Overview
Knockeyon is a wooded hill above Lough Derravaragh in County Westmeath, the lake of the Children of Lir. It stands over the south-eastern shore, and its slopes are part of a landscape of lakes, woodland and farmland. They are underpinned by Carboniferous sandstone, shale and the local Derravaragh Cherts, which break the grass in occasional rocky outcrops.
History and heritage
The hill’s Irish name, Cnoc Eóin, is usually read as ‘Eoin’s Hill’. Halfway up, in woodland, lie the stone footings of a small medieval chapel (National Monument WM012-206), shown on the 1911 Ordnance Survey 25-inch map.
The spot was the focus of a devotional pattern held each year around 1 August. Eighteenth-century accounts describe pilgrims walking barefoot or kneeling over the last stretch to the chapel, where a spring, its water held to be miraculous, flowed through the building and down to the lake; afterwards people gathered nearby for dancing and pipes. Only the low foundations remain now.
Walking routes and access
Knockeyon is on private land, and this page does not describe a route onto it. Keep off private fields and shore, leave gates as you find them and give livestock a wide berth. Bulls have been reported on the farmland here.
To see the lake, Visit Westmeath identifies Donore near Multyfarnham as a public area on Lough Derravaragh. Use signed public access only, and park where you leave roads and gates clear.
Wildlife and birdwatching
The hill’s native woodland is a mix of hazel, rowan, ash and oak. The real draw is the wetland below. The NPWS designation for Lough Derravaragh protects birds including whooper swans and pochard, and the lake gathers wildfowl in the colder months. Watch from a distance with binoculars and give roosting birds room.
Practical information
- Access: use signed public areas such as Donore, and keep off neighbouring farmland.
- Facilities: none should be assumed at the lake shore. Crookedwood, Multyfarnham, Mullingar and Castlepollard are the nearest places for food and drink.
- Weather: check the forecast before you head out, as conditions beside an open lake can change quickly.
- Dogs: keep dogs on a lead and away from livestock and roosting birds.
Nearby attractions
Knockeyon makes a convenient stop when exploring north Westmeath’s historic and natural landmarks.
- Hill of Uisneach – traditionally regarded as the ceremonial centre of Ireland, with standing stones, a stone circle and sweeping views.
- Lough Derravaragh – the lake below Knockeyon, tied to the legend of the Children of Lir.
- Castlepollard – a short drive away, a Georgian market town laid out around a triangular green and the gateway to Tullynally Castle and its gardens.