Slemish
Encyclopedia
Slemish, historically called Slieve Mish , is a volcanic plug
in County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
. It lies a few miles east of Ballymena
, in the townland
of Carnstroan.
Slemish is the remains of the plug of an extinct volcano. Its distinctive appearance —its upper reaches are very steep and rugged, in contrast to the tidy fields on its lower westward-facing slopes and the relatively flat bogland to the east— causes it to dominate the landscape for miles around.
Slemish is within an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) and, therefore, helps to protect and manage the fragile animal and plant communities that inhabit its slopes. An ideal location for bird watchers, large black ravens, buzzards, wheatears and meadow pipits can be seen regularly.
, enslaved as a youth, was brought to this area and tended sheep herds on Slemish, and that during this time he found God.
In later times, it was the site of a United Irish
camp during the 1798 rebellion
in County Antrim.
book Climbing Slemish. The book chronicles the history of a family over a whole century of Northern Irish life.
Volcanic plug
A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...
in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, 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 lies a few miles east of Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
, 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 Carnstroan.
Slemish is the remains of the plug of an extinct volcano. Its distinctive appearance —its upper reaches are very steep and rugged, in contrast to the tidy fields on its lower westward-facing slopes and the relatively flat bogland to the east— causes it to dominate the landscape for miles around.
Slemish is within an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) and, therefore, helps to protect and manage the fragile animal and plant communities that inhabit its slopes. An ideal location for bird watchers, large black ravens, buzzards, wheatears and meadow pipits can be seen regularly.
History
Tradition holds that Saint PatrickSaint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
, enslaved as a youth, was brought to this area and tended sheep herds on Slemish, and that during this time he found God.
In later times, it was the site of a United Irish
Society of the United Irishmen
The Society of United Irishmen was founded as a liberal political organisation in eighteenth century Ireland that sought Parliamentary reform. However, it evolved into a revolutionary republican organisation, inspired by the American Revolution and allied with Revolutionary France...
camp during the 1798 rebellion
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
in County Antrim.
Literature
Slemish features in Dennis Kennedy'sDennis Campbell Kennedy
Dennis Kennedy is a writer on Irish and European affairs. His most recent publications include Square Peg; The Life and Times of a Northern Newspaperman South of the Border, Nonsuch, due November 2009, and Climbing Slemish: An Ulster Memoir, Trafford, 2006....
book Climbing Slemish. The book chronicles the history of a family over a whole century of Northern Irish life.
External links
- Landscapes Unlocked - Aerial footage from the BBC Sky High series explaining the physical, social and economic geography of Northern Ireland.