Devil's Bit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Devil's Bit |
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| Bearnán Éile | |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 480 m (1,570 ft) |
| Prominence | 344 |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Naming | |
| Language of name | Irish |
| Geography | |
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| Location | County Tipperary, Ireland |
| OSI/OSNI grid | S058744 |
| Topo map | OSi Discovery 59 |
The Devil's Bit (which in Irish is Bearnán Éile) is a mountain in County Tipperary, Ireland. It stands 478 meters (about 1,570 feet) tall at its highest point. You can find it to the north-west of the town of Templemore. Most people climb the mountain by starting from the area called Barnane, where there is a car park.
History of the Devil's Bit
Why is it Called the Devil's Bit?
Local stories say the mountain got its name because the devil took a bite out of it! There is a small gap in the mountain. This gap is between a large rock (known as the Rock) and another flat area. People say this gap is where the devil took his bite. The legend also says that the devil broke his teeth while biting. He then spat out the Rock of Cashel to where it stands today.
The Book of Dimma
The Book of Dimma is an old, special book with beautiful pictures. It is a copy of the four Gospels from the Bible. It was written around the 8th century in a monastery in Roscrea. In 1789, this book was supposedly found in a cave on the Devil's Bit mountain.
A legend says that a saint named Cronan asked his scribe, Dimma, to finish the book in one day. Cronan then used his special powers to make the sun stay up for forty days! Dimma worked all this time without needing to eat or sleep. The book disappeared in the 1500s when monasteries were closed. Some people wonder if the book could really have survived outside for so long without getting damaged. Today, the Book of Dimma is kept safe at Trinity College Dublin's library.
The Great Anti-Tithe Meeting
On July 25, 1832, a very large meeting took place on the mountain. This meeting was part of a big protest against "tithes." Tithes were payments (one-tenth of what farmers grew) that most Catholic people had to give to the Church of Ireland.
Newspaper reports from that time said over 50,000 people came to the meeting. Many traveled from far away, even from County Galway. It was thought that even more people would have come if there hadn't been confusion about whether the meeting was canceled. Some local stories say that a famous leader, Daniel O'Connell, was there. However, it's very likely he was not, as he was busy with government meetings in England at that time.
Carden's Folly
There is a tower near the top of the mountain called Carden's Folly. A "folly" is a building built just for decoration, not for a real purpose. The Carden family were rich landlords who came to Ireland in the 1600s. They bought land in Templemore and Barnane and became very important in the area.
One famous Carden was John Rutter Carden (1811–1866). People called him 'Woodcock' because he was as hard to catch as the bird of that name. Besides building the folly, he also built a grand family home on the lower slopes of the mountain. This house was taken down in the early 1900s, but you can still see the old walls of its garden.
The Cross on the Rock
A large cross was put up on the Rock part of the mountain in 1953–1954. This was to celebrate the "Marian Year," a special time for the Roman Catholic Church. A group was formed, and they started planning in early 1953. Building began in September of that year.
The cross is 45 feet (about 14 meters) tall and 25 feet (about 8 meters) wide. Its base weighs 340 tons! All the tools and materials for building this huge cross had to be carried up the mountain by hand. The cross was officially blessed on August 22, 1954. Today, the cross is lit up at night. Every year, on a Sunday close to July 25, a special Mass is held at the base of the Rock.
In 1988, a statue of the Virgin Mary was also put up on the eastern side of the Rock.
Ancient Plant Fossils
In 1980, a science magazine called Nature wrote about an important discovery on the mountain. Scientists found the oldest known fossils of a plant called Cooksonia. These fossils included parts of the plant that held its spores, which are like seeds. This discovery helped us learn more about early plant life on Earth.
Exploring the Devil's Bit Mountain
Mountain Shape and Nearby Peaks
The Devil's Bit mountain range is connected to the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The town of Roscrea sits in a valley that separates these two mountain areas. The Devil's Bit range starts just south of Roscrea and goes towards the southwest.
The mountain has a very clear gap in its outline, which is easy to see from far away. This gap is why it was once called Barnane-Ely, meaning "the gapped mountain of Ely." Ely was the old name for the area. Other nearby peaks include Kilduff Mountain, Borrisnoe, and Benduff. Further southwest are Knockanora and Latteragh.
Amazing Views from the Top
The Devil's Bit offers wide and beautiful views of the countryside around it. When the cross was built, people said you could see nine different counties from the summit! These were Tipperary, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Offaly, and Waterford. However, some people are not sure if any part of County Cork can actually be seen.
You can definitely see the Knockmealdown Mountains and Comeragh Mountains in Waterford. You can also spot the Galtees and, to the north-west, Lough Derg and the famous River Shannon.
Climbing the Long Rock
The very highest point of the mountain is on a part called the 'Long Rock'. This rock is to the east of the main gap. You can climb the Long Rock by going through the gap and then following the path to your right.
There is also a military firing range on the western slopes of the mountain.
Images for kids
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Cross on the summit
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The Devil's Bit Mountain
See also
In Spanish: Devils Bit para niños
