Ireland has one of the most extensive selections of published summit and High Point lists in the world. Many of these are original lists which have resulted from months or even years of painstaking map-based research carried out by their respective compilers. Some are derived lists which have been quickly compiled by duplicating, extracting, merging or overlapping content from earlier published lists without having undertaken any original research at all. We have carefully assessed all of Ireland's main hill lists and categorised each as being either "Original" or "Derived". We have also grouped a small number of lists in an "Other" category where some of the listed summits fall short of international standards.
A published hill list can serve up to three primary functions:
The introduction of Sport Hillwalking in Ireland in 2016 gave the traditional hill list a whole new purpose. The All-Ireland Hillwalking Championships are now based on the Irish Sport Hillwalking list which comprises every mountain summit and major geographical High Point in Ireland. The objective in these official national-level competitions is not to complete the Sport Hillwalking list, but to earn points from each location visited - including multiple visits to the same location - during the course of a competition season.
A published hill list can serve up to three primary functions:
- It can facilitate the presentation of topographical data (usually for summits and High Points) based on its respective criteria.
- It can provide a challenge to hillwalkers where the objective is to 'complete' the list by visiting all of its locations.
- If designated by a national governing body for Sport Hillwalking, it can be the central component of an official national-level Sport Hillwalking competition. In Ireland, this particular designation has been granted by High Point Ireland to the Irish Sport Hillwalking list which now forms the basis of the All-Ireland Hillwalking Championships.
The introduction of Sport Hillwalking in Ireland in 2016 gave the traditional hill list a whole new purpose. The All-Ireland Hillwalking Championships are now based on the Irish Sport Hillwalking list which comprises every mountain summit and major geographical High Point in Ireland. The objective in these official national-level competitions is not to complete the Sport Hillwalking list, but to earn points from each location visited - including multiple visits to the same location - during the course of a competition season.