| Benbreen | |
| Other Name: | Binn Braoin |
| Elevation M: | 691 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence M: | 186 |
| Translation: | Braon's peak |
| Listing: | 100 Highest Irish Mountains, Marilyn, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam |
| Location: | County Galway, Ireland |
| Range: | Twelve Bens |
| Map: | Ireland |
| Label Position: | right |
| Map Size: | 240 |
| Coordinates: | 53.5°N -9.8345°W |
| Grid Ref Ireland: | L7831151547 |
| Topo: | OSi Discovery 37 |
| Geology: | Pale quartzites, grits, graphitic top bedrock |
Benbreen [2] at 691m (2,267feet), is the 100th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale,[3] and the 122nd–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.[4] [5] Benbreen lies in the southern end of the Twelve Bens mountain range in the Connemara National Park in County Galway, Ireland. Benbreen is the 4th-tallest mountain of the Twelve Bens range, after Benbaun 729m (2,392feet), Bencorr 711m (2,333feet), and Bencollaghduff 696m (2,283feet).[5] [6] Benbreen's profile is of a "high narrow rocky ridge with several summits", than a typical "peaked mountain".
Irish academic Paul Tempan notes that Irish: Braon can mean "drip" or "drop", but is more likely related to a personal name, and is the basis of the local surnames Irish: Ó Braoin and Irish: Mac Braoin, which have been anglicised as "Breen" and "McBreen".[2]
The actual summit of Benbreen lies on the southern end of a long high rocky quartzite ridge that includes the subsidiary peaks of Benbreen Central Top 680m (2,230feet), and Benbreen North Top 674m (2,211feet); this gives Benbreen the profile of a "high narrow ridge", with Benbreen as the South Top, than a typical "peaked mountain".[5] Benbreen Central Top's prominence of 25m (82feet), and Benbreen North Top's prominence of 16m (52feet), qualify them both as Vandeleur-Lynams on the Irish mountain classification system.[5]
Benbreen lies between the summits of Bencollaghduff 696m (2,283feet) to the north, and Bengower 664m (2,178feet) to the south, and its southerly ridge down to the col with Bengower (known as Irish: Mám na Gaoithe, or "pass of the wind" at 470 metres), is noted for its large deposits of scree.[7]
Benbreen's prominence of 186m (610feet) qualifies it as a Marilyn, and it also ranks it as the 60th-highest mountain in Ireland on the MountainViews Online Database, 100 Highest Irish Mountains, where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres.[5] [8]
Benbreen is most often climbed as part of the popular 16–kilometre 8–9 hour Glencoaghan Horseshoe, considered one of Ireland's best high-grade hill-walking routes.[9] [7] [10] Benbreen is also climbed as part of the even longer Owenglin Horseshoe, a 20–kilometre 10–12 hour route around the Owenglin River taking in over twelve summits;[11] [12]
Benbreen's northeastern cliffs have multi-pitch rock-climbs with grades from Diff (D) to Moderate Severe (MS), and length ranging from 40 to 130 metres.[13] Some of the first ascents date from the mid 1980s, and noted routes include Blind Faith (S 3a, 4a, 3a, 80 m), and Stoned & Starving (S -, 4a, 75 m).[13]