6. Benbradagh

Benbradagh was one of many places to be used during the The Irish Ordnance Survey, which was led by Lt Col Thomas Colby and which completed the world’s first large-scale mapping of an entire country in 1846. The accuracy achieved is still marvelled at today.  On Benbradagh, there’s a crow’s foot marking, which was used as a benchmark for height levels. It is three short lines carved into a rock converging upwards into a point. The crow’s foot is carved into a large boulder on the highest point on Benbradagh mountain and is just one of several in the Limavady area, including one on the front of Limavady Town Hall.  More information on this large scale mapping project can be found within your guide. Benbradagh is also a mystical hill in local folklore and here is Dr Curran to share one of these tales with us.
Dr Bob Curran:

There are a number of explanations for the name Benbradagh, but it is usual [...]