I climbed Knockma on my return from a walk in Joyce Country. I didn't know its name, I had no map and I wasn't even sure if it was a listed summit on Mountainviews. As the only prominent hill for miles around I had a fair guess that it was but it would have been well worth the effort in any case.
Park in the public car park and walk straight up the path with the (late 16th century?) tower house (a seat of the Kirwans, one of the seven tribes of Galway) remains on your left. When you reach the white cottage turn left where you'll see a number of interesting plaques. One commemorates Patrick Kelly (1822-1864), who led the famed Irish Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. He was born in the immediate vicinity of Knockma and died one week into the 9 month siege of Petersburg, Virginia in June 1864.
The second plaque commemorates the 1968 epic movie 'Alfred the Great (starring Sir Ian McKellen, Sinead Cusack and Michael York among others)' which was partly shot around Knockma. According to Wikipedia, the idea was to make Castlehacket look as much like Wessex as possible, even etching a 200 foot long white horse into the side of the hill!
Follow the track as far as
B (M359 489) and take the narrow worn track behind the "Knockma" sign straight uphill to the ridge. The outcropping limestone is reminiscent of the Burren (soon visible to the south west) and the summit ridge is rich in iron age antiquities including a fort and a massive cairn on which is perched the summit trig. Knockma is the reputed resting place of Queen Maeve of Connacht and the residence (still) of Finnbheara, the King of the Connacht fairies.
The views include the aforementioned Burren, the Maumturks, Galway Bay and Slieve Aughty Hills. The visibility on my visit was not the best but I imagine that peaks as far south as Keeper Hill would be discernible on a clear day in winter.
Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/1331/comment/17695/
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