Knockout Knockmealdowns

There's history, beauty and fine walking in the uplands straddling Tipperary and Waterford, writes JOHN G O'DWYER

THE Knockmealdowns surely claim the distinction as the mountain range that knocks most loudly on heaven’s door. The reason is not that these fine uplands straddling Tipperary and Waterford possess Ireland’s most elevated peaks, but rather that virtually every summit comes with the moniker “knock” attached.

I began my exploration of the Knockmealdowns from above Goatenbridge, Co Tipperary by following the East Munster Way to the Liam Lynch monument.

This 20m tower was erected to the memory of Liam Lynch, chief-of-staff of anti-treaty forces during the Civil War. He was wounded here on April 10th, 1923 by Free State soldiers. Even though he was a deadly opponent of those who accepted the Treaty, the Free State soldiers carried the badly wounded Lynch down the mountainside to Nugent’s Pub in Newcastle. From there he was transferred to Clonmel Hospital where he died from his wounds.

Before passing away, however, he presented his captors with a gold pen as a symbol of respect for his erstwhile companions. And Lynch has not been forgotten: at the monument I exchanged a brief word with a group of men landscaping the site for the annual Liam Lynch commemoration which, after almost 90 years, still attracts a large crowd.

Next I followed a faint trail running roughly west and entering forestry. At the forest edge a narrow track led upwards to open mountainside and I then took the line of a disused fence to reach Crohan West (521m) which offered sublime views to Slievenamon, the Comeraghs and Galtee Mountains.

Two low walls extend from Crohan West. I followed the left one through tedious terrain on the west side of a broad ridge to reach Knockmeal (560m) where it was necessary to divert slightly to visit the summit.

Rejoining the embankment, which now denotes the boundary between Tipperary and Waterford, I descended easily to the col marking the upper reaches of the Glengalla river valley. Here I dithered: I could follow the embankment as it dog-legged to Knocknagnauv summit but this would ignore the wonderful views from Knocknafallia. So, abandoning the embankment, I pursued a faint track sharply upwards to reach the summit plateau (668m) which is embellished with a burial mound and stone cairn.

An outrageously photogenic vista now presented itself over the great meandering River Blackwater to the silvery outline of the Celtic Sea. Below, my eyes were drawn to the dreamy spires of the renowned Cistercian abbey of Mount Melleray. The original Melleray abbey was in Brittany until its monks were expelled from France in 1830. But France’s loss was our gain. The monks came to the foothills of the Knockmealdowns and founded a new Mount Melleray that has flourished since.

NEXT I traversed Knocknafallia summit before descending to the embankment and following it until it became a wall near Knochnagnauv (665m). I continued downwards to the next col and the ancient Rian Bó Phádraig (furrow of Patrick’s cow).

Legend has it that this was created by the saint’s bovine charging upwards in pursuit of a stolen calf. More likely, however, the trail linked royal Cashel with the great ecclesiastic centre at Ardmore.

Now came the stiff ascent to the summit of Knockmealdown Mountain (794m) – the highest point in the range – but the views were obscured by clouds at the top. Beyond Knockmealdown, I left the embankment and swung northeast towards Knockmoylan, which is shown as point (768m) on the Discovery Series map and marked by a pile of stones.

Next it was down heathery Knockshane past another cairn and, by keeping a little left, I came upon a well-constructed path skirting forestry. Following this path until it went into forestry, I descended past the corner of a felled area to reach a turning circle. From here I tagged a wide forest roadway, first east then roughly north and finally west to encounter the Tipperary Heritage Way.

Now the direction was east along a well-surfaced trail. At a large turning circle the route turned left into woodland and passed over a simple log pole bridge to emerge on a roadway where arrows pointed right.

Then it was a question of following these to cross a bridge over the River Glengalla that led back to my starting point.

Route Central Knockmealdowns

Start/finishThe hamlet of Goatenbridge – shown as Goat's Br on the ordnance survey map – is 4.8km west of Newcastle. From there follow a minor road south to a three-way junction, where it intersects with the East Munster Way. Park here, as this is your starting point.

SuitabilityThis is a demanding walk requiring good fitness levels. Route finding skills are required where the walk departs from the navigational handrail of the Knockmealdown embankment.

TimeAllow about six hours.

MapOSI Discovery Series, sheet 74.