Ox Mountains Explained

Ox Mountains
Other Name:Sliabh Gamh
Country:Republic of Ireland
Region:Connacht
Region Type:Provinces of Ireland
Highest:Knockalongy
Elevation M:544
Coordinates:54.1667°N -58°W
Map:island of Ireland

The Ox Mountains or Slieve Gamph[1] ('storm mountains')[2] are a mountain range in County Sligo on the west coast of Ireland. They are also known as Saint Patrick's Mountains after the saint who built churches on its slopes and left his name to some of its wells.[3]

Geography

The highest peak in the Ox Mountains is Knockalongy, which is 544m (1,785feet) high.[4]

The mountains begin immediately southwest of Ballysadare, and run west-southwest for some forty miles to the boundary of County Mayo, where they are continued to the southwest by the Slieve Gamph range, which runs first on the boundary of the two counties, and then into Mayo. The mountains have several summits from 1,200 to 1,800 feet high; and Slieve Gamph reaches 1,363 feet.[5]

Geology

Lead and copper mines were formerly worked in the Ox Mountains, but by 1900, the works had been long since discontinued.[5]

Peaks

Hill Height (m)
544 m
Annatoran 512 m
Cloonacool 440 m
Sruffaungarve Top 400 m
Meenamaddo 330 m
276 m

Notes and References

  1. http://www.logainm.ie/1166732.aspx Slieve Gamph or the Ox Mountains
  2. Web site: Irish Hill and Mountain Names. MountainViews.ie. Paul Tempan. May 2019.
  3. https://archive.org/details/historyofsligoto01ororuoft The History of Sligo: Town and County
  4. Web site: Ox Mountains. MountainViews. 24 February 2009.
  5. Web site: Description of County Sligo from Atlas and Cyclopedia of Ireland (1900). Library Ireland. 24 February 2009.