Carricktriss Gorse

Rising above the village of Templeorum, this Kilkenny Marilyn is perhaps best known for its historical associations. Though modest in height, its gorse-clad slopes offer clear lines of sight across the Suir Valley towards the Comeragh Mountains. It is a quiet, local summit that rewards a short climb with expansive southern views.

• •The name is likely derived from the Irish Carraig Throsc, commonly translated as the 'Rock of the Cod', though 'throsc' can also refer to a sense of parchedness or thirst in older contexts.
• •The hill is synonymous with the Battle of Carrickshock in 1831, a pivotal event in the Tithe War where local resistance led to a confrontation with the Irish Constabulary on these slopes.
• •Looking west from the summit, the elegant, isolated cone of Slievenamon provides a dramatic focal point, standing across the border in County Tipperary.
• •Because it stands with significant independence from the higher ground of the Blackstairs to the east, it qualifies as a Marilyn, a peak with at least 150 metres of prominence.
• •Given the dense vegetation suggested by the name, walkers should expect the kind of thick, prickly gorse that considers a pair of sturdy gaiters a personal challenge rather than a deterrent.