Ring of Gullion Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
The landscape and the people mark out the Ring of Gullion as a special place and there are few small areas in Ireland which retain their local identity as clearly.
People have lived in the Ring of Gullion for over 6,000 years and their feelings about the landscape have been expressed through the ages in local literature, poetry, music, folk history and art. This thriving cultural heritage has survived to the present day. The shared traditions of the people, in their virtually enclosed landscape with its historic frontier, has forged a unique culture which is warm, friendly and welcoming.
A special people living in a special place. The Ring of Gullion itself is a unique geological landform, (a ring dyke), not found anywhere else in the British Isles. The heather clad bulk of Slieve Gullion mountain lies at the centre of the AONB, which takes its name from the encircling ring of lower rugged hills. Rich wildlife habitats of heath, bog and woodland contrast with the neatly patterned fields and ladder farms. Slieve Gullion’s reputation as Ireland’s mountain of mystery arises from its rich associations with Irish legends and myths.
