Sliabh Beagh (Sliabh Beagh)

A wild upland of blanket bog and heather where three counties meet.

Sliabh Beagh stretches along the borders of Monaghan, Fermanagh and Tyrone: a lonely expanse of bog, forest and moorland that is an important refuge for rare birds such as the hen harrier. In legend it is named for Bith, said to be among the very first settlers of Ireland.

At a glance

• Upland bog where three counties meet
• Key habitat for the hen harrier
• Named in legend for Bith

In County Monaghan

Sliabh Beagh is in County Monaghan, Muineachán in Irish, which means “land of the little hills”.

More in Monaghan

• Inniskeen (Inis Caoin): The County Monaghan birthplace of the poet Patrick Kavanagh, one of Ireland's great voices.
• Carrickmacross (Carraig Mhachaire Rois): A market town world-famous for its delicate handmade lace.

Other places of this kind

• The Burren (Boireann): A vast, silvery limestone landscape in County Clare, where Arctic and Mediterranean flowers grow side by side.
• The Cooley Peninsula (Cúailnge): A mountainous peninsula in County Louth, and the setting of Ireland's great epic, the Táin Bó Cúailnge.
• The Glens of Antrim (Glinntí Aontroma): Nine green valleys running from the Antrim plateau down to the sea.
• The Curragh (An Currach): A great open plain of grassland, the historic home of Irish horse racing.
• The Glen of Aherlow (Gleann Eatharlaí): A lush valley between the Galtees and Slievenamuck.
• Gougane Barra (Guagán Barra): A serene mountain lake and island oratory, source of the River Lee.

The Irish name

The Irish form of Sliabh Beagh is Sliabh Beagh. 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.