Slieve Aughty

The Slieve Aughty (Template:Lang-ga) (Sliabh Eachtghe in the prereformed spelling) are a low mountain range covered mainly by bog and forestry in the western part of Ireland spread over both County Galway and County Clare. The highest peak in the Slieve Aughty Mountains is Maghera, (Cnoc an Ois) in Clare which rises to 400m (1,314ft). This summit was formely called Knockaniss from the Irish Cnoc an Ois meaning hill of the deer while Maghera refered to the wider area around the peak. The mountain range consists of two ridges divided by the Owendalulleegh River which flows west into Lough Cutra. Cashlaundrumlahan (358m) north of the village of Derrybrien is the highest summit on the County Galway side of the range.

Cenél Áeda na hEchtge (kindred of Aodh of Slieve Aughty) was the clan name for the O'Shaughnessys and the O'Cahills who occupied the northwestern part of the mountains. On the Munster side of the range Tuath Echtghe (land / people of Aughty) was a medieval subdivision of the tuath of the Uí mBloid who were themselves a branch of the Dál gCais. This district was coextensive with the parish of Feakle which has Lough Graney at its centre.

References

• The Historical Geography of the Slieve Aughty