Nephin

For the Crusader fortress in the Holy Land, see Enfeh.

Nephin or Nefin^[1][2] (Irish: Néifinn), at 806 metres (2646 ft), is the highest standalone mountain in Ireland and the second-highest peak in Connacht (after Mweelrea). It is to the west of Lough Conn in County Mayo.

Nephin
Néifinn
Nephin from Lough Conn, several miles away
Highest point
Elevation	806 m (2,644 ft)
Prominence	778 m (2,552 ft)
Listing	P600, Marilyn, Hewitt
Coordinates	54.012°N 9.368°W / 54.012; -9.368
Geography
Nephin Location in Ireland
Location	County Mayo, Ireland
OSI/OSNI grid	G103079

Location

Nephin beyond Lough Conn

It lies in the centre of Glen Nephin (Gleann Néifinne), a district bounded by Lough Conn to the east, the Windy Gap/Barnageehy to the south, and Birreencorragh mountain to the west.

History

Nephin is mentioned in Cath Maige Tuired ("The Battle of Moytura") as one of the "twelve chief mountains" of Ireland. In the text it is called Nemthenn. This name may be related to nemeton, a term for a sacred space in Celtic polytheism.^[3]

The mountain's importance may be inferred by the decision at the Synod of Ráth Breasail in 1111 to make Nephin the northern boundary of the diocese of Cong. Gleann Neimhthinne is stated by John O'Donovan as being one of the seven constituent parts of Tirawley.

Glen Nephin remained a Gaelic-speaking area into the second half of the 19th century.

Nephin was included in the 2020 movie Wild Mountain Thyme.

See also

• Lists of mountains in Ireland
• List of Irish counties by highest point
• List of mountains of the British Isles by height
• List of P600 mountains in the British Isles
• List of Marilyns in the British Isles
• List of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland