Errigal () is a mountain near

Gweedore Gweedore ( , officially known by its Irish language name, ) is a Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) district, and parish, located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. It stretches some from Glasserchoo and Bloody For ...

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...

, Ireland. It is the tallest peak of the

Derryveagh Mountains The Derryveagh Mountains () are the major mountain range in County Donegal, Ireland. It makes up much of the landmass of the county and is the area of Ireland with the lowest population density. The mountains separate the coastal parts of the c ...

and the tallest peak in County Donegal. Errigal is also the most southern and the highest of the mountain chain called the " Seven Sisters" by locals. The other peaks of the Seven Sisters are Muckish, Crocknalaragagh,

Aghla Beg Aghla Beg () is a mountain in County Donegal, Ireland. Of its two summits, one has a height of , and the other, Aghla Beg South Top . Geography The mountain is the third-most northern and fifth-highest of the mountain chain, called the ''Seve ...

, Ardloughnabrackbaddy,

Aghla More Aghla More () is a mountain in County Donegal, Ireland with a height of . Geography The mountain is the third most southern and fourth highest of the mountain chain, called the " Seven Sisters" by locals ( Muckish, Crocknalaragagh, Aghla Beg ...

, and

Mackoght Mackoght or Macoght (), also called Little Errigal or Wee Errigal (), is a high mountain in County Donegal, Ireland. Geography The mountain is the second most southern and second lowest of the mountain chain called the '' Seven Sisters'' ...

Geography

Errigal is the most southern, steepest and highest of the mountain chain, called the " Seven Sisters". The Seven Sisters includes Muckish, Crocknalaragagh,

, Ardloughnabrackbaddy,

and Errigal. The nearest peak is Mackoght (from Irish: Mac Uchta, meaning "son of the mountain-breast") which is also known as Little Errigal or Wee Errigal (). Errigal is known for the pinkish glow of its

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...

in the setting sun. Another noted quality is the ever-changing shape of the mountain depending on what direction you view it from. Errigal was voted 'Ireland's Most Iconic Mountain' by ''Walking & Hiking Ireland'' in 2009.

Naming

In legend Errigal is said to have been named by the

Fir Bolg In medieval Irish myth, the Fir Bolg (also spelt Firbolg and Fir Bholg) are the fourth group of people to settle in Ireland. They are descended from the Muintir Nemid, an earlier group who abandoned Ireland and went to different parts of Europe. ...

who, originating in Greece, came to worship Errigal as they had

Mount Olympus Mount Olympus (, , ) is an extensive massif near the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, between the regional units of Larissa (regional unit), Larissa and Pieria (regional ...

. The name comes from the

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic (, Ogham, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ; ; or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic languages, Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive written texts. It was used from 600 to 900. The ...

''airecal'', meaning " oratory". There are no remains of an oratory on the mountain, so it may refer to the mountain as a whole as a place of

prayer File:Prayers-collage.png, 300px, alt=Collage of various religionists praying – Clickable Image, Collage of various religionists praying ''(Clickable image – use cursor to identify.)'' rect 0 0 1000 1000 Shinto festivalgoer praying in front ...

. In recent years, there have been numerous erroneous references to Mount Errigal. In 2016, the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...

's State tourism authority,

Fáilte Ireland Fáilte Ireland is the operating name of the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland. This authority was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act of 2003 to replace and build upon the functions of Bord Fáilte, i ...

, apologised for using the name "Mount Errigal" in its brochure, rather than the proper name. The official name is ''An Earagail'' or Errigal. Mount Errigal is the name of a hotel in

Letterkenny Letterkenny ( , meaning "hillside of the O'Cannons"), nicknamed the Cathedral Town, is a large town in County Donegal, Ireland, on the River Swilly in the north-west of Ulster. Along with the nearby city of Derry, Letterkenny is a regional eco ...

, County Donegal.

In popular culture

* In the 1985 music video, "

In A Lifetime "In a Lifetime" is a pop song performed by Irish artists Clannad and Bono. It was written by brothers Pól Brennan and Ciarán Brennan and produced by Steve Nye. The single was released in January 1986, and was the third single to be releas ...

" by

Clannad Clannad () were an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings , and (Moya) (in English, Brennan) and their twin uncles Noel and (Duggan). They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginn ...

and

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by the nickname Bono ( ), is an Irish singer-songwriter and activist. He is a founding member, the lead vocalist, and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Bono is known for his impassioned voca ...

