Errigal () is a mountain near

Gweedore Gweedore ( ; officially known by its Irish language name, ) is an Irish-speaking district and parish located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Gweedore stretches some from Glasserchoo in the ...

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...

, Ireland. It is the tallest peak of the Derryveagh Mountains and the tallest peak in County Donegal. Errigal is also the most southern and the highest of the mountain chain called the " Seven Sisters" by locals. The other peaks of the Seven Sisters are Muckish, Crocknalaragagh, Aghla Beg, Ardloughnabrackbaddy, Aghla More, and Mackoght.

Geography

Errigal is the most southern, steepest and highest of the mountain chain, called the " Seven Sisters". The Seven Sisters includes Muckish, Crocknalaragagh, Aghla Beg, Ardloughnabrackbaddy, Aghla More, Mackoght and Errigal. The nearest peak is Mackoght (from Irish: Mac Uchta, meaning "son of the mountain-breast") which is also known as Little Errigal or Wee Errigal (). Errigal is known for the pinkish glow of its

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tect ...

in the setting sun. Another noted quality is the ever-changing shape of the mountain depending on what direction you view it from. Errigal was voted 'Ireland's Most Iconic Mountain' by ''Walking & Hiking Ireland'' in 2009.

Naming

In legend Errigal is said to have been named by the

Fir Bolg In medieval Irish myth, the Fir Bolg (also spelt Firbolg and Fir Bholg) are the fourth group of people to settle in Ireland. They are descended from the Muintir Nemid, an earlier group who abandoned Ireland and went to different parts of Europe. ...

who, originating in Greece, came to worship Errigal as they had

Mount Olympus Mount Olympus (; el, Όλυμπος, Ólympos, also , ) is the highest mountain in Greece. It is part of the Olympus massif near the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, located in the Olympus Range on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, be ...

. The name comes from the

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...

''airecal'', meaning " oratory". There is no remains of an oratory on the mountain, so it may refer to the mountain as a whole as a place of

prayer Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified a ...

. In recent years, there have been numerous erroneous references to Mount Errigal. In 2016, the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

's State tourism authority,

Fáilte Ireland Fáilte Ireland is the operating name of the National Tourism Development Authority of the Republic of Ireland. This authority was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act of 2003 and replaces and builds upon the functions ...

, apologised for using the name "Mount Errigal" in its brochure, rather than the proper name. The official name is ''An Earagail'' or Errigal. Mount Errigal is the name of a hotel in

Letterkenny Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...

, County Donegal.

In popular culture

* In the 1985 music video, " In A Lifetime" by

Clannad Clannad () is an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal by siblings Ciarán, Pól, and Moya Brennan and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Duggan. They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history, including f ...

and

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...

, several images of Errigal appear. * In 1990, Errigal features prominently in the music video for

The Chills The Chills are a New Zealand rock band that formed in Dunedin in 1980. The band is essentially the continuing project of singer/songwriter Martin Phillipps, who is the group's sole constant member. For a time in the 1990s, the act was billed a ...

' song, "

Heavenly Pop Hit ''Submarine Bells'' is an album by New Zealand group the Chills, released in 1990. This was the band's first album on a major label, as Martin Phillipps signed to Warner Bros. Records subsidiary Slash Records, to release the album in the U.S. The ...

". * In the 1991 song by

Goats Don't Shave Goats Don't Shave are an Irish folk rock band formed in 1990. Formed in Dungloe, County Donegal, the group was fronted by singer-songwriter Pat Gallagher and backed by musicians, Charlie Logue (keyboards), Declan Quinn (whistle), Gerry Coyle (ba ...

called " Las Vegas (In the Hills of Donegal)" contains the line, ''"To stand on top of Errigal, would give me such a thrill"''. * In the 2008 film '' Hunger'', the main protagonist Bobby Sands describes Errigal as a ''"beautiful sight"''. * In the 2011 movie '' Your Highness'', several scenes were shot on Errigal * In 2012, Irish composer Vincent Kennedy, as part of his music for The Happy Prince, titled a piece: "Snowfall on Errigal" * The song "

Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair "Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair" is a song in the Irish language written by Irish musician Proinsias Ó Maonaigh (father of Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan) about his hometown of Gaoth Dobhair in County Donegal. It translates as "''the gre ...

", written by

Proinsias Ó Maonaigh Proinsias Ó Maonaigh () or Francie Mooney (28 April 1922 – 28 March 2006) was a fiddler from Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair), County Donegal, Ireland. He is known for his distinguished fiddle playing and his unique and vast contribution to Irish musi ...

, begins with the lines: ::"Céad slán ag sléibhte maorga Chondae Dhún na nGall / Agus dhá chéad slán ag an Earagal árd / Ina stua os cionn caor 's call".

Gallery

Errigal_Snow.jpg, From An Chúirt. Image:View From Errigal.jpg, The view from Errigal. Image:Errigal - geograph.org.uk - 557434.jpg, Errigal as seen from Slieve Snaght. Image:Ascending Errigal - geograph.org.uk - 1459252.jpg, Ascending Errigal. Image:Donegal Carrickfin Airport - View to the east - geograph.org.uk - 1174831.jpg, Errigal as seen from The Rosses. Image:Preparing to land at Donegal - geograph.org.uk - 1159594.jpg, An aerial view of Errigal and Gweedore. Image:Dunlewy - Derelict church near Poison Glen - geograph.org.uk - 1189699.jpg, Derelict church at the foot of Errigal. Image:Donegal. A View Of Errigal Mountain From Crockmulroney Summit - geograph.org.uk - 1063714.jpg, Errigal as seen from

Cloughaneely Cloughaneely (official name: ) is a district in the west of County Donegal, Ireland. This is a mainly coastal area with a population of over 4,000 centred on the towns of Falcarragh () and Gortahork (). It is a Gaeltacht area, meaning the Irish ...

References

External links