Mullyash

The Monaghan Way

The Monaghan Way is a long-distance walking route that explores just some of county Monaghan's rich heritage. The walk is a stimulating combination of quiet country roads, cross-country trekking, riverside walkways and lakeshore approaches. The perfect way to enjoy the Monaghan countryside, the walk mixes gentle sloping hill gradients with flat stretches of open countryside. There are no long or steep climbs and the route reaches a maximum altitude of 317m at the summit of Mullyash. The walk from Clontibret to Inniskeen is 33.5 miles / 54 km in length and should be tackled over one or two days.

The Monaghan Way Walking route is closed annually from midnight on 24 December to midnight on 25 December.

For detailed maps of the route please log on to http://www.irishtrails.ie/trail/Monaghan-Way/24/

Reach the summit of Mullyash Mountain, at 317m, to visit the impressive cairn which is estimated to be 4000-5000 years old. It is generally agreed that a passage tomb is present within. On a good day, Mullyash offers views over nine counties. Oram Village sits below Mullyash, just 6km from Castleblayney.

Many years ago, the cairn was central to local Lughnasa celebrations, marking the beginning of the harvest season and people would visit on the last Sunday of July, every year, also known as Blaeberry Sunday. They would gather at the site for music, dancing and festivities, before walking through the woods to the Standing Stone 200 yards away. Also, Mullyash’s Cairn was renowned as a matchmaking site - Monaghan’s version of Tinder!

Folklore collected by local schoolgirl Kathleen Woods from Oram in the late 1930s tells us; ‘In the district I live it is said that the ashes of a noble man's daughter are buried in an urn beneath the cairn on the top of Mullyash Mountain. Some years ago there came a young prince from the south to see the princess who was in Ulster living with her father the king. The king was very fond of his daughter and refused to give her in marriage to the prince. At last the prince stole her away. After some time the king discovered they were gone and he started in pursuit with a large army to find them. The prince heard they were coming and he gathered a large army also. When the two armies met they had a battle and in this battle the princess was killed. She was killed near Mullyash Mountain and they buried her body there in an urn with a small treasure. It is supposed to be very valuable it may be gold, silver, or bronze. It is said that many people went to see where the princess was buried and everyone that went took a stone with them and put it on the grave and that is why there is a cairn there now. No one tried to get the treasure because it would take them too long to get all the stones away.’ (You can read the hand written account here www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4723847/4718334)

When visiting, please do not climb on the Cairn.