Slieve Rushen
Encyclopedia
Slieve Rushen is a mountain which straddles the border between County Cavan
in the Republic of Ireland
and County Fermanagh
in Northern Ireland
. It is also called Slieve Russell or Ligavegra (Also Legavagra, Ligavagra). It has an altitude of 404 metres above sea-level. OS 1/50k Mapsheet: 27A & 26. Grid Ref: H234 226.
The mountain is made up of grey limestone
with a cap of sandstone
and shale
s and is extensively quarried by local companies. The surface is mostly covered with peat
, pine forests and grazing fields. The mountain contains several caves and swallow-holes including Pollnagollum
and Tory Hole which are a popular destination for potholers. A recent addition to the mountain is the Slieve Rushen Wind Farm
for generating electricity.
of Lecan entitled The Settling of the Manor of Tara, in which verse 34 states
"daughter of Toga of the grey stormy sea,
at that time ’twas a woman,
she from whom Sliabh Raisen is named.".
The earliest surviving mention of the name occurs in the Annals of the Four Masters for the year 1111 A.D. "A predatory excursion was made by Toirdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair and he plundered Tearmann-Dabheog. Another predatory excursion was made by him; and he plundered as far as Beann-Eachlabhra, Sliabh-Ruisen, and Loch-Eirne".
The mountain has been inhabited since at least 3,000 B.C. as is evident from the ancient court cairns and wedge tombs still surviving, such as in the townlands of Doon
, Aughrim
and Aghnacally.
In the 1609 Plantation of Ulster, Slieve Rushen formed part of lands which were granted to Sir Toby Caulfield, Master of the Ordnance by letters patent of 12th July (Pat. 19 James I. XI. 45 ‘Slewrussell’). It was later granted to John Sandford Esq. by letters patent dated 7th July 1614 (Pat. 11 James I – LXXI – 38 ‘Slewrussell’).
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
in the Republic of 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,...
and County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
in 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 also called Slieve Russell or Ligavegra (Also Legavagra, Ligavagra). It has an altitude of 404 metres above sea-level. OS 1/50k Mapsheet: 27A & 26. Grid Ref: H234 226.
The mountain is made up of grey limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with a cap of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
s and is extensively quarried by local companies. The surface is mostly covered with peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
, pine forests and grazing fields. The mountain contains several caves and swallow-holes including Pollnagollum
Pollnagollum
Pollnagollum–Poulelva is an active stream passage cave situated in County Clare, Ireland.- Description :...
and Tory Hole which are a popular destination for potholers. A recent addition to the mountain is the Slieve Rushen Wind Farm
Slieve Rushen Wind Farm
Slieve Rushen Wind Farm is an 18 turbine wind farm in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland with a total capacity of 54 MW, enough to power over 30,000 homes. It was commissioned in April 2008....
for generating electricity.
History
The name Slieve Rushen derives from the gaelic "Sliabh Ros-in" which means "The Mountain of the Little Wood". However an alternative explanation of the name is given in a Middle-Irish text c.1400 from The Yellow BookYellow Book
The Yellow Book, published in London from 1894 to 1897 by Elkin Mathews and John Lane, later by John Lane alone, and edited by the American Henry Harland, was a quarterly literary periodical that lent its name to the "Yellow" 1890s....
of Lecan entitled The Settling of the Manor of Tara, in which verse 34 states
"daughter of Toga of the grey stormy sea,
at that time ’twas a woman,
she from whom Sliabh Raisen is named.".
The earliest surviving mention of the name occurs in the Annals of the Four Masters for the year 1111 A.D. "A predatory excursion was made by Toirdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair and he plundered Tearmann-Dabheog. Another predatory excursion was made by him; and he plundered as far as Beann-Eachlabhra, Sliabh-Ruisen, and Loch-Eirne".
The mountain has been inhabited since at least 3,000 B.C. as is evident from the ancient court cairns and wedge tombs still surviving, such as in the townlands of Doon
Doon, County Cavan
Doon is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Dún” which means ‘A fort’. The oldest surviving mention of the name is in the 1609 Ulster Plantation map where it is spelled ‘Doone’. At the time...
, Aughrim
Aughrim, County Cavan
Aughrim is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Each Druim” which means ‘Horse Hill’. The oldest surviving mention of the name is in the Fiants of Queen Elizabeth I dated 19 January 1586...
and Aghnacally.
In the 1609 Plantation of Ulster, Slieve Rushen formed part of lands which were granted to Sir Toby Caulfield, Master of the Ordnance by letters patent of 12th July (Pat. 19 James I. XI. 45 ‘Slewrussell’). It was later granted to John Sandford Esq. by letters patent dated 7th July 1614 (Pat. 11 James I – LXXI – 38 ‘Slewrussell’).