Benbulbin
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Ben Bulben (also spelt Benbulben or Benbulbin) (Gaeilge: Binn Ghulbain [GE]} is a large rock formation in Ireland. It is a Ben (the Irish name for a large, glacier-carved rock). It is in the part of Ireland known as Yeats Country, though it is officially in the Irish county of Sligo.[1][2]
Etymology
"Ben Bulben", "Benbulben", and "Benbulbin are all is an anglicizations of the Gaeilge name "Binn Ghulbain". "Binn" is word most often used for "peak" or "mountain", while "Ghulbain" means either "Gulban(’s)" or "jaw-shaped". The two most common translations are "Gulban’s peak" and "jaw-shaped peak."
Geology
Formation
Ben Bulben was formed during the Ice Age, when large parts of the Earth were under glaciers. It was originally merely a large ridge, however the moving glaciers cut into the earth, leaving a distinct formation, now called Ben Bulben.[2][3]
Rock composition
The steeper sides of Ben Bulben comprise of large amounts of Darty limestone on top of smaller amounts of Glencar limestone. The smoother sides comprise of Ben Bulben shale. These rocks formed in the area approximately 320 million years ago.[2]
Climbing
If climbed by the north face, it is a dangerous climb. That side bears the brunt of the high winds and storms that come in from the Atlantic Ocean. However, if climbed by the south side, it is an easy climb, due to the fact that that side slopes very gently. Upon reaching the summit, the climber is rewarded with a magnificent view of Yeats Country.[2]
Flora and Fauna
Ben Bulben hosts a unique variety of plants, possessing some organisms found nowhere else in Ireland. Many arctic-alpine plants, due to the mountain's height, which allows for cooler temperatures than is normal.[2] These plants were deposited when the glaciers that created Ben Bulben melted. No animals, other than insects, inhabit Ben Bulben.
History and Legends
Celtic legends
Ben Bulben is the setting of many Celtic legends. It is said to be the dwelling of the Fianna, a band of warriors who lived in the third century. One example is a story in which the warrior Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (Diarmund) is tricked by the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) into fighting an enchanted boar, which later kills the warrior by piercing his heart with its tusk. The mountain is said to be Diarmuid and Grainne's resting places. Also, in the 6th century, St. Columba led 3,000 soldiers up Ben Bulben to fight for the right for the saint to copy from a psalter he had borrowed from St. Finnian.[4]
Irish Civil War
In September 1922, during the Irish Civil War, an Irish Republican Army column, including an armoured car were cornered in Sligo. The car was destroyed by another armoured car belonging to the Irish Free State's National Army , and nine of the IRA soldiers fled up the Ben Bulben's slopes. In the end, all were killed, allegedly after they had surrendered.
Under Ben Bulben
The famous poem, Under Ben Bulben, (written by W. B. Yeats, after which Yeats Country is named), is basically a description of Yeats Country. It describes the sights that he saw in Yeats Country. The following is an excerpt from Under Ben Bulben:
Under bare Ben Bulben's head
In Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laid.
An ancestor was rector there
Long years ago, a church stands near,
By the road an ancient cross.
No marble, no conventional phrase;
On limestone quarried near the spot
By his command these words are cut:Cast a cold eye
On life, on death.
Horseman, pass by!
— Under Ben Bulben, W.B. Yeats
References
- ^ "Mountain Views: Benbulbin in area Dartry Mountains". Retrieved 2007-04-04.
- ^ a b c d e Reader's Digest Natural Wonders of the World. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. 1988. ISBN 0-8957-7087-3.
- ^ "RootsWeb: IRL-SLIGO-L Climbing Benbulben". Retrieved 2007-04-10.
- ^ Bright, Michael (2005). 1001 Natural Wonders You Must See Before You Die. Quintet Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-7641-5817-1.
See also
