The Knockmealdown Mountains are a mountain range located on the border of counties South Tipperary

South Tipperary

South Tipperary is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Munster. It is named after the town of Tipperary and consists of 52% of the land area of the traditional county of Tipperary. The county was established in 1898 and has had a county...

 and Waterford

County Waterford

*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...

 in Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

, running east and west between the two counties. The highest peak of the range is Knockmealdown

Knockmealdown

Knockmealdown is the highest peak of the Knockmealdown Range of mountains, located on the border between Co Tipperary and Co Waterford. The peak itself is located in County Waterford and is the highest point in that county. However, since the county border generally follows the summit line the...

, situated in County Waterford. On the western side of the summit, the range is crossed by a high pass through which runs the old mail coach

Mail coach

In Great Britain, the mail coach or post coach was a horse-drawn carriage that carried mail deliveries, from 1784. In Ireland, the first mail coach began service from Dublin in 1789. The coach was drawn by four horses and had seating for four passengers inside. Further passengers were later allowed...

 road from Lismore

Lismore, County Waterford

Lismore is a town in County Waterford, Ireland. It is located where the N72 road crosses the River Blackwater.-History:It was founded by Saint Mochuda, also known as Saint Carthage. In the 7th century, Lismore was the site of the well-known Lismore Abbey. It is also home to Lismore Castle, the...

 to Clogheen

Clogheen, County Tipperary

Clogheen is a village in South Tipperary, Ireland. The latest census of 2006 recorded the population of Clogheen at 509.-Location:It lies in the Galtee-Vee Valley with the Galtee Mountains to the north and the Knockmealdowns in close proximity to the south. The River Tar which is a tributary of...

.

Name

Knockmealdown has two interpretations of the Irish

Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

 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
  Knockmealdown
  Knockmealdown is the highest peak of the Knockmealdown Range of mountains, located on the border between Co Tipperary and Co Waterford. The peak itself is located in County Waterford and is the highest point in that county. However, since the county border generally follows the summit line the...
  
   (794 m)
• Knockmoylan (768 m)
• Knocknafallia (668 m)
• Sugarloaf Hill
  Sugarloaf Hill (Knockmealdowns)
  Sugarloaf Hill is a mountain peak located in the Knockmealdown Mountains on the border between South Tipperary and County Waterford.-See also:* List of mountains in Ireland* Sugarloaf...
  
  (663 m)
• Knocknagnauv (655 m)
• Knockshanahullion (652 m)
• Knocknalougha (630 m)
• Knockmeal (560 m)
• Crohan West (521 m)
• Farbreaga (518 m)

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.