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indamidland · 6 years ago

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Karen & Erik @ Testa Studio

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creativeardagh · 6 years ago

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Brí Leith, Ardagh Mountain.

Just before Christmas an old walkway on Brí Leith, Ardagh Mountain, Longford was resurfaced to the delight of locals and visitors alike and thanks to County Longford Tourism and the Town and Villages Scheme 2017. This has been a vision shared among many since the return of the Bilberry Sunday Walk in 2012 and is part of a bigger vision to continue a driving, cycling, hiking trail as far as Corlea Trackway which will join up with the Canal Walk from Kenagh. It's great to see this small part near completion and we look forward to the eventual completion of the rest of the Midir and Etain Trail. We could write a book about the importance of "The Mountain" as it is affectionately known and maybe we will but for now here is a little bit of information to wet the appetite:

The Trail will be called the Midir and Etain Trail because of the connection between Ardagh, The Corlea Trackway and this wonderful local legend. In the legend Brí Leith is where the Síd Mound of Midir is located and the Trackway in Corlea was the result of a forfeit he had to perform for the High King Eochaid after losing a game of Fidchell to him.

Brí Leith was named by Midir in memory of his daughter Brí and her lover Leith, it is also called Sliabh Calraighe or Ardagh Mountain which has sent many a person astray when they enter the flat midland county of Longford looking for a mountain.

Every last Sunday in July bigger and bigger numbers join us, around 11am, on a leisurely walk up Brí Leith to remember the tradition of Bilberry Sunday. The first walk came about in 2012 with Brendan Farrell of Ardagh Village Landscapes leading us after a discussion between us and Brendan on the ancient tradition of collecting Bilberries on Brí Leith. The High King of Ireland had the rights to the warm fruits of the mountain and they were collected on the Sunday before Lunasa so that he had them at his feast in Tara. The tradition of collecting this superfood continued well into the 1960s but the Bilberries retreated as the trees grew. We have seen, eaten and collected a few on our walks but the annual adventure is more about reminding us of our heritage and enjoying an interesting talk with tea and scones afterwards in Ardagh Heritage and Creativity Centre. In the past we have had a Diviner, Poets and a Forager chat to us on the walk and on return. Hopefully more Bilberries will be replanted in the future and it is wonderful to have the walk more accessible now than it was. Visions of people being carried over mucky, boggy puddles and wanderering visitors will always remain fondly with us. Now we have a path and the plans for this year are even greater so watch this space.

The walk on Brí Leith is well worth a visit. It once was only accessible in fair and dry weather but now you can visit at any time of the year. The view is lovely, the flora is beautiful and what is most fascinating perhaps are the old ruins that remind us of the many cottages that were on this once heavily populated hill and imagining their stories. There are also the many, many, large conglomerate stones that can be found and have been left along the path to tastefully remind us that even this far inland, in the heart of Ireland, we too used to be under the Sea.

" Bri Leith, now Sliabh Calraighe, S. Golry, W. of Ardagh, Longford, the Sídh of Midir Mór- ghlonnach, mac Indae, m. Echtach, m. Etarlam."