Location
Carnawaddy is a 475m peak located in the Cooley Mountains on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth. To the north is Carlingford Lough and the border with Northern Ireland. To the south is Dundalk Bay.
In Irish mythology, Cooley (old Irish Cuailinge) was the home of the brown bull Donn Cuailigne and the site of the Táin Bό Cuailgne or ‘The Cattle Raid of Cooley’. Ancient monuments nearby include the Proleek Dolmen and a Bronze Age wedge tomb, located behind the Ballymascanlon Hotel.
Carnawaddy was the location of the Leinster Orienteering championships in 2005 and has also been used for League events in the past. Cairn a’ mhadra takes its name from the large cairn on top of the mountain. It is the reputed burial place of Cuchulainn’s dog, Bran. The Puc Fada competition of the Tailteann Games takes place in the area.
Terrain
All courses will be on rough open mountain terrain, with little undergrowth. The terrain is runnable but very technical in places. There are few paths and tracks, but there are a large number of rock features such as boulders and crags as well as various water features such as marshes and water courses. It is similar to nearby Carlingford Mountain, although it is not as steep nor is the summit as high as Slieve Foye. As we know from experience at Carlingford, weather conditions can be severe, so cagoules and whistles may be required.
Visit carlingfordandcooleypeninsula.com and visitcarlingford.com to find out more information.