Knockannavea

About Knockannavea

Rising above the villages of Saggart and Rathcoole on the Dublin-Wicklow border, this prominent Hump is better known to locals as Saggart Hill. Despite its modest height, the summit is crowned by significant telecommunications infrastructure and offers expansive views across the Kildare plains and the sprawling suburbs of South Dublin.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish Cnocán na bhFia, meaning 'little hill of the deer', a reference to the herds that historically roamed these lower slopes of the Wicklow Mountains.
• •While recorded on maps as Knockannavea, it is almost universally referred to as Saggart Hill, named for the nearby village which itself derives from 'Saccra', a 7th-century monk.
• •The summit is a major hub for Irish telecommunications; its cluster of towering masts makes it a permanent landmark for travellers on the N7 motorway below.
• •From the top, the view looks west across the Curragh of Kildare, while to the southeast, the peat-covered dome and matching transmitter of Kippure are clearly visible.
• •If you find yourself struggling to locate the highest point in a thick mist, simply listen for the low-frequency hum of the electrical equipment; it is perhaps the only hill in the region that sounds like a large refrigerator.