Cnoc Mordain

About Cnoc Mordain

Tucked away in the coastal fringes of Connemara, this isolated Marilyn offers a rugged, boggy ascent far from the crowds of the main Maumturk ridge. Its modest height belies the wild, granite-strewn character of the terrain and the spectacular, intricate views over Kilkieran Bay and the fragmented Atlantic shoreline.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish Cnoc Mórdáin, meaning 'Mórdán’s Hill'. Mórdán is an old Gaelic personal name, and local tradition occasionally connects the site to an early Christian saint of the same name who was active in the coastal Connemara region.
• •Despite standing at just 353 metres, its detachment from the main mountain chains gives it a topographic prominence of 288 metres, making it one of the more significant Marilyns in County Galway.
• •The summit offers an exceptional vantage point to view the Twelve Bens from the south, with Benlettery and Benglenisky appearing particularly prominent across the low-lying bogland.
• •The hill is a key landmark within the South Connemara Bogs Special Area of Conservation, a protected habitat consisting of Atlantic blanket bog and acid heaths characteristic of the Irish west coast.
• •In Connemara, the local description of the ground being 'a bit soft' usually translates to a day spent knee-deep in a peat hag, making sturdy gaiters a far more essential investment than a summit flask.