Knockeyon
Knockeyon | |
---|---|
(Cnoc Eoghain) | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 214 m (702 ft)[1] |
Prominence | 128[1] m (420 ft) |
Coordinates | 53°37′24.3″N 7°17′49.6″W / 53.623417°N 7.297111°W |
Geography | |
Location | County Westmeath, Ireland |
Knockeyon (Irish: Cnoc Eóin) is a hill in County Westmeath, Ireland in the townland of Streamstown.
Location
The hill is on the southeastern shore of Lough Derravaragh and oversees much of the north Leinster countryside.
Chapel
The ruins of a chapel (national monument WM012-206 ), are halfway up the hill. A devotional pattern was held annually around 1 August or the nearest Sunday to it.[citation needed]
Annotated as 'Chapel' on the OS maps this structure is situated within a dense hazel and oak historic woodland.[2] Only the footings of this building remain (pers. comm. Aidan Walsh). Depicted on the 1911 ed. OS 25-inch map as a small rectangular building aligned on a NW-SE axis standing at the intersection point of four woodland pathways.
Habitat
Knockeyon and other surrounding hills support deciduous woodland which mostly consists of native species. Hazel, rowan, ash, and oak are abundant. Exotic species occur occasionally, such as horse chestnut and other species introduced including beech.
The neighbouring Knockbody Wood is inhabited by wild pheasant and is a popular attraction for local pheasant hunters. On occasions, the Common pochard (Aythya ferina) population, which is one of the largest in Ireland,[3] has exceeded the threshold for international importance. (i.e. 3,500 individual fowl).[4]
Wild fowl | Winter 96 (individuals) |
---|---|
Little grebe | 42 |
Great crested grebe | 34 |
Cormorant | 34 |
Mute swan | 159 |
Whooper swan | 102 |
Greenland white-fronted goose | 409 |
Wigeon | 207 |
Teal | 52 |
Mallard | 195 |
Pintail | 6 |
Shoveller | 12 |
Pochard | 3,129 |
Tufted duck | 1,073 |
Goldeneye | 46 |
Coot | 1,358 |
Golden plover | 158 |
Lapwing | 1,079 |
References
- ^ a b Knockeyon, mountainviews.ie
- ^ Perrin, P., Martin, J., Barron, S., O'Neill, F., McNutt, K. & Delaney, A. (2008). "National Survey of Native Woodlands – Volume 1 Main Report".
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ National Parks & Wildlife Service (2004). "Lough Derravaragh SPA 004043 Site Synposis" (PDF). npws.ie. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
- ^ British Trust for Ornithology (2011). "Species Threshold Levels". bto.org. British Trust for Ornithology. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
External links