history and heritage on our trails

 

Slieve Aughty Mountains

 

The Slieve Aughty Mountains covering over 250 square miles is one of the largest mountain ranges in Ireland, but also one of the least known so its beauty its still unspoilt.

 

The oldest surviving architectural structures date back to 2000 BC when it was home to a well organised community of cattle farmers, they buried their dead in megalithic tombs, the remains of which still survive today.  Thousands of years later it was no such dignified burial for a lot of the victims of the famous Irish Potato famine in which over a million people died.  Dying of starvation and destitute, their families could neither afford a coffin or headstone.  Many people were buried just in their old garments in communal graves, with just a few stones to mark the site.   The famine recked devastation in the Aughty's and throughout the hills are the scattered ruins of whole villages, isolated houses and abandoned schools, a testament to the many familes that worked their small holdings and cut turf on the many bogs that populate the mountain.   As large scale population has not returned to the Aughty's the ruins of these famine villages remain virtually the same and untouched.

 

The origin of the name Slieve Aughty (or Sliabh Echtghe) relates back to the legend of the Tuatha de Danann.  Echtge was a legendry lady of the Tuatha de Danann, Fergus Lusca Mac Ruidi, was a steward of the Fir Bolg Kings, a famous warrior he owned vast tracts of land. As a gift to his bride he gave her the mountains and she called them after herself.

 

Slieve Aughty has paid host to many historical events from days of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, where he temporarily bought to bay the unfortuanate lovers Diarmuid and Grainne in the Slieve Aughty mountains, up to more recent events where the Slieve Aughty's provided a formidable outpost to the southern border.   Many a refugee from the English "Peelers" sought refuge in the moutains. It was also a great vantage point for scouts watching for invaders.

 

Local Castles

 

Aille Castle is situated close to our equestrian centre, a 16th Century Castle owned by McWilliam Roe. It has seen many historical events, including being used as a garrison by the famous Red Hugh O Donnell during his epic march to Kinsale to meet the Spanish Armada during the winter of 1601. unfortunately luck was not on their side, and the combined Irish and Spanish Armies were defeated by the English.  Red Hugh died shortly afterwards in Spain aged only 30 years.

 

Unfortunately the other local castle  - Killeenadeema Castle was destroyed, and no trace of the castle exists save for a couple of strange stones.  Local tradition has it that the Castle stones were used to build Killeenadeema church - which shows that even in historical times recyling was in use - waste not want not!  The reason many castles were destroyed is due to changes in history.  The castles were initially built as military fortifications, in which the owner lived,  later on as people began to accept their new masters, the castles were deserted for large houses, that could be fortified if neccessary.  These houses would have provided a lot more comfort than a drafty old castle.