Corrin Hill – Fermoy, Co. Cork
MYTHS & LEGENDS
The monuments on Corrin Hill testify to 3000
years, or more, of human activity.
Over time the hill and its monuments have
become veiled in the mists of folklore and
legend.
The Cross of Corrin:
On the summit of the hill a stone cross
overlooks the broad river valley and town of
Fermoy. The cross and platform were built in
1933 – the 19th centenary of the death of
Jesus Christ.
The Cairn – Carn Tighernach
Around 3000 years ago cairns, mounds of
stones were erected to mark the burial place
of important individuals. This Bronze Age
Cairn is one of a number which occupy
prominent positions on the top of the Nagle
Mountains, stretching westward from Fermoy
to Mallow.
The cairn has been much abused over time.
During World War I the British Army built an
observation post inside it and the Irish Army
did likewise during World War II. 100 years
ago the Cairn was twice as high as it is now
and in 1832 several hundred tons of stone
were taken from the cairn to build a nearby
boundary wall. In the process workmen
discovered a double-compartmented cist,
(stone grave). Inside were two bronze-age
eartherware vessels containing the cremated
remains of at least one individual. One of the
vessels was broken by workmen to see if
there was treasure inside. The whereabouts
of the other remains unknown.
Mogh Ruith - The Druid & the King
According to legend, Cormac Mac Airt, High
King of Ireland in the 3rd Century, arrived in
Munster to demand tribute. When Cormac’s
army was fiercely resisted by the
Munstermen, his Scottish Druids cast a spell
over the land so that the wells dried up and
both man and beast suffered.
The Munster King, Fiachaidh Muilleathan,
appealed for help to the infamous druid,
Mogh Ruith, who cast spells so strong that
Cormac’s army retreated in disarray. When
Mogh Ruith came to claim his reward – two
thirty hundreds of the fairest land in Munster,
he chose the Blackwater Valley, the ancient
land of Caoilli. The druid Mogh Ruith is said
to be buried under the cairn on Corrin Hill.
The Giants & The Lon
According to legend a fabled cow, the
Druimionn, used to graze the slopes of
Corrin producing milk to feed giants. A
mysterious quadruped, called a Lon, used to
waylay the cow in the marshes at the foot of
the hill & take her milk. The Giants tried in
vain to capture & kill the Lon but eventually
they summoned the hero Fionn MacCool, &
his famous hound Bran. Bran tracked the
Lon to its lair & finally killed it after a savage
fight.
The Prince’s Castle
Contact: Pádraig 0877819673,
Andrew 0879328046
Jane 0876402230
Another legend relates that long ago the king
of Fermoy had a son whose death by
drowning was foretold. He decided to build a
castle on top of the hill to house the boy and
keep him safe from rivers and lakes. One
day, while the castle was being built, the
young prince walked by a barrel of water that
was left there by the builders. He had never
before seen his reflection and peered into the
barrel for a closer look. When the king turned
round he found his son drowned, face down,
in the barrel. He cursed the place and
abandoned work on the castle.
Mystery Tour June 16th 2014
Hillwalk – Corrin Hill, Fermoy
Trail Name:
Recreation Site:
Start Point:
Length:
Time:
Difficulty:
Metres Climb:
Attributes:
Finishing Point:
Corrin Trail
Corrin
Forest Car Park
7.5km
2 Hours
Moderate (C+)
90M
Loop trail
Car Park
Directions from Cork city:
Take the N8 Dublin road northbound
out of Cork city.
If you wish to avoid the toll, take the
Watergrasshill slip road off the dual
carriageway, then follow the
signposts for Fermoy along the R639.
Pass through Rathcormac. The turn
for Corrin is on the RathcormacFermoy road, about 1km North of the
Cork Mart Roundabout, follows signs
for Fermoy Golf Club.
Alternatively, if you wish to pay the
toll and carry on to the M8 motorway,
exit the motorway at the Fermoy exit
(adjacent to Corrin) and turn back
south along the R639 to reach the
access road and the right turn
for Corrin.
BUS: A complimentary bus will leave
Scoil Iósaf @ 9:30 am – Mogeely,
Dungurney, Clonmult, Ambush Site,
Corrin Hill ……
Walkers should wear boots and
appropriate clothing. (Bring poles, for
the steep ascent, if you wish.) Water
and a snack are recommended.
The View From The Top: On a clear day
Five Counties can be seen from Corrin.
Corrin is situated in the Nagle
Mountains. Due South lies County Cork
clothed in Agricultural Glory –
Watergrasshill in the distance, the
highest Co. Cork Village. To the West if
conditions are right are two Wind Vanes
sited near Rathmore in Cork / Kerry?
The Ballyhoura Mountains roll away to
County Limerick. North lie the Galtee
Mountains in Co. Tipperary, Galtee Mór
and Galtee Beag. In between is the
majestic Blackwater Valley as it narrows
into the, triple steeple, town of Fermoy.
The Valley sweeps under the foothills of
the Knockmealdown Mountains which
fold into the Comeraghs and Co.
Waterford. It’s Munster all the way with
only the banner excluded. Enjoy!