Mount Leinster
| Mount Leinster | |
|---|---|
| Stua Laighean | |
 Mount Leinster with its television transmitter | |
| Elevation | 796 m (2,612 ft) |
| Prominence | 725 m (2,379 ft) |
| Listing | Hewitt, Marilyn |
| Location | |
| Location | Counties Wexford and Carlow, Ireland |
| Range | Blackstairs Mountains |
Mount Leinster (Irish: Stua Laighean) is a 796 metre (2,605 ft) high mountain in the Republic of Ireland. It straddles the border between Counties Carlow and Wexford, in the province of Leinster. It is the fifth highest mountain after Lugnaquilla 925m, Mullaghcleevaun 849m, Tonelegee 817m, and Cloghernagh 800m in Leinster and the highest of the Blackstairs Mountains. A RTÉ television transmitter tops the peak with a mast height of 122 m.
The TV transmitter site is a popular location for hang gliding enthusiasts to launch from. In 2003, a hang glider pilot died from injuries sustained in the crash landing of his flight launched from the mountain.[1] There is a memorial at the peak of the mountain.
The mountain is most often climbed from the Nine Stones, a landmark point at the foot of Mount Leinster, about 8 miles east of Borris. From Borris there is a road to a visitor car park on the mountain. From there the steep RTÉ access road leads to the summit. This road is closed to normal traffic and RTÉ have now fenced off the transmitter tower from public access to prevent vandalism.
The Nine Stones and the car park lie on the saddle between Mount Leinster and the nearby Slievebawn (Sliabh Bán; 52°38′18.6″N 6°48′33.32″W; 520m). There are in fact ten stones. They are arranged in a line and the largest is about 50cm high. The origin of the stones is uncertain.
Cycling:
Mount Leinster has been used in stages of the Tour of Ireland and on many occasions in the The FBD Insurance Rás (Rás Tailteann). It may be climbed from the Borris side in County Carlow or the Bunclody side in County Wexford. Ascending from Borris the climb is 11 km long and has an average gradient of 6.9%. The last two kilometres are very tough reaching a gradient of almost 16%. Although the climb from Bunclody is slightly longer at 13 km its average gradient is 5.9%. The last kilometre of this climb is difficult with a gradient of 16.3%[2]
Transmitter
The Mount Leinster transmitter is owned and operated by 2RN and at 796m ASL it is the highest transmission site in Ireland . It was one of the original five main Telefís Éireann television transmitters, opening on the 12 June 1963 with a 625-line service on Channel F. VHF FM radio transmission was added in 1966, with UHF television starting in 1996. The original mast was replaced in 2010 with a taller one of 122m in preparation for DTT transmission. Today the station provides the Irish digital television service Saorview to a large area of South East Ireland, the transmissions can also be received on the West coast of Wales.[3]
Current transmissions
Digital television
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Multiplex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 490 MHz | 23 | 160 | Saorview (Mux 1) |
| 514 MHz | 26 | 160 | Saorview (Mux 2) |
Analogue FM radio
| Frequency | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 89.6MHz | 200 | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| 91.8MHz | 200 | RTÉ 2fm |
| 94.0MHz | 200 | RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta |
| 95.6MHz | 4 | South East Radio |
| 99.2MHz | 200 | RTÉ lyric fm |
| 101.4MHz | 200 | Today FM |
| 102.0MHz | 6 | Beat 102 103 |
| 107.2MHz | 8 | Newstalk |
See also
Aircraft:- Rheims/Cessna F182
Registration:- G-BKGY
Pilot-In-Command:- N. R. Harper
Passengers:- 3 passengers – including Stephen Harris who held a PPL with an assistant flying Instructor rating
1 Male passenger
1 Female passenger
Injuries:- 4 Fatal
Intended Flight:- Birmingham – Kilkenny
Alternate Dublin.
The aircraft departed Birmingham at 0745 hrs GMT. At 0905 hrs GMT the aircraft contacted Shannon ATC and advised that he estimated Kilkenny at 0935 hrs GMT. At 0915 hrs GMT he advised Shannon that he was leaving 6,000 ft descending to 3,000 ft. At 0918 hrs GMT the pilot advised that he was ten miles east of the coast and passing through 4,000 ft. That was the last message received from G-BKGY.
At 21.00 the aircraft wreckage was discovered at Mt. Leinster, 30 ft from the summit which is 2,409 ft. There were no survivors.
References
- ↑ Irish Examiner report, 1 May 2004. Retrieved 2008-07-21
- ↑ http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Leinster-Mount&qryMountainID=7208
- ↑ UK Free TV. "Saorview Mount Leinster". UK Free TV. Retrieved 06/11/2012.
Coordinates: 52°37′01″N 6°46′41″W / 52.617°N 6.778°W
