Spelga Dam and Reservoir

in Places by Simon — September 6, 2010 at 4:51 pm | 3 comments

Long before the linen industry developed in the Upper Bann Valley, the area nestled between the mountains of Pigeon, Cock and Spelga was  known variously as the Deer’s Meadow or the King’s Meadow. Whatever it was called it was used as summer grazing and whole families would decamp to the area to live in Booley Huts while their livestock grazed. The remains of some of these Booley Huts can still be found although most of them are now probably under the water that floods the former meadow. The dam, which takes it name from the aforementioned Spelga Mountain, was built to catch the water of the nascent River Bann, which arises on the slopes of Slieve Muck. It was designed by the Belfast engineering firm of R. Ferguson and S. McIlveen and construction was undertaken by the Laing Group. It was completed in 1957.

Nearby:

Fofanny Dam

Hen Mountain

Tags: Mountains of Mourne