Sliabh na mBan
A photo of Sliabh na mBan from our school grounds
The background music is the famous 'Sliabh na mBan'. See the words on the Charles Kickham 'Writing's' page
or wait for the music to finish and then
Click 
to hear the song Sliabh na mBan (written by Charles Kickham), sung by our pupils.
If you don't have the Real Media Player, you can download it at the 
website.
Mullinahone is at the foot of a famous mountain called Slievenamon. There was a rebellion on Slievenamon in 1798. The Irish hid up the mountain from the English.
The origin of its name comes from Fenian folklore. Irish speaking people of a hundred years ago reffered to this mountain as Sliabh na mBan Fionn, meaning the mountain of the women of Fionn. Fionn also means fair or blond, so it could also be translated as the mountain of the fair women.
Fionn MacCumhail the legendery Fenian chieftain was the most eligible bachelor in the country and in his travels around Ireland, chatted up the fairest ladies in the land. They all fell madly in love with him and while each laboured the hope of being the bride of the great chieftain, she also bitterly hated her numberless rivals.
Fionn, not wishing to make any women his enemy and fearing that the whole country
might become embroiled in a hopeless war, thought of a stratagem to resolve the issue.
He made a public announcement saying he could only marry one of them but he would not make the choice himself . He would marry the maid who would out-run all the others.
Sliabh-Na-mBan was chosen as the site of the memorable race. Amongst the bevy of beauties, there was one whose charms made a deeper impression on her heros heart than all the others.This lady was Grace, the beautiful daughter of Cormac, monarch of Ireland.
Before the race, Fionn gave her advice on how she might win. She was to run slowly at the start and then when the others had run out of steam, she would take over at a steady pace and win the race.The race turned out exactly as Fionn had predicted. All the lassies took off at terrific speed, soon became exhausted and were mortified to see the princess, fresh, smiling and unruffled, pass the field, one by one with the greatest of ease.
Grace duly reached the top of the mountain where Fionn was awaiting her with open arms. She, had, now, by right of conquest won the chieftains hand in marriage just as she had already won his heart in love.
The Mass Rock
Many parishes in Ireland have their Mass Rock. Mullinahone's is on the slopes of Slievenamon. In penal days it was a crime to hear Mass and there was a price on the head of every priest. Here, while sentries kept watch for the red-coats, the holy sacrifice was offered.
on Kickham and Mullinahone