Slieve Gallion

Coordinates: 54°44′N 6°46′W / 54.73°N 6.76°W / 54.73; -6.76
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the mountain in County Armagh, see Slieve Gullion. For the racehorse, see Slieve Gallion (horse).

Slieve Gallion
Sliabh gCallann
Marilyn
Coordinates54°44′N 6°46′W / 54.73°N 6.76°W / 54.73; -6.76
Naming
English translationmountain of the heights
Language of nameIrish
Geography
Slieve Gallion is located in Northern Ireland
Slieve Gallion
LocationCounty Londonderry, Northern Ireland
OSI/OSNI gridH8188
Topo mapOSNI Discoverer 13

Slieve Gallion (from

Sperrin Mountains.[3] It reaches a height of 528 metres (1,732 ft) and dominates the western shore of Lough Neagh.[2] Its prominent northeastern summit has a transmitter station with a small road leading to it, and stands at a height of 496 metres (1,627 ft).[4]

By road, Slieve Gallion is 4 miles (6.4 km) from

Ballinascreen
.

Nature

Slieve Gallion is a

Irish hare (a sub-species of the mountain hare[6]), the curlew, and the red grouse. The otter can also be found around nearby rivers.[5] Slieve Gallion is classed by the Northern Ireland Planning Service as an area of "High Scenic Value".[7]

History

Peat formed at Slieve Gallion in the early Holocene period, around 10,000 years ago.[8] The radiocarbon dating of pollen has shown that there were plants in the area 10,000 years ago. 7,000 ago, the number of alder trees steeply increased.[8]

From the Middle Ages until the 20th century, gatherings were held on the mountain to mark the festival of

hill walking, contributing to erosion.[8]

Sport

There was formerly a challenge walk/run from the village of Moneymore to the summit of Slieve Gallon, which took participants through idyllic countryside such as Cairndaisy glen and the Postmans Way. There is now a yearly mountain race from the foot of Inniscarn Forest to the mountaintop and back, which normally takes place on the last Saturday of September or the first Saturday of October. Organised under the Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association, this event attracts some of Northern Ireland's top athletes and hosted the British & Ireland Junior Mountain Running Championships in October 2006.[citation needed]

The sports of hang gliding and paragliding use Slieve Gallion. This site is considered a good starting point to go cross-country as there is little in the way of airspace restrictions in a downwind direction from its predominate flyable faces.[citation needed]

Other

In 2019 a wind farm was constructed on its eastern side known as Crockandun wind farm.[citation needed]

Australian Gold firm Walkabout resources could collaborate with Koza UK to start a gold mine on the mountain. As of August 2020 the joint venture only holds a prospecting license and has not submitted plans for a gold mine.[citation needed] The project has been rejected by the district council of Mid Ulster.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ Placenames Database of Ireland
  2. ^ a b c "Slieve Gallion". Mountain Views. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  3. ^
    Environment and Heritage Service
    . Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  4. ^ "Slieve Gallion NE Top". Mountain Views. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  5. ^
    Environment and Heritage Service
    . Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  6. Environment and Heritage Service
    . Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  7. ^ "Drafy Magherafelt Area Plan 2015". Planning Service NI. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  8. ^ a b c "Slieve Gallion Londonderry". National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland. 2003. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
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