The History of the Slieve Blooms

The History of the Slieve Blooms
The Norman’s arrive din Ireland in the 12th Century when the Slieve Blooms were still divided among several Gaelic kingdoms including the O’Carrolls. An important Norman town was established at Ballybritt. Due to its midland location the Slieve Blooms occupied a strategic military position and, over the centuries, ancient Irish kings including Brian Boru and Hugh O’Neill led their foot troops through the gaps of the Slieve Blooms on their way to battle. The O’Dunn clan, originally known as Dunn Ui Riagain, controlled the northern territory of the Slieve Blooms for most of the last millennium. Ruins of the O’Dunn castles are still evident at Castlebrack, Tinnahinch, Castlecuffe and Brittas. The village of Clonaslee was the nucleus of the clan and many O’Dunn chieftains are buried there. The 1798 rebellion features in the history of the Slieve Blooms. Twenty seven Irish patriots from this area lost their lives. In the 19th Century, areas in the Slieve Blooms such as Camross were heavily involved in the agricultural labour movement.

Fauna
The Slieve Blooms were once home to animals such as the wild boar and the wolf. However these animals are no longer to be found in Ireland. The Irish red deer, which once inhabited the mountainous forests is now almost completely absent from the midlands. Nowadays, the Slieve Blooms are home to mammals such as the fallow deer, hedgehog, rabbit, wild goat, pine marten and otter. Sixty-three species of birds have been recorded for the Slieve Blooms. Most species are common to other parts of the country. Among the rarer species are the hen harrier, marsh harrier, raven, merlin, dipper and the goldcrest. The common lizard is the only species of lizard in Ireland and can be found in the Slieve Blooms.

Flora
Due to the variety of ground cover in the Slieve Blooms, there are many different species of plants. The blanket bog areas of central Slieve Bloom are home to common heather, bog cotton, purple moor-grass, bell heather, deer grass and the moor-rush. Insect eating plants include sundew, bladderwort and butterwort. Sphagnum moss can also be found here. Coniferous forests are home to evergreen plants such as sitka spruce, douglas fir, larch and birch. Due to low levels of light reaching the ground in coniferous forests few plants grow on the ground.

However, many interesting fungi are present. Where light does get into the forest, fox-glove and a variety of grasses such as tussock grass and purple moor-grass grow. Deciduous woodlands are home to a wide variety of plant life. The dominant plants include oak, beech, ash and hazel. In spring, primrose, wood sorrel, wood violet and less calendine can be found. Later in the year yellow archangel and lesser stitchwort are evident. Marginal bogs are home to a wide variety of plants such as bog myrtle and bog thistle. Riverbanks are also home to many species including butterwort, the blue fleabane, carline thistle and the scented orchid.

Rivers
There are four main rivers that flow through the Slieve Bloom Mountains; the River Barrow, the Silver River, the River Delour, and the River Owenass.

The River Barrow
Ireland second longest river, springs to life to the north of Bana, at the Well of Slieve Bloom (Conle’s Well). It flows in a north-east direction through Glenbarrow. North of Glenbarrow it turns in a north-west direction and flows under Tinnahinch bridge.

The Sliver River
Begins at Hugh O’Neills Well, to the south west of Wolftrap Mountain. It flows in a north west direction through Glenletter and Cadamstown.

The Delour River
Rises in the south of the Slieve Blooms and flows in a southerly direction through Camross.

The River Owenass
Rises in the Slieve Blooms and meanders in a horseshoe shape through Mountmellick before joining the Barrow at the Borness. All these rivers have natural reserves of brown trout.

Rocks and their Formation
The rocks of the Slieve Bloom are generally said to be of two sorts, grit and shlig. The latter are sandstones belonging to the Old Red Sandstone Period, which occurred around three hundred and seventy million years ago. The rocks of the Old Red Sandstone were probably laid down in rivers of considerable depth and width. The commonest rock type of this period in the Slieve Bloom is "ordinary" sandstone or orthoquartize. Its colour varies from white or yellow, to brown, purple and red. The other main rock type of the Old Sandstone Period is red siltstone. This stone is always of a dark red colour. The Carboniferous Period followed the Old Red Sandstone period. During the period, sea levels rose and marine rocks were laid down. In the Slieve Blooms, shale and limestone bands were laid down during this period. During the Silurian Period, Ireland was covered by the lapetus Ocean (forerunner of the Atlantic Ocean). During this period two plates converged across the lapetus Ocean causing it to disappear. The sediments in the ocean, including the Slieve Bloom sediments crumpled and slowly thrust upwards to form a vast mountain range probably on the scale of the Andes or Himalayas. However, constant weathering and erosion has drastically reduced the height of the Slieve Blooms to their present level, the highest point being Arderin which peaks at 527 metres.