| Letterbreckaun | |
| Elevation M: | 667 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence M: | 322 |
| Listing: | 100 Highest Irish Mountains, Marilyn, Hewitt, Arderin, Simm, Vandeleur-Lynam |
| Other Name: | "Binn Bhriocáin" |
| Translation: | Brecan's peak |
| Language: | Irish |
| Location: | County Galway, Ireland |
| Range: | Maumturks |
| Coordinates: | 53.5334°N -9.7252°W |
| Map: | island of Ireland |
| Map Relief: | yes |
| Grid Ref Ireland: | L8565255093 |
| Topo: | OSi Discovery 37 |
| Geology: | Pale quartzites, grits, graphitic top bedrock |
| Easiest Route: | Via pass of Maumahoge or the pass of Maam Turk |
Letterbreckaun [2] is one of the Maumturk Mountains of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. At 677m (2,221feet), it is the second-tallest of the Maumturks, the 129th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin list,[3] and 159th–highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list.[4] [5] Letterbreckaun is in the middle sector of the long north-west to south-east spine of the Maumturks.[5]
The anglicised name "Letterbreckaun" comes from the Irish: Leitir Bhriocáin or Leitir Breacáin meaning "Brecan's hillside",[6] and is also the name of a townland on the slope of the mountain.[2] Saint Brecan is a saint associated with Galway county, and is said to be the successor to Saint Enda of Aran.[2]
Letterbreckaun lies at the northern end of the central sector, of the long north-west to the south-east central spine of the Maumturks range, in the Connemara National Park; when viewed from the west, the peak has a distinctive "pyramidal" shape, in contrast to the rounded shapes of the neighbouring peaks.
To the south, Letterbreckaun is connected by a long winding quartzite rocky ridge to Knocknahillion at 607m (1,991feet); the ridge itself includes the two minor peaks of Barrlugrevagh 558m (1,831feet) and Knocknahillion North Top 541m (1,775feet), and after Knocknahillion, descends to the col of Maumahoge (Irish: Mhám Ochóige).[5]
To the north of Letterbreckaun is the subsidiary summit of Letterbreckaun NE Top 603m (1,978feet), whose prominence of 28m (92feet) qualifies it as an Arderin Beg.[5] Further north, the slopes of Letterbreckaun drop into the sharp and steep "v-shaped" col of Maam Turk (Irish: Mám Tuirc, meaning "pass of the boar"), from which the entire range bears its name.[7] [8] [9] Paul Tempan notes that the "holy well" marked on the OS maps at Maam Turk was noted by Irish historian Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh in 1684, saying: "There is a well in memorie of St. Fechin at Mam-tuirk".[2] Further north from the col of Maam Turk is the minor peak of Maumturkmore, which then crosses the "Col of Despondency" to the grassy sandstone and siltstone massif of Leenaun Hill.[7]
Letterbreckaun's prominence of 322m (1,056feet) qualifies it as a Marilyn, and it also ranks it as the 82nd-highest mountain in Ireland on the MountainViews Online Database, 100 Highest Irish Mountains, where the minimum prominence threshold is 100 metres.[5] [10]
The easiest way summit Letterbreckaun is a 6-kilometre 2-3-hour route via the pass of Maam Turk; however, because of its positioning on the high rocky central spine of the central Maumturk range, it is also summited in a longer 14-kilometre 5–6 hour loop-route starting at the col of Maumahoge in the south, climbing Knocknahillion and then along a winding 2-kilometre rocky ridge to the top of Letterbreckaun, before descending via the "v-shaped" col of Maam Turk.[7] [8] [9]
Letterbreckaun is also climbed as part of the Maamturks Challenge, a 25-kilometre 10–12 hour walk over the full Maumturks range (from Maam Cross to Leenaun), which is considered one of the "great classic ridge-walks of Ireland",[8] but of "extreme grade" due to the circa 7,600 feet of total ascent.[9]
Since 1975, the University College Galway Mountaineering Club, has run the annual "Maamturks Challenge Walk" (MCW),[11] and mans a checkpoint on the summit of Letterbreckaun.[12] [13]