Picture from padodes
by padodes 10 Dec 2007
Not the most impressive top in Wicklow, but it does have the redeeming grace of affording one of the best views of Lough Tay and Luggala (Fancy) to the north, as can be seen in the photo. The etymology of the name itself seems to have stumped Mountain Views, and a wider search on the Internet drew a blank as well. In his "East and South" walk guide, David Herman describes a full five-hour, low-level circuit of Lough Dan, which includes Sleamaine and Ballinafunshoge. Be aware, though, that to find a suitable place to cross the Inchavore River, you may have to walk a good distance up the valley between Kanturk and Knocknacloghoge. As I found to my discomfort one late evening, it tends to carry a lot of water, even after a spell of dry weather.(Comment Rating 4.00)
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by pdtempan 19 Dec 2007
Hi Miriam, padodes, it's true that the Sleamaine and Ir. slemhain, 'smooth, slippery (place)' resemble each other on paper, but there the resemblance ends. It needs to borne in mind that Sleamaine is an anglicised form and that the spelling conventions of Irish and English are radically different. Ir. sleamhain is actually pronounced approximately 'slowan' (rhyming with the surname 'Cowen') and this is roughly how one would expect it to be anglicised. By contrast, Liam Price (Place-Names of Co. Wicklow, vol. i, 54) indicates the pronunciation of Sleamaine as 'slee-maan'. It is most probably an anglicised form of Ir. Sliabh Meáin, 'middle mountain', of which there are at least 2 others in Wicklow. PW Joyce (Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, vol. i, 379) derives Sleamaine from Sliabh-meadhoin, 'middle mountain', which is merely the Classical Irish equivalent of Sliabh Meáin. Sleamhain, 'slippery place', does appear in place-names, for instance in Sleans, Co. Antrim, Slanemore/Slanebeg, Co. Westmeath and probably Slawin, Co. Fermanagh, but never with an M in the anglicised form. It's worth checking out Liam Price's book. There are very few mountain names in Wicklow which he doesn't deal with. In the meantime I will see that this derivation and meaning gets added in the next place-names update to MV.
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Picture from Harry Goodman : View SW from the uninspiring top of Sleamaine.
Picture: View SW from the uninspiring top of Sleamaine.
Easy, when you know the way!
by Harry Goodman 1 Jun 2012
Heading home from a day's walking in Wiclow on 28 May 2012 I decided to go and visit two hills that can be approached from the Wicklow Way near L Tay, Sleamaine and Ballinafunshoge. I parked to the side of the forest entrance near the Pier Gates and signed for the Wicklow Way O 1732706289 (Point A) , and as suggested by csd walked along the track to O 1720505915 (Point B) to access a forest ride that would give me "easy" access to the top. Not so, things have changed since csd was there in July 2007, in particular the trees have been harvested between the road and the quoted access point/forest ride. However as I could see evidence of a track going up the line of what previously would have been a forest ride I decided to plough on! The area is covered with the remains of debris from harvesting the trees and progress along called for much clambering over same for about 200m to the end of the forest and open ground. Once there it was relatively easy to make progress left (SSW) along the forest edge and pick up a narrow but distinct path that could be followed along to the unmarked top of the hill on a flat heather covered area O1699505505 (Point C) . On retracing my steps back along the forest edge, about 250m along, I passed an obvious path O1701105755 (Point D) going off to my right (SE) and followed it down for some 400m to return to the Wicklow Way track. While some felling has taken place in this area there were no obstructions on the path (May 2012) to hinder progress. For anyone wishing to go to the top I would there fore recommend the use of this path, some 700m along from the start, at O 1740205653 (Point E) to gain "easy" access to the top of this hill. Once back at the Wicklow way I could have made a simple turn to the left and back to the start but as I also wanted to include Ballinafunshoge in my walk I turned right (S) and followed the track for about 2k in search of an access point. But that is another storey, for another place!
Point A: O17327 06289
Point B: O17205 05915
Point C: O16995 05505
Point D: O17011 05755
Point E: O17402 05653
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by djouce 23 Mar 2008
Sleamaine is just a short walk from the entrance to the Wicklow Way near Guinness gates O173 063 (Point F) . Park at the entrance to the Wicklow way and walk a short distance through the trees to the edge of the wood. Follow the edge of the forestry plantation until you get to Sleamaine (which is an undistinguished summit but has good views to the west). Continue along the edge of the forestry plantation to Ballinafunshoge. There is an east-west ride from the boundary which goes to or near the summit (which I could not locate for certain among the trees)
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Picture from csd : The view over to Tonelagee from the summit of Sleamaine.
Picture: The view over to Tonelagee from the summit of Sleamaine.
by csd 15 Jul 2007
Sleamaine is easily reached from the forestry entrance near Pier Gates. After about 250 metres, turn right at the forest ride at O17205 05915, which will bring you up on to the open ground west of the forest. There are some nice views over to Knocknacloghogue and Luggala, spoiled only by the power line that runs along the ridge.(Comment Rating 3.00)
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by dhmiriam 6 Dec 2007
Sleamaine, to the ear very much resembles, the gaelic word sleamhain (pl) sleamhna) which means slippery, smooth or sleek, (ag sleamhnu - meaning to slip or slide). Just add water.... as the recipe puts it, and one may not be too wide of the mark.
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(End of comment section for Sleamaine.)
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