boirche and Slángha. It was later associated with, and named after, Saint Donard, who was said to have made the summit his hermitage. Up until the 1830s, people would climb the mountain as part of a yearly pilgrimage, which may have originally been a Lughnasadh (harvest) ritual. Royal Engineers camped on the summit for four months in 1826 as part of the Ordnance Survey's Principal Triangulation.