Slieve Donard

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/slieve-donard

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How high is Slieve Donard?850 meters (2,790 feet)
2. What is the location?County Down, Northern Ireland, within the Mourne Mountains range
3. What is the geological composition?Primarily granite, part of the Caledonian orogeny
4. Why is Slieve Donard important for history?The mountain has ancient megalithic structures, including burial cairns and the highest known passage tomb in Ireland. It was also a hermitage for Saint Donard, a 6th‑century bishop, and a site for yearly pilgrimages. These stories show how people have honored the mountain for thousands of years.
5. How can I see the sea from Slieve Donard?From the top you can look out over the Irish Sea and the coast of County Down. On clear days you can even see the Isle of Man and the mountains of Snowdonia in Wales. The wide view is one of the mountain’s most special features.

Megalithic: Relating to prehistoric structures made with large stones.
Orogeny: The process of mountain formation, especially by folding and faulting of the Earth's crust.
Hermitage: A place of religious seclusion or retreat, often a small dwelling.
Catchment Area: The area from which surface water is collected and drained into a river or reservoir.