Кольцо Гуллион: Геология, природа и история Северной Ирландии.

Geological formation and area

The Ring of Gullion is a geological formation and area, officially designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, (AONB) located in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The area centres on Slieve Gullion, the highest peak in County Armagh, measures roughly and comprises some 150 km2 defined topographically by the hills of an ancient ring dyke. Parts of the area have also been officially listed as Areas of Special Scientific Interest. The geological formation was the first ring dyke to be mapped, although its significance was not understood until similar structures had been described from Scotland. It was emplaced during the Paleogene opening of the Atlantic Ocean during the formation of the North Atlantic Igneous Province.

Slieve Gullion Forest Park, owned and managed by the Forest Service, includes many acres of natural and planted forest, and eight mile scenic drive, and a way marked trail which brings the traveller almost halfway up the height of the mountain, to the summit. The scenic drive overlooks the Ring of Gullion, Mourne Mountains, Cooley Peninsula and Armagh Drumlins. The path offers access to both the cairns on top of the mountain and the lake, while the Courtyard Centre has a garden, refreshments and toilet facilities.

Camlough Lake or Camloch (from the Irish for Crooked Lake) was formed as a glacial ribbon lake, and takes its name from its irregular shape; although its modern form does not appear particularly crooked, its shape was much less regular in the past before its level was raised by the embankment built in the late 19th century. The glacial left over sits in a valley carved between Slieve Gullion and Camlough Mountain and is today the largest lake in the Ring of Gullion. Close to the shore of the lake is an approximately one kilometre long tunnel, wide enough to drive an articulated truck into, which was excavated in the 1960s as part of a planned development intended to create a man made cavern within Slieve Gullion mountain which was to have been used to store and release water to generate electricity. It was planned that the pumped hydro storage scheme, when operational, would generate more than 200 megawatts of electricity had it been completed; however, plans were shelved with the onset of the troubles.

Upper and lower Cashel Lakes (or Cashel Loughs), together with Carrigans Lough are attractive upland lakes with clean unpolluted water, home to a recorded 30 species of water beetle, 15 species of spider and 10 species of ground beetle.

From the Irish Doirse, which means 'Doors' or 'gates', this Iron Age earthwork is located at Dorsey on the western edge of the Ring of Gullion. The structure consists of two roughly parallel massive earth bank and ditch ramparts over a mile long lie astride an old routeway to Eamhain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh – the ancient capital of Ulster). Recent evidence dates part of the monument to around 100BC, contemporary with a major phase of activity at Navan and lending support to the tradition that the Dorsey was once the 'gateway' to Ulster. The function of the Dorsey is a matter of debate. It has been suggested that it was a defensive enclosure related to the Black Pig's Dyke whilst others suggest that it was simply to serve as two lines of linear embankment and was not an enclosure at all. Otherwise, it has been speculated that the site had a ritual function, however, its true purpose has yet to be determined.

From the Irish Cill na Sagart for Church of the Priests, this 2.8 metre pillar stone is held to be possibly the oldest dateable stone monument in Ireland. An inscription on the stone reads "In loc so Taninmarni Ternoc mac Cernan Bic er cul Peter Apstel", or that Ternoc the son of Cernan Bic put the place under the protection of Peter the Apostle. As Ternoc's death is recorded in the annals of 714 or 716, the stone can reasonably be dated to around AD700. The stone marks the site of an early Christian cemetery and a church was probably located close by. The original church was a 5th century Patrician foundation originally called Domnach Culind (Gullion Church). The poet Eóchaid Rígéices is buried here according to the 11th century Laud Genealogies Mac dond Óengus sin Eocho Rígéices, qui hospitatus apud Daimíne & qui sepultus est in Domnuch Cuilind ("Aengus had a son Eochaid, the royal poet, who visited Daimine Daim Argat and who is buried in the church at Slieve Gullion"). He was the first cousin and nephew of the Ulaid kings Muiredach Muinderg and Forga mac Dallán mheic Dubthach. Excavations at the site in 1966 and 1968 revealed an early Christian graveyard with graves oriented radially around the pillar and facing towards the rising sun. The stone stands on the ancient road which ran from [Tara] in County Meath and through the Moyry Pass to Dunseverick Head on the North Antrim Coast (Sighe Midhlachra), and close to the modern border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

From the Irish Cill Shléibhe for Mountain Church, this site held one of early Christian Ireland's most important early monastic sites. Founded by St Monnina in the 5th century, the site at the foot of Slieve Gullion is largely restricted to two adjacent churches, a graveyard, the reputed grave of St Monnina's grave, and a small holy well still visited by pilgrims on her feast day, 6 July. The West Church dates from the 11th century. It is the smaller and more ancient of the two with an impressive lintel doorway. The East Church dates from the 15th century and has an impressive arched window with angel carvings still visible. Following plundering by the Vikings in 923, monastic life continued and the site was occupied by the Augustinian Nuns until 1542 with the dissolution of the Monasteries.

Just to the south of Jonesborough lies a strategic mountain pass known as Moyry Pass or the 'Gap of the North', above which Lord Mountjoy built Moyry Castle on a rocky outcrop in 1601, a year after his capturing the area for the crown. The pass itself market the most favoured ancient route between the provinces of Ulster and Leinster as it was said to be the widest route through which an army could pass while under attack. Now ruined, the castle was built as a three storey tower with rounded corners and gun loops and can be clearly seen from the modern railroad line (laid in 1852). The area in which the castle is located remains mountainous and boggy although no longer heavily wooded and little remains of the stone bawn wall which once surrounded the castle bar one stretch to the south east.

The Ring of Gullion is managed by Ring of Gullion Partnership. There is one paid staff member who implements the Management Plan 2010–2016 and four who implement the Landscape Conservation Action Plan. Staff are administered by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC). This management is funded through NIEA, NMDDC and the Heritage Lottery Fund. There are also several other smaller project funders.

The M1 / A1 motorway passes through the east of the area with a number of exits between (and at) Newry and Dundalk providing access to the area. Rail transport may also be used to reach the area with both NI Railways and Iarnród Éireann serving Newry and Dundalk respectively and the Enterprise calling at both Dundalk railway station and Newry railway station.