Church Mountain

About this place

Church Mountain, also called Slieve Gad (Irish: Sliabh gCod / Sliabh an Chodaigh, meaning 'mountain of the covenant'), is the westernmost of the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. It is 544 metres (1,785 ft) high. At the summit are the remains of a large ancient cairn of pagan origin. This cairn was partially destroyed and a small building, apparently a church, was built on it in the Middle Ages. Pilgrims formerly climbed the mountain during the festival of Lughnasa to visit a holy well on the summit. The well known Irish antiquarian George Petrie mentioned Church Mountain when he attended a pilgrimage there on Lammas Day in 1808. The mountain lies roughly halfway between Hollywood to the north and Donard to the south.

Visitor Information

Elevation

544 m

Getting There & Parking

Church Mountain is located in County Wicklow, roughly 50 km (45 min drive) from Dublin. Nearby highlights within a short drive include Knocknaboley (2.0 km away).