Conavalla's large massif to the north-east is described as a "wet and boggy barren plain" whose various shoulders dominate the head of the
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, and the upper east-side of the
Glenmalure
Glenmalure () is a 20-kilometre long U-shaped glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Glenmalure is an important base for climbing in the Wicklow mountains, and particularly accessing the massif of Lugnaquilla, and contains one of ...
valley.
Naming
Irish academic Paul Tempan notes that the "pass" element of Conavalla's name likely refers to the various routes from the
Blessington lakes area (e.g. the
R756 road to the
Wicklow Gap
Wicklow Gap () is one of the highest Irish mountain passes served by an asphalted road. It is located in County Wicklow, Ireland.
Geography
The pass is opened between Tonelagee (Nort east) and Turlough Hill / Camaderry (South). It connects ...
) in the west that crossed parts of Conavalla's boggy massif to get into the
Glenmalure
Glenmalure () is a 20-kilometre long U-shaped glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Glenmalure is an important base for climbing in the Wicklow mountains, and particularly accessing the massif of Lugnaquilla, and contains one of ...
valley in the east (note that the Wicklow Gap can be used to access the neighboring
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 without having to cross Conavalla's massif).
(see below).
Geography
Convalla is situated in the southern section 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 ...
range, and forms a horseshoe on a "boggy"
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 ...
, at the head of the
Glenmalure
Glenmalure () is a 20-kilometre long U-shaped glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Glenmalure is an important base for climbing in the Wicklow mountains, and particularly accessing the massif of Lugnaquilla, and contains one of ...
valley, with its neighbours,
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
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 ...
.
Conavalla also sits in another broad horseshoe around the
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, with the
hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
station at
Turlough Hill
Turlough Hill (), also known as Tomaneena (), is a mountain in County Wicklow in Ireland and site of Ireland's only pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant. The power station is owned and operated by the ESB and can generate up to of electric ...
, and the mountains of
Camaderry
Camaderry () at , is the 90th-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 112th-highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Co ...
,
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 ...
.
Conavalla's large "boggy massif" dominates the head of the Glendalough valley stretching from its summit at the far-west side of the head of the valley, to Lough Firrib on the east-side.
The massif also includes Three Lakes to the north of the summit of Conavalla.
Conavalla's
prominence
In topography, prominence (also referred to as autonomous height, relative height, and shoulder drop in US English, and drop or relative height in British English) measures the height of a mountain or hill's summit relative to the lowest contou ...
of does not qualify it as a
Marilyn, but it does rank it as the 39th-highest mountain in Ireland on the
MountainViews Online Database
In these lists of mountains in Ireland, those within Northern Ireland, or on the Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, are marked with an asterisk, while the rest are within the Republic of Ireland. Where mountains are ranked by height ...
, ''
100 Highest Irish Mountains'', where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres.
[Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, Cork, ]
Art O'Neill
On Conavalla's northern slopes lies ''Art's Cross'' and ''Art's Plaque'', dedicated to Art O'Neill, the brother of
Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone
Hugh O'Neill (Irish: ''Aodh Mór Ó Néill''; literally ''Hugh The Great O'Neill''; – 20 July 1616), was an Irish Gaelic lord, Earl of Tyrone (known as the Great Earl) and was later created ''The Ó Néill Mór'', Chief of the Name. O'Neil ...
, who died of exposure in January 1592 helping
Hugh Roe O'Donnell
Hugh Roe O'Donnell (Irish: ''Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill''), also known as Red Hugh O'Donnell (30 October 1572 – 10 September 1602), was a sixteenth-century leader of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. He became Chief of the Name of Clan O'Donne ...
to escape from Dublin Castle to the stronghold of
Fiach McHugh 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 ...
in the valley of
Glenmalure
Glenmalure () is a 20-kilometre long U-shaped glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Glenmalure is an important base for climbing in the Wicklow mountains, and particularly accessing the massif of Lugnaquilla, and contains one of ...
.
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
Gallery
File:Summit of Conavalla.jpg, Summit cairn
File:Three Lakes Conavalla.jpg, Three Lakes
File:Art's Cross, Wicklow.jpg, Art O'Neill's cross
File:Conavalla.jpg, Summit from 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 ...
File:Lough Firrib, Wicklow, Ireland.jpg, Lough Firrib
File:Conavalla Massif.jpg, Conavalla Massif
See also
*
Wicklow Way
*
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 ...
*
Lists of mountains in Ireland
In these lists of mountains in Ireland, those within Northern Ireland, or on the Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, are marked with an asterisk, while the rest are within the Republic of Ireland. Where mountains are ranked by height ...
*
List of mountains of the British Isles by height
This is a list of mountains in Britain and Ireland by height and by prominence. Height and prominence are the most important metrics for the classifications of mountains by the UIAA; with isolation a distant third criterion. The list is sourced ...
*
List of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland
This is a list of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland by height. Hewitts are defined as "Hills in England, Wales and Ireland over two thousand" feet in height, the general requirement to be called a "mountain" in the British Isl ...
References
External links
MountainViews: The Irish Mountain Website Conavalla
the largest database of British Isles mountains ("DoBIH
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 ...
")
Hill Bagging UK & Ireland
the searchable interface for the DoBIH
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 ...
Mountains and hills of County Wicklow
Hewitts of Ireland
Mountains under 1000 metres
{{Wicklow-geo-stub