Baltinglass Hill [Pinnacle]

About Baltinglass Hill [Pinnacle]

Rising steeply above its namesake town, this prominent Marilyn is a treasure trove of Neolithic history. The short but sharp ascent leads to a massive ancient hillfort and passage tomb, offering commanding views across the River Slaney and west toward the rolling farmland of Carlow and Kildare.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Baltinglass derives from the Irish 'Bealach Conglais', meaning the pass of Conglas, a legendary member of the Fianna who was said to have been drowned in a nearby river.
• •The summit is home to Rathcoran, a sprawling Late Bronze Age hillfort that encloses a significant Neolithic passage tomb, making it one of the most important archaeological sites in Leinster.
• •Local residents often refer to the hill as 'The Pinnacle', a name earned from an 18th-century stone folly built by the Earl of Aldborough directly on top of the ancient burial cairn.
• •Because of its position on the southwestern fringe of the Wicklow range, the summit provides an unobstructed vantage point to see the Blackstairs Mountains to the south and the high Wicklow peaks to the east.
• •While most hills offer only wind and grass, Baltinglass provides a masterclass in historical upcycling; the local Georgian landlords clearly felt a 5,000-year-old tomb was simply an unfinished base for a decorative tower.