Mizen Head (Carn Uí Néid)

Ireland's most south-westerly point, reached by a spectacular arched bridge.

At Mizen Head, a footbridge spans a chasm to a signal station perched above the Atlantic swells. It is often the first or last piece of Ireland seen by ships crossing the ocean.

At a glance

• Most south-westerly point of mainland Ireland
• Arched bridge to a clifftop signal station
• A Wild Atlantic Way highlight

In County Cork

Mizen Head is in County Cork, Corcaigh in Irish, which means “marsh”.

More in Cork

• Múscraí (Muskerry) (Gaeltacht Mhúscraí): The Cork Gaeltacht in the hills of Muskerry, a Munster-Irish community with a rich song tradition.
• Blarney Castle (Caisleán na Blarnan): A medieval stronghold famous for the Blarney Stone and the 'gift of the gab'.
• The River Lee (An Laoi): The river that splits to cradle Cork city on an island.
• Gougane Barra (Guagán Barra): A serene mountain lake and island oratory, source of the River Lee.

Other places of this kind

• The Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair): Sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region.
• Newgrange (Sí an Bhrú): A prehistoric monument in County Meath, older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids.
• The Giant's Causeway (Clochán an Aifir): Around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns on the Antrim coast, a UNESCO site wrapped in the legend of Finn McCool.
• Glendalough (Gleann Dá Loch): A beautiful glacial valley of two lakes, home to one of Ireland's most important early monastic settlements.
• The Rock of Cashel (Carraig Phádraig): A dramatic outcrop crowned with medieval buildings, once the seat of the kings of Munster.
• Clonmacnoise (Cluain Mhic Nóis): A great early monastery on the banks of the Shannon, once a renowned centre of learning.

The Irish name

The Irish form of Mizen Head is Carn Uí Néid. You can hear it spoken, and take apart names like it, in the Placename Explorer. The authoritative record for any Irish place-name is logainm.ie.