Carrauntoohil

Carrauntoohil
Corrán Tuathail

Carrauntoohil (middle) looking south along the Hag's Glen
Highest point
Elevation 1,038 m (3,406 ft) [1]
Prominence 1,038 m (3,406 ft)
Listing Country high point
Marilyn, Furth, Hewitt
Coordinates 51°59′58″N 9°44′34″W / 51.999447°N 9.742744°W / 51.999447; -9.742744Coordinates: 51°59′58″N 9°44′34″W / 51.999447°N 9.742744°W / 51.999447; -9.742744 
Geography
Location in Ireland
Location County Kerry, Ireland
Parent range Macgillycuddy's Reeks
OSI/OSNI grid V803844
Topo map OSI Discovery 78

Carrauntoohil (/ˌkærənˈtuːl/, Irish: Corrán Tuathail)[2] is the highest peak on the island of Ireland. Located in County Kerry, it is 1,038 metres (3,406 ft)[1] high and is the central peak of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks range. The ridge northward leads to Ireland's second-highest peak, Beenkeragh (1,010 m), while the ridge westward leads to the third-highest peak, Caher (1,001 m). Carrauntoohil overlooks three bowl-shaped valleys, each with its own lakes. To the east is Hag's Glen or Coomcallee (Com Caillí, "hollow of the Cailleach"), to the west is Coomloughra (Com Luachra, "hollow of the rushes") and to the south is Curragh More (Currach Mór, "great marsh").

The summit of Carrauntoohil

A wooden cross was erected on the summit, a privately owned commonage in the 1950s by the local community,[3] it was replaced by a 5 metres (16 ft) tall steel cross in 1976. In 2014, it was cut down by criminals[4] in an apparent anti-religious attack,[5] but was re-erected shortly after.[3]

Carrauntoohil is classed as a Furth by the Scottish Mountaineering Club, i.e. a mountain greater than three thousand feet high that is outside (or furth of) Scotland,[6] which is why it is sometimes referred to as one of the Irish Munros.

Name

The mountain's name has a number of spellings and theories of origin.[7] 'Carrauntoohil' is the most common spelling of the name, and is the one used by Ordnance Survey Ireland. Other spellings include 'Carrantoohil', 'Carrantouhil', 'Carrauntouhil' and 'Carrantuohill'. These are an anglicization of an Irish placename, but its origins and meaning are not clear. "Unlike some lesser peaks, such as Mangerton or Croagh Patrick, it is not mentioned in any surviving early Irish texts".[7] The official Irish name is Corrán Tuathail. This has been interpreted as "inverted sickle" or "Tuathal's sickle", Tuathal being a male first name.[7] However, one of the earliest mentions of the mountain, by Isaac Weld in 1812, refers to it as 'Gheraun-Tuel'. This suggests that the first element was géarán ("fang")—which is found in the names of other Kerry mountains[7]—and that the earlier name may have been Géarán Tuathail ("Tuathal's fang").[8]

Climbing routes

The northeast face of Carrauntoohil with Bro O'Shea's Gulley on the right

The mountain is most often climbed from the north-east, along the Hag's Glen and up the steep Devil's Ladder to the col between Carrauntoohil and Cnoc na Toinne, and then north-west to the summit. The route has become more dangerous in recent years due to loose stones and crowding.[9] No special equipment is needed to climb the mountain, but caution is advised. Alternatively, one can walk the two other 1,000 m peaks in a "horseshoe" trip, starting from the west. The traverse from highest point to the second highest involves a light scramble.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Mountains, Rivers & Lakes". Ordnance Survey Ireland. 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  2. ↑ "Carrauntoohil". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 2010-01-28.
  3. 1 2 "Carrauntoohil cross restored in dawn mission". IrishExaminer.com. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Vandals cut down iconic Cross on Ireland's highest mountain". BreakingNews.ie. 2014-11-22. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Video of the Carrauntoohil Cross being cut down sent to journalists". TheJournal.ie. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  6. ↑ Mountains - Key Facts. The Munros, Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds & Furths at www.smc.org.uk. Accessed on 2 Feb 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Carrauntoohil". Mountain Views. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  8. ↑ Hendroff, Adrian. From High Places: A Journey Through Ireland's Great Mountains. History Press Ireland, 2012. p.220
  9. ↑ "Devil's Ladder Route". Kerry mountain rescue. Retrieved 2007-01-10.
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