Knocknarea

The Knock Area (Irish Cnoc na Riabh ) is a 327 m high monolithic mountain of limestone on the Coolera Peninsula ( Cúil Iorra ) in County Sligo and next to the Ben bulbs the second striking elevation in the vicinity of Sligo town. The mountain falls from a distance by its evenly rounded shape and the cairn on its summit on.

Name

The translation of the name is disputed.

Cnoc means " hill ", riabh means " strip ", therefore " striatum ". However, it is rea - interpreted as ré ( "moon " ) or rí ( "king" ), Knock Area so as much as " Moon Mountain" or "King of Hill".

The large number of visitors has led to an alarming erosion of the hill. Visitors climb the hill and so destroyed the sod that prevented slipping of rocks, stones and withdrawals of hill bed to lay out their names in the heather. The well-intentioned call, but rather to bring stones to Maeve's grave, instead of removing them, has led to the growth of a small new hill on the top of the tomb, which distorts the shape of the original probably flat hilltop.

Archaeological finds

On the ridge of Knock Area located Cairns. One of them has 55 m diameter and 10 m height of the largest in Ireland. It is called Queen Maeve 's Grave ( Meascán Mhéabha ). Here the legendary Queen Maeve of Connacht is facing in an upright position and in full armor with the view to the north, to their enemies in Ulster, to be buried. The grave has not been excavated. However, it is unlikely that the mythical Queen of the Iron Age is buried there because the grave is dated to the Neolithic period. The hill is with a diameter of 55 meters and a height of 10 meters, one of the largest grave mound Ireland Represents the weight of the built in stones is estimated at 40,000 tons.

Along the side of the mountain remains of round huts, which are also dated to the Neolithic period, as well as trenches on the hill slope.

Environment

South of the mountain lie with Carrowmore and Carrowkeel other important megalithic sites from the Neolithic period.