, several images of Errigal appear. * In 1990, Errigal features prominently in the music video for

The Chills The Chills are a New Zealand indie rock band that formed in Dunedin in 1980. The band were fronted by founding mainstay singer-songwriter, guitarist Martin Phillipps (singer), Martin Phillipps (2 July 1963 – 28 July 2024). During the mid-1 ...

' song, "

Heavenly Pop Hit ''Submarine Bells'' is an album by New Zealand group the Chills, released in 1990. This was the band's first album on a major label, as Martin Phillipps signed to Warner Bros. Records subsidiary Slash Records, to release the album in the U.S. The ...

". * In the 1991 song by

Goats Don't Shave Goats Don't Shave are an Irish folk rock band formed in 1990. Formed in Dungloe, County Donegal, the group was fronted by singer-songwriter Pat Gallagher and backed by musicians, Charlie Logue (keyboards), Declan Quinn (whistle), Gerry Coyle ...

called "

Las Vegas (In the Hills of Donegal) :''This song is not to be confused with the Bridie Gallagher song "The Hills of Donegal".'' "Las Vegas (In the Hills of Donegal)" is a song by the Irish folk rock group Goats Don't Shave. It was a top 10 hit for the band in 1991, reaching #4 on ...

" contains the line, ''"To stand on top of Errigal, would give me such a thrill"''. * In the 2008 film ''

Hunger In politics, humanitarian aid, and the social sciences, hunger is defined as a condition in which a person does not have the physical or financial capability to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs for a sustained period. In t ...

'', the main protagonist Bobby Sands describes Errigal as a ''"beautiful sight"''. * In the 2011 movie ''

Your Highness ''Your Highness'' is a 2011 American stoner comic fantasy film directed by David Gordon Green. It stars Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, and Justin Theroux. Written by McBride and Ben Best, the film was relea ...

'', several scenes were shot on Errigal * In 2012, Irish composer Vincent Kennedy, as part of his music for The Happy Prince, titled a piece: "Snowfall on Errigal" * The song " Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair", written by

Proinsias Ó Maonaigh Proinsias Ó Maonaigh () or Francie Mooney (28 April 1922 – 28 March 2006) was a fiddler from Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair), County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. He is known for his distinguished fiddle playing and his unique and vast contr ...

, begins with the lines: ::"Céad slán ag sléibhte maorga Chondae Dhún na nGall / Agus dhá chéad slán ag an Earagal árd / Ina stua os cionn caor 's call".

Gallery

Errigal_Snow.jpg, From An Chúirt. Image:View From Errigal.jpg, The view from Errigal. Image:Errigal - geograph.org.uk - 557434.jpg, Errigal as seen from Slieve Snaght. Image:Ascending Errigal - geograph.org.uk - 1459252.jpg, Ascending Errigal. Image:Donegal Carrickfin Airport - View to the east - geograph.org.uk - 1174831.jpg, Errigal as seen from

The Rosses The Rosses (officially known by its Irish language name, ''Na Rosa''; in the genitive case ''Na Rosann'') is a traditional 'district' in the west of County Donegal in Ulster, the northern Provinces of Ireland, province in Ireland. The Rosses has ...

. Image:Preparing to land at Donegal - geograph.org.uk - 1159594.jpg, An aerial view of Errigal and Gweedore. Image:Dunlewy - Derelict church near Poison Glen - geograph.org.uk - 1189699.jpg, Derelict church at the foot of Errigal. Image:Donegal. A View Of Errigal Mountain From Crockmulroney Summit - geograph.org.uk - 1063714.jpg, Errigal as seen from

Cloughaneely Cloughaneely (official name: ) is a district in the north-west of County Donegal in Ireland. This is a mainly coastal area with a population of over 4,000 centred on the towns of Falcarragh () and Gortahork (). It is a Gaeltacht area, meaning ...

References

External links

Walking Ireland’s Iconic Mountains – Number 1: Errigal from Walking & Hiking in Ireland
{{Mountains and hills of Ulster

Errigal Errigal () is a mountain near Gweedore in County Donegal, Ireland. It is the tallest peak of the Derryveagh Mountains and the tallest peak in County Donegal. Errigal is also the most southern and the highest of the mountain chain called th ...

Geography of Gweedore Highest points of Irish counties