Knockmealdown Mountains

The Knockmealdowns from the M8 motorway

The Knockmealdown Mountains are a mountain range located on the border of the counties of Tipperary and Waterford, running east and west between the two. The highest peak of the range is Knockmealdown, which forms the county top of County Waterford. On the western side of the summit, the range is crossed by a high pass through which runs the old mail coach road from Lismore to Clogheen.

Name

Knockmealdown has two interpretations of the Irish origins of its name, either Cnoc Mhaoldomhnaigh: Muldowneys' Hill or Cnoc Maol Donn: bald brown hill.

Mountain peaks

List of peaks in the Knockmealdown Mountains ordered by height:

• Knockmealdown, Cnoc Mhaoldomhnaigh (2,605 ft)
• Knockmoylan, Cnoc Maoláin (2,520 ft)
• Knocknafallia, Cnoc na Faille (2,192 ft)
• Sugarloaf Hill, Cnoc na gCloch (2,175 ft)
• Knocknagnauv, Cnoc na gCnámh (2,149 ft)
• Knockshanahullion, Cnoc Seanchuillinn (2,139 ft)
• Knocknalougha, Cnoc na Loiche (2,067 ft)
• Knockmeal, An Cnoc Maol (1,837 ft)
• Crohan West, An Cruachán (1,709 ft)
• Farbreaga, An Fear Bréige (1,699 ft)

Wildlife

This mountain range is an important breeding ground for two endangered species, the red grouse and the hen harrier; cuckoo, nightjar, crossbill, buzzard and grasshopper warbler can also be seen.

Folk song

This mountain range was celebrated in the folk song, "Kitty Bawn O'Brien" by Allister MacGillvary of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The song is a lover's lament for a young woman who emigrates from Ireland to Canada. Knockmealdown is mentioned in the first and the final stanzas, as follows:

Kitty Bawn O'Brien by Allister MacGillvary
A soft wind blowing sweet and warm.
From the peaks called Knockmeal Down.
The songbird signs his cheery notes above Black Water Sound.
From my heart all joys depart, no beauty can enthrall, my Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.
I met her at the Mallow Fair, where lovers sport and play.
I watched her feet trip lightly as a piper droned her way.
She sang a song so lilting there, her hands beneath her shawl, now Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.
I followed her to Waterford the day the ship set sail.
Her mother let the tears down fall, her father's cheeks were pale.
I kissed her there, I lost her there, now sadly I recall, my Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.
And far across the ocean wide a world from Knockmeal Down, my Kitty shines like silver in some far Canadian town.
She'll charm some French soldier there, I can't blame him at all, my Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.
A soft wind blowing sweet and warm, from the peaks called Knockmeal Down.
The songbird signs his cheery notes above Black Water Sound.
From my heart all joys depart, no beauty can enthrall, my Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal, my Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.

KITTY BAWN O'BRIEN (Allister MacGillivray)

Soft blow the winds both warm and sweet From the peaks called Knockmealdown, The songbird pipes its cheery note Above Blackwater Sound. But from my heart no joys depart No beauty can enthrall. My Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.

I met her at the Mallow Fair Where lovers sport and play. I watched her feet move lightly While the piper droned away; She san a song so lilting there, Her hands beneath her shawl. Now Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.

I followed her to Waterford The day the ship set sail. Her mother let the tear drops fall, Her father's face was pale. I kissed her ere I lost her there. And sorely I recall, My Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.

And far across the ocean wide, A world from Knockmealdown My Kitty shines like silver In some bold Canadian town. She'll charm some young French soldier there, To blame him I've no call. My Kitty Bawn O'Brien's gone to far off Montreal.

References

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Knockmealdown Mountains)

Outside links

• Location map: 52°13’60"N, 7°55’0"W