Slieve Commedagh

About Slieve Commedagh

Standing as the Mournes' second-highest peak, this granite giant offers a quieter perspective than its famous neighbour, Slieve Donard. The iconic Mourne Wall crests its broad summit, guiding walkers across rugged terrain that overlooks the deep trough of the Annalong Valley and the historic track of the Brandy Pad.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish 'Sliabh Coimhéadaigh', meaning the 'mountain of watching' or 'lookout mountain'. It is a fitting title for a peak that commands such a strategic view over the coastal approaches to County Down.
• •The summit is a primary waypoint on the 22-mile Mourne Wall. This remarkable dry-stone structure was built between 1904 and 1922 to protect the water catchment area, and it serves as a reliable navigational handrail for walkers in mist.
• •From the summit cairn, you gain an unparalleled view of Slieve Bearnagh’s distinctive jagged tors to the west, while the turquoise waters of the Ben Crom Reservoir are visible tucked deep in the valley floor to the south.
• •On the mountain’s north-western flank lie the 'Castles of Commedagh'. These are impressive vertical granite tors and buttresses that provide a stark, architectural contrast to the otherwise rounded, grassy slopes of the main massif.
• •The small stone tower on the summit was built to provide shelter for the men who constructed the Mourne Wall, proving that even the most stoic Edwardian craftsmen eventually had their limit when it came to Irish Sea gales.