Cuaille | |
|---|---|
 Location of the Cooley Peninsula | |
 Interactive map of Cooley Peninsula | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Ireland |
| Adjacent to | |
| Area | 155 km2 (60 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 589 m (1932 ft) |
| Highest point | Slieve Foy |
| Administration | |
| County | County Louth |
| Barony | Dundalk Lower |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 9,212 (2016) |
| Pop. density | 59.4/km2 (153.8/sq mi) |
54°2′4″N6°13′36″W / 54.03444°N 6.22667°W /54.03444; -6.22667
TheCooley Peninsula (fromIrishCuaille,[1] olderCúalṅge)[2] is a hillypeninsula in the north ofCounty Louth on the east coast of Ireland; the peninsula includes the small town ofCarlingford, the port ofGreenore and the village ofOmeath. The peninsula is roughly coextensive with theBarony ofDundalk Lower.[3]
The peninsula contains theCooley Mountains, the highest of which,Slieve Foy, is also the highest peak in County Louth at 589 metres (1,932 ft). To the north isCarlingford Lough and theProvince ofUlster; to the south isDundalk Bay. The peninsula is ringed by theR173regional road.
The peninsula is geologically diverse, with 440-million-year-oldSiluriangreywacke sandstones in the northwest and southwest, 340-million-year-old limestones in the east, and 60-million-year-old volcanic rocks forming the Cooley Mountains.
InIrish mythology, Cooley (Old IrishCúalnge) was the home of the bullDonn Cuailnge, and the site of theTáin Bó Cúailnge, "Cattle Raid of Cooley". Ancient monuments in Cooley include theProleek Dolmen,[4] whose capstone weighs an estimated 35 tons (31.75 tonnes), and aBronze Agegallery grave, both nearBallymascanlan.
The peninsula is primarily agricultural territory, but is also home to a number of hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, the first new distillery in Ireland in decades, theCooley Distillery opened byJohn Teeling on the site of a former potato alcohol factory, several warehouse and logistics facilities, a garden centre, two cafes and other businesses.[citation needed]
There is a ferry service toCounty Down inNorthern Ireland at Greenore.[5]
The localGaelic football andladies' Gaelic football club isCooley Kickhams, based south ofCarlingford.
The Cooley Peninsula is the home of former Leinster and Irish rugby players,Rob Kearney andDavid Kearney. The former U.S. PresidentJoe Biden has ancestors from the area. He shares a great-grandfather with the Kearney brothers.RTÉ sports commentatorJimmy Magee (1935–2017) was raised on the Cooley Peninsula.[6]
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