Croghan Mountain, also known as Croghan Kinsella or Croghan Kinshelagh[2] (Irish: Cruachán Uí Chinnsealaigh, meaning 'little stack of the Kinsella family')[3] at 606 metres (1,988 ft), is the 211th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale,[4] and the 258th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.[5][6] Croghan is situated at the far southeastern end of the Wicklow Mountains on the County Wicklow and Wexford border, in Ireland.[6]

Croghan Mountain
Croghan, and Croghan East Top, in snow as viewed from Kilcavan, County Wicklow
Highest point
Elevation606 m (1,988 ft)[1]
Prominence520 m (1,710 ft)[1]
ListingHewitt, Marilyn, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam
Coordinates52°48′N 6°19′W / 52.800°N 6.317°W / 52.800; -6.317
Naming
Native nameCruachán Uí Chinnsealaigh
English translationlittle stack of Kinsella
Geography
Croghan Mountain is located in island of Ireland
Croghan Mountain
Croghan Mountain
Location in Ireland
LocationWicklow/Wexford border, Ireland
Parent rangeWicklow Mountains
OSI/OSNI gridT1309672884
Topo mapOSi Discovery 62
Geology
Rock type(s)Basalt and gabbro[1]

Naming

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The fuller name comes from the Uí Chinnsealaigh, who were the dominant gaelic family in the area; and is used to differentiate it from other "Cruachan" mountains.[3][7]

History

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The Wicklow gold rush of 1795 began after gold was discovered on the northern slopes of the mountain during tree felling.[8][9][10]

Geography

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Croghan is situated at the far southeastern end of the Wicklow Mountains on the County Wicklow and Wexford border, in Ireland.[6] Croghan is separated from the main range on its own small massif that includes neighbouring Croghan East Top 562 metres (1,844 ft) (which gives Croghan the profile of a "double peak"), and Slievefoore 414 metres (1,358 ft) to the east. Croghan is the source of the River Bann with rises from its southern slopes.[6]

Raheenleagh Wind Farm

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The eastern side of Croghan contains the Raheenleagh Wind Farm, which was a 32.2 MW Coillte-ESB Group joint venture project that opened on 20 September 2016.[11] The wind farm was constructed in an existing Coillte forest, and consists of 11 Siemens Wind Power (108 – DD – 3.2MW) wind turbines.[11] The project received planning permission in 2012, and a 17-month construction process started in mid-2015.[11]

In 2018, it was reported that Coillte had sold their 50 percent stake to Greencoat Renewables.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Crogan Mountain". Peakbagger. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  2. ^ "The Great Wicklow Gold Rush of 1795". wicklowheritage.org. wicklowheritage.org. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b Paul Tempan (February 2012). "Irish Hill and Mountain Names" (PDF). MountainViews.ie.
  4. ^ Simon Stewart (October 2018). "Arderins: Irish mountains of 500+m with a prominence of 30m". MountainViews Online Database.
  5. ^ Simon Stewart (October 2018). "Vandeleur-Lynams: Irish mountains of 600+m with a prominence of 15m". MountainViews Online Database.
  6. ^ a b c d Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, ISBN 978-1-84889-164-7
  7. ^ Brendan Bracken (6 March 2010). "Go Walk: Raheenleagh Wood to Croghan Mountain, Co Wexford/Co Wicklow". Irish Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  8. ^ McArdle 2011, p. 10.
  9. ^ King, Anthony (21 March 2013). "The Wicklow gold rush". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  10. ^ Vines, Gail (24 January 2007). "Histories: The hunt for the Wicklow gold". New Scientist. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "About the Raheenleagh Wind Farm Project". Raheenleagh Wind Farm. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  12. ^ Joe Brennan (11 September 2018). "State to share in €136m Coillte will earn from sale of its stake in four wind farms". Irish Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.

Sources

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  • McArdle, Peadar (2011). Gold Frenzy: The Story of Wicklow's Gold. Swinford: Albertine Kennedy Publishing. ISBN 0-906002-08-7.

Bibliography

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