Wicklow Mountains The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: ''Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in the Republic of Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Wh ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

massif In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...

Lugnaquilla LugnaquillaLugnaquilla
.

An Óige An Óige (; meaning "Youth"), or the Irish Youth Hostel Association (IYHA), is a non-profit organisation providing youth hostel accommodation across the Republic of Ireland. An Óige is a member of Hostelling International. Background An Óige ...

youth hostels in Ireland. Glenmalure was also an important historical area and the site of the

Battle of Glenmalure The Battle of Glenmalure ( ga, Cath Ghleann Molúra) took place in Ireland on 25 August 1580 during the Desmond Rebellions. A Catholic army of united Irish clans from the Wicklow Mountains led by Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne and James Eustace, 3rd Vis ...

in 1580, as well as various events in the

Irish Rebellion of 1798 The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a republican revolutionary group influence ...

.

Geography

Glenmalure is a 20-kilometre long glacial valley in the southern sector of the

Wicklow Mountains The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: ''Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in the Republic of Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Wh ...

and is one of the longest glacial valleys in Ireland. A number of adjoining hanging valleys, most notably the Fraughan Rock Glen, feed into Glenmalure valley, which was formed by feeder glaciers in the last ice age. The valley runs from the northwest down to the southeast. Its western flank is dominated by the large

massif In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...

of

Lugnaquilla LugnaquillaLugnaquilla
.

County Top The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...

for

Wicklow Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...

, and the Provincial Top for

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

. The steep walls of its eastern flank are the western slopes of

Lugduff Lugduff () at , is the 154th–highest peak in Ireland on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin scale, and the 186th–highest peak on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur-Lynams, Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (Septem ...

, and

Mullacor Mullacor () at , is an Irish mountain. Features Mullacor is the 141st–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 172nd–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain S ...

, who also bound the neighbouring

Glendalough Glendalough (; ) is a glacial valley in County Wicklow, Ireland, renowned for an Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin. From 1825 to 1957, the head of the Glendalough Valley was the site of a galena lead mine. ...

valley. The head of the Glenmalure valley is bounded by a "boggy" horseshoe formed by

Camenabologue Camenabologue () at , is the 55th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 71st–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderi ...

,

Table Mountain Table Mountain ( naq, Huriǂoaxa, lit= sea-emerging; af, Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the ...

, and

Conavalla Conavalla () at , is the 69th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 85th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", ...

. A number of ancient trails called ''Table Tracks'' run between Glenmalure valley, via the cols between Table Mountain and Conavalla mountain, to the Art O'Neill's cross area, thus crossing the "central spine" of the entire Wicklow mountains range.

Geology

Glenmalure valley covers an area underlain by the late-Caledonian (405 Ma) Leinster Granite bedrock and wallrocks. This granite is part of the "Lugnaquillia Pluton", one of the five

pluton In geology, an igneous intrusion (or intrusive body or simply intrusion) is a body of intrusive igneous rock that forms by crystallization of magma slowly cooling below the surface of the Earth. Intrusions have a wide variety of forms and com ...

s that comprise the Leinster Granite, and various granite varieties occur along the valley. The wallrocks consist of various metasedimentary lithologies of the Ordovician Maulin Formation. The granite is cut by slightly younger quartz veins containing lead and zinc mineralization. The valley itself and the glacial features within it date from the last ice age. The base of the valley has a number of cross-valley

moraines A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...

, as well as lateral moraines along the southwestern side of the valley.

Recreation

Glenmalure is a base for hill walking and mountain climbing activities in the area. The

An Óige An Óige (; meaning "Youth"), or the Irish Youth Hostel Association (IYHA), is a non-profit organisation providing youth hostel accommodation across the Republic of Ireland. An Óige is a member of Hostelling International. Background An Óige ...

Glenmalure Youth Hostel, situated at the intersection with the Fraughan Rock Glen, is open during the summer months (no running water or electricity), and dates from 1903 when it was a hunting lodge; several notable figures have stayed in the premises, including

Constance Markievicz Constance Georgine Markievicz ( pl, Markiewicz ; ' Gore-Booth; 4 February 1868 – 15 July 1927), also known as Countess Markievicz and Madame Markievicz, was an Irish politician, revolutionary, nationalist, suffragist, socialist, and the fir ...

,

Maud Gonne Maud Gonne MacBride ( ga, Maud Nic Ghoinn Bean Mhic Giolla Bhríghde; 21 December 1866 – 27 April 1953) was an English-born Irish republican revolutionary, suffragette and actress. Of Anglo-Irish descent, she was won over to Irish nationalism ...

, her son

Seán MacBride Seán MacBride (26 January 1904 – 15 January 1988) was an Irish Clann na Poblachta politician who served as Minister for External Affairs from 1948 to 1951, Leader of Clann na Poblachta from 1946 to 1965 and Chief of Staff of the IRA from 193 ...

