About Knockshee
A small retreat in the Mourne Mountains, built on the belief that a place should feel like it's always been here.
Behind the Name
Knockshee
Knockshee takes its name from the Irish
Cnoc Sí,
commonly understood as
“Hill of the Fairies.”
For generations, the hills around Carlingford Lough have been part of a landscape rich in Irish folklore.
The sí — the fairy folk of Irish tradition — were believed to inhabit ancient hills and wild places, adding another layer of story and mystery to the landscape around Knockshee.
A name shaped by the mountain, the landscape and the stories that have belonged here for generations.
Gaeilge Cnoc Sí
Nestled in the Mourne Mountains, Knockshee sits within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,
with sweeping views across Carlingford Lough towards the Cooley Mountains.
Ancient granite peaks, wooded valleys and wide open skies create a landscape that feels both wild and wonderfully still
— a place made for slowing down, exploring and simply taking in the view.
The hills around Knockshee have their share of colourful stories too.
Local tradition tells of quiet country lanes once used by smugglers bringing French brandy ashore around Carlingford Lough, while hidden stills and illicit poitín were said to have been part of life in the surrounding valleys.
Whether every tale is fact or folklore, they’re part of the character of a landscape that has never been short of stories.
Living Legacy
Today's Knockshee
.jpg)
Today, Knockshee remains a place where history, folklore and landscape come together. Rising to 347 metres, the hill looks out across Carlingford Lough and the surrounding countryside — a view that has drawn people to this landscape for generations.
At Knockshee Lodges, that setting becomes part of the stay itself: mountain air, wide views, local stories and the quiet sense of being somewhere a little removed from everyday life.
Kilfeaghan Dolmen
The landscape around Knockshee has been home to people for thousands of years. Historic records show small family farms and stone-walled fields scattered across these slopes, while the nearby Kilfeaghan Dolmen — a Neolithic portal tomb more than 4,000 years old — is a reminder of just how long people have been drawn to this place.
The landscape around Knockshee has been home to people for thousands of years. Historic records show small family farms and stone-walled fields scattered across these slopes, while the nearby Kilfeaghan Dolmen — a Neolithic portal tomb more than 4,000 years old (you can read more about the Dolmen here)— is a reminder of just how long people have been drawn to this place.