In an effort to avoid the unpleasant tree-stuff described previously, I decided to make an alternative approach. At the western end of Lough Talt I took a minor road at G38776815942 that skirts the eastern side of the hill. After 2 kms I turned left at a T-junction. The road (now The Sligo Way) is an unsurfaced track, and I parked at the entrance to forestry at G4083317900 A. A pallet-gate to the left of the forest entrance gave (clumsy) access to the open hillside.
The gradient soon steepens, and I continued up grassy slopes to a vague grassy track running in a SW direction. I followed this SW till the summit area loomed into view to my right, Gaining the broad summit ridge and crossing a fence I continued through an area of sphagnum-covered peat hags to the featureless summit. There are wide views, though on this muggy overcast day, it was all a bit unremarkable. What was noteworthy was how uninhabited the valley to the east was - I could only discern two dwellings in an area of many square miles.
I made my way back via the same route for a round trip of 1hour 45 minutes, and a distance of 4.64 kilometers. Baggers only. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/770/comment/20576/