,

Éamon de Valera Éamon de Valera (, ; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was a prominent Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of governm ...

, and

W. B. Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish liter ...

. The 15–kilometre 5–6 hour ''Glenmalure Loop'' is described as "the most scenic circuit to Lugnaquilla". It starts in the Baravore car-park () at the head of the valley and summits Lugnaquilla via the cliff–fringed

hanging valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...

, Fraughan Rock Glen (the Glen is entered via the path at the Glenmalure hostel); but returning via

Cloghernagh Cloghernagh () at , does not have the prominence to qualify as an Arderin, but does have the prominence to be the 40th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Van ...

, and down to the scenic ''

Arts Lough Cloghernagh () at , does not have the topographic prominence, prominence to qualify as an Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin, but does have the prominence to be the 40th–highest peak on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur- ...

'' , described as "one of the region's most beautiful sights", before descending back to the start of the Fraughan Rock Glen.

History

Glenmalure contained the stronghold of the ''Gabhail Raghnal'' branch of the O'Byrne clan at Balinacor. At Glenmalure in 1274 the O'Byrnes massacred a punitive force sent from

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

, which was led by the Prior of

Kilmainham Kilmainham (, meaning " St Maighneann's church") is a south inner suburb of Dublin, Ireland, south of the River Liffey and west of the city centre. It is in the city's Dublin 8 postal district. The area was once known as Kilmanum. History In th ...

,

William fitz Roger William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

, one of the few survivors, who was taken prisoner. It was the site of the

Battle of Glenmalure The Battle of Glenmalure ( ga, Cath Ghleann Molúra) took place in Ireland on 25 August 1580 during the Desmond Rebellions. A Catholic army of united Irish clans from the Wicklow Mountains led by Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne and James Eustace, 3rd Vis ...

in 1580, when an English force unsuccessfully tried to take Balinacor,The Battle of Glenmalure, 25 August 1580: Cause and Course
by Emmett O'Byrne. ByrneClan.org. Retrieved: 2011-12-04. home of the rebel chieftain

Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne Fiach Mac Aodha Ó Broin (anglicised as Feagh or Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne) (1534 – 8 May, 1597) was Chief of the Name of Clann Uí Bhroin (Clan O'Byrne) and Lord of Ranelagh during the Elizabethan wars against the Irish clans. Arms Backg ...

. It was the worst defeat suffered by an English army in Ireland; they were completely routed with losses of between 500 and 1,000 officers and men, including Sir

Peter Carew Sir Peter Carew (1514? – 27 November 1575) of Mohuns Ottery, Luppitt, Devon, was an English adventurer, who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England and took part in the Tudor conquest of Ireland. His biography was written by h ...

the younger. A boulder near the Military Road crossroads is carved with an inscription commemorating Fiach MacHugh on one side and

Michael Dwyer Michael Dwyer (1772–1825) was an insurgent captain in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, leading the United Irish forces in battles in Wexford and Wicklow., Following the defeat and dispersal of the rebel hosts, in July 1798 Dwyer withdrew into ...

on the other side. South of this junction on the road to Rathdangan and Aughrim lies th
ruin of Glenmalure Barracks
built by the

British army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

in an attempt to capture rebels after the

1798 rebellion The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a Irish republicanism, ...

.

Books

*

Gallery

File:Disused crusher house, Glenmalure, Wicklow.jpg, Disused crusher house File:An Óige favourite simple hostel at Glenmalure, Co Wicklow - geograph.org.uk - 346196.jpg,

An Óige An Óige (; meaning "Youth"), or the Irish Youth Hostel Association (IYHA), is a non-profit organisation providing youth hostel accommodation across the Republic of Ireland. An Óige is a member of Hostelling International. Background An Óige ...

youth hostel File:Fraughan Rock Glen.jpg, From Fraughan Rock Glen across to summit of

Lugduff Lugduff () at , is the 154th–highest peak in Ireland on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin scale, and the 186th–highest peak on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur-Lynams, Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (Septem ...

File:Glenmalure Memorial.jpg, Glenmalure 1798 memorial File:Arts lake.jpg,

Arts Lough Cloghernagh () at , does not have the topographic prominence, prominence to qualify as an Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin, but does have the prominence to be the 40th–highest peak on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Vandeleur- ...

with

Conavalla Conavalla () at , is the 69th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 85th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", ...

back right

References

External links

Glenmalure Valley
Visit Wicklow (2019)
Glenmalure Youth Hostel
'' An Oige'' {{IrishTrails Valleys of County Wicklow

Geography

Geology

Recreation

History

Books

Gallery

See also

References

External links