Overview
The Ballygawley Mountains are part of the Ox Mountains, a low but rugged chain of gneiss and paragneiss south of Sligo town. Nothing here tops 275 m, yet each of the four highest points carries a Neolithic passage-grave, and from the ridge the view runs out over Sligo Bay to Benbulben and Knocknarea. The highest summit, Sliabh Dá Éan – ‘mountain of two birds’ – gives the range its Irish name.
Despite their gentle height compared to Ireland’s major ranges, the Ballygawleys are a favourite among local walkers with an eye for the ancient. The terrain is double hills, shallow valleys and scattered stone outcrops. It is a place where you can walk for hours without meeting another soul, only to turn a corner and find yourself overlooking centuries of Irish history.
Walking the Hills
The Ballygawley Mountains are criss-crossed by a network of informal tracks suitable for casual strolls and more purposeful hill-walking alike. The main summit trail winds through soft peat and heather to the top of Sliabh Dá Éan at about 275 m, marked by a cairn roughly 15 m across and 2 m high. From there the view stretches west across Sligo Bay and the Cúil Íorra Peninsula, with the rolling Ox Mountains framing the southern horizon.
Section 6 of the long-distance Sligo Way runs through Union Wood and along the Slieve Dargan and Slieve Daeane flanks, an easy link into the county’s wider trail network. Walkers can combine a stretch of the Sligo Way with a scramble up the ridge for a rewarding half-day hike. The trails are generally well-drained, but late autumn and winter bring slick conditions underfoot, so bring sturdy boots and a light waterproof even on a clear day.
The hills are at their best in late summer, when the heather turns deep purple, and in early autumn, when the gorse goes gold against the grey stone. On a still day the loudest thing up here is the wind.
Ancient Stones & Seasonal Sunrises
The landscape around the Ballygawley Mountains is among the most archaeologically rich in Ireland, part of the Cúil Íorra peninsula settled by Neolithic farmers from around 4,000 BC. Four passage-graves crown the four highest summits – Sliabh Dargan, Sliabh Dá Éan, Aghamore Far, and Cailleach’s House on the western peak – marking a boundary the builders drew across the skyline.
That skyline is wired into Carrowmore below. From the central tomb at Listoghil, the great cairn of the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, the midwinter sunrise climbs out of the Ballygawley ridge by Cailleach’s House; the same day, the sun sets into the Ox Mountains between Knocknashee and the Doomore cairn. The Neolithic builders read this mountain horizon closely and built to it.
The western peak takes its name from the Cailleach Garavogue, the landscape goddess said to have lived in the chambered cairn up there. In one story she befriended the mad king Sweeney; the two turned into geese and dived into Lough Dá Gé, the Lake of the Two Geese, a small hill lake that folklore calls bottomless.
Practical Information
The Ballygawley Mountains are a free-entry natural area with no formal opening hours or admission fees. The trails are open year-round, though conditions vary with the seasons.
- Access & parking – Approach on minor roads south and west of Sligo town towards Ballygawley and Carrowmore. Several small lay-bys line the road, with a modest parking area near the main trailhead. Section 6 of the Sligo Way, through Union Wood, also gives a parking spot within a short walk of the ridge.
- Navigation – Detailed OS maps (sheet 25) are recommended. Mobile phone coverage can be patchy on the higher ridges, so carrying a physical map or downloading offline GPS tracks before you head out is wise.
- Dog-friendly – Dogs are welcome on the open trails. Owners should keep them under control near cairns and archaeological sites to protect the ancient stonework.
- Seasonal tips – Late spring through early autumn offers the most reliable footing and longer daylight hours. Winter mornings can be misty and atmospheric, but early starts are essential to catch the light before the fog rolls in.
- Facilities – There are no visitor centres or toilets on the mountains. The nearest amenities are in Sligo town and at the Carrowmore visitor centre.
Getting There & What to Explore Next
Ballygawley village lies about 9 km south of Sligo town, just off the N4, and the mountains rise close by. From the town centre, head south on the N4 and follow local roads towards Ballygawley and Carrowmore; it’s about a 20-minute drive. Public transport is limited, so a car or a local taxi is the reliable option.
After your walk, the surrounding area offers plenty of context for the landscape you’ve just explored:
- Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery – Ireland’s largest Neolithic tomb complex, just a few kilometres west of the mountains.
- Cúil Íorra Peninsula – The wider archaeological landscape that encompasses Carrowmore and dozens of satellite monuments.
- Bricklieve Mountains – Home to the Carrowkeel passage-tomb complex, visible on clear days from the Ballygawley ridge.
- Carrowkeel – Another major megalithic complex, roughly 20 km south-west, famous for its own solstice alignments.
- Benbulben Forest Walk – A gentle 5.5 km loop offering spectacular views of Benbulben and the surrounding hills.
Start early to beat the midday wind, and give yourself an extra half-hour at the top: on a clear day you can pick out the Carrowkeel cairns some 20 km to the south, and the whole point of the place is seeing how the tombs line up across the horizon.