Mount Leinster is a beautiful Mountain with a transmission tower at the summit. And a popular point for hang gliding, paragliding, biking, and hiking. And is one of the must-visit tourist attractions in County Carlow.
Mount Leinster (Irish: Stua Laighean) is the highest point of the granite-cored Blackstairs Mountains. Located on the border between Carlow and Wexford counties, in the south-east of Ireland, in the province of Leinster.
An older name for Mount Leinster is Suidhe Laighen. In Irish means “the seat or meeting place of the men of Leinster”. At the summit, you will find an old monument in the form of a large cairn. The people who lived in these regions c. 5,000 years ago often sought out prominent hilltops on which to bury and commemorate important members of their communities. The mast on top transmits national television and radio (RTÉ) to the region.
Mount Leinster Mountain rises 795m above sea level.
It is the fifth-highest mountain in Leinster. After Lugnaquilla 925 meters, Mullaghcleevaun 849 meters, Tonelagee 817 meters, and Cloghernagh 800 meters, and the highest of the Blackstairs Mountains. A 2RN transmission site tops the peak with a mast height of 122 meters.
Mount Leinster is a very popular place not only among “ordinary” tourists but also among paragliders and professional cyclists. It has been used in stages of the Tour of Ireland. And on many occasions in the FBD Insurance Rás (Rás Tailteann). The mountain is also used by The ML Syndicate (mountain biking club) who use the area for trail riding and MTB sporting events. With a height of 795 meters, the summit of Mount Leinster is an ideal location for hang-gliding and paragliding.
The mountain is most often climbed from The Nine Stones, a landmark point at the foot of Mount Leinster, about 8 miles east of Borris. From Borris, there is a road to a visitor car park on the mountain. From there the steep 2RN access road leads to the summit. This road is closed to normal traffic and 2RN has now fenced off the transmitter mast from public access to prevent vandalism.
Mount Leinster is located only 30,8 km (through the N80) from Carlow Town which is about 37 minutes drive. And this is what I love in Ireland: a “one-hour” drive and I can be on the beach or a “half-hour” drive and I can be in the mountains.
Location:
Below are photos I took in August 2021.
