Sliabh Beagh

Coordinates: 54°19′08″N 7°15′11″W / 54.319°N 7.253°W / 54.319; -7.253 Slieve Beagh or Sliabh Beagh (Irish: Sliabh Beatha) is a mountainous area straddling the border between County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland and County Fermanagh and County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. It includes the highest point in County Monaghan. The point where the three counties meet, which is also in the Sliabh Beagh, is referred to as "Three County Hollow".

Slieve Beagh has many low, smooth summits. The highest is at 380 metres (1,250 ft) and lies just inside County Fermanagh. The area is mainly blanket bog, with many small lakes and streams throughout. In Northern Ireland, much of Slieve Beagh has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation.

Name

The original Irish name for the area, Sliabh Beatha, has been anglicized as Slieve Beagh or half-anglicized Sliabh Beagh. According to Irish mythology, the name refers to the mythological figure Bith, who was buried in a cairn on top of the mountain. Although the summit is in fact marked by a cairn, called Doocarn, it is likely that the name's original meaning is "mountain of birch". In County Monaghan, the locals typically refer to the Slieve Beagh as the "Bragan Mountains", taking the name from a townland within the Slieve Beagh.