Glenshane Pass
Encyclopedia
The Glenshane Pass is a major mountain
pass cutting through the Sperrin Mountains
in County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. It is in the townland
of Glenshane on the main Derry
to Belfast
route, the A6
.
. Carn/Glenshane Pass is a large area of intact blanket bog
, characterised by undulating topography
and including a large, well-developed hummock and pool system within a thick mantle of blanket peat. It is also classed as an Area of Special Scientific Interest
.
an notorious highwayman
who roamed the highways of Derry and Tyrone in late seventeen and early eighteen century.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
pass cutting through the Sperrin Mountains
Sperrins
The Sperrins or Sperrin Mountains are a range of mountains in Northern Ireland and one of the largest upland areas in Ireland. The range stretches the counties of Tyrone and Londonderry from south of Strabane eastwards to Maghera and north towards Limavady...
in County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is in the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Glenshane on the main Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
route, the A6
A6 road (Northern Ireland)
The A6 road in Northern Ireland runs from the Belfast to Derry, via Antrim. Mostly single carriageway, there is a short dual carriageway section forming the Toome bypass. Towards Derry, there is also a short section of dual carriageway at Altnagelvin. This is one of Northern Ireland's most...
.
Features
It is a Special Area of ConservationSpecial Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
. Carn/Glenshane Pass is a large area of intact blanket bog
Blanket bog
Blanket bog or blanket mire is an area of peatland, forming where there is a climate of high rainfall and a low level of evapotranspiration, allowing peat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses of undulating ground. The blanketing of the ground with a variable depth of peat...
, characterised by undulating topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
and including a large, well-developed hummock and pool system within a thick mantle of blanket peat. It is also classed as an Area of Special Scientific Interest
Area of Special Scientific Interest
An Area of Special Scientific Interest or ASSI is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in Northern Ireland. ASSIs are the equivalent of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the rest of the United Kingdom....
.
History
The Glenshane Pass is named after Shane Crosagh O’MullanShane Crosagh O’Mullan
Shane Crosagh Ó Maoláin was an Irish Rapparee/outlaw, who was executed 1722.-Biography:Shane Crosagh was a member of the Derry Ó Maoláin family, who were based in the Keenaght district of County Londonderry, having originally lived in the Laggan district of Donegal, and were followers of the Ó...
an notorious highwayman
Highwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
who roamed the highways of Derry and Tyrone in late seventeen and early eighteen century.
Recent history
- The body of a man from CastledawsonCastledawsonCastledawson is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is mostly within the townland of Shanemullagh , about four miles from the north-western shore of Lough Neagh, and close to the market town of Magherafelt...
was found on the Glenshane Pass near Maghera on 4 February 2008. Two men from Maghera appeared in court the following week, one charged with falsely imprisoning the victim and the other with manslaughter. - On the night of the 30 March 2010 300 people became trapped in their cars after heavy snow fall. The rescued motorists were initially taken to a leisure centre in DungivenDungivenDungiven is a small town and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A6 Belfast to Derry road. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the Benbradagh. Nearby is the Glenshane Pass, where the road rises to over...
but had to be moved again after power cuts in the area. The road wasn't re-opened again until the following evening.
The Troubles
- On 24 June 1972, three British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
soldiers were killed by a landmineLand mineA land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
explosion on the Glenshane Pass. Their Land Rover was destroyed by two landmines consisting of 120lbs of explosive packed in milk churns. - On 17 March 1978, a British Army soldier was shot dead in a gun battle with IRAProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
gunmen near the Glenshane Pass. Some reports said he was involved in a covert observation post when he spotted two suspected gunmen. He stood up to challenge the men and was fatally wounded, but he shot back wounding one man.
Places of interest
- The Ponderosa is a popular attraction in the area. It is claimed to be IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
's highest pub at 305m (947ft) above sea level. - Glenshane Forest is 12km from DungivenDungivenDungiven is a small town and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A6 Belfast to Derry road. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the Benbradagh. Nearby is the Glenshane Pass, where the road rises to over...
on the southern side of the Glenshane Pass, hugging the south eastern slopes of Corrick and Glenshane Mountains. The Ulster WayUlster WayThe Ulster Way is a series of walking routes which encircle the Irish province of Ulster. It was founded in the 1970s by Wilfred Capper , who was inspired by Tom Stephenson's Pennine Way...
passes through the forest along the source of the River RoeRiver Roe (Northern Ireland)The River Roe flows north from Glenshane in the Sperrin Mountains to Lough Foyle, via the settlements of Dungiven, Burnfoot, Limavady and Myroe. The river is contained within County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.- Etymology :...
.
Traffic
- In answer to a written parliamentary question in June 2006, it was revealed that the average daily flow of traffic over the Glenshane Pass between Dungiven and Maghera on the A6 was approximately 5,500 in each direction.
- In 2003, a major improvement scheme costing £1m was completed on the Glenshane Pass. The road was widened from Carruda Bridge for 2.2km uphill past the Ponderosa Bar, to provide two lanes for traffic travelling towards Belfast. Traffic travelling towards Derry already had the benefit of a similar overtaking lane on the south side of the Pass.