Welcome to this short tour of some of the more notable megalithic sites around Ireland. This is really just a taster of what Irelands stone and bronze age heritage has to offer, there are many more to be discovered in the categorised sections above. To visit a site, view more photos and find out a bit more, click on the link beside each photo. To continue on to the next page, use the links at the bottom of each page or the small numbered quick links just below this message. Enjoy!
Ardgroom Outwards Stone Circle, Co. Cork.
Located near Drombohilly but just across the county border in Cork, Ardgroom is one of the finest circles of the many on the spectacular Bearra Peninsula. Though some stones are missing, fallen and broken, the dagger like tall stones remaining are in complete harmony with the wild and beautiful landscape around it. A place to visit when not in a hurry.
Click here to got to Ardgroom
Located near Drombohilly but just across the county border in Cork, Ardgroom is one of the finest circles of the many on the spectacular Bearra Peninsula. Though some stones are missing, fallen and broken, the dagger like tall stones remaining are in complete harmony with the wild and beautiful landscape around it. A place to visit when not in a hurry.
Click here to got to Ardgroom
Fourknocks Passage Tomb, Co. Meath
Click on the photo for a larger view.
A restored passage tomb with a large chamber, now covered by an artificial roof. It features three recesses off the main chamber, many zig-zag carvings and (allegedly) the only known stone age carving of a face. It is still debatable whether the tomb originally featured a roof or not, but if one was in place it would have to have been made of wood or hide due to the large size of the chamber itself. Click the link below for an outside view and many photos of the carvings inside.
Click here to see more photos of this tomb and the megalithic art inside.
Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery, County Sligo.
Click on the photo for a larger view.
A large collection of cairns in the Bricklieve mountains in Sligo, Carrowkeel features the only other known 'lightbox' in Ireland apart from the famous aperature in Newgrange. Cairn G at Carrowkeel is almost untouched and still functions as a signal for the arrival of the summer solstice when the sun shines through the narrow slit above the doorway into the chamber. The remaining cairns are in various states of disrepair and collapse, incompetent excavations at the turn of the last century involved the use of dynamite. Click on the link below to see inside Cairn G and see the sun shine into the rear of the chamber near the summer solstice.
Click here to see more photos of this site..
Beltany Tops, Co. Donegal.
This massive circle seems to be literally falling down around itself, yet it is still a very imposing place which has always been associated with the feast of Bealtaine (1st of May) from which it got its name. The circle is unusual in that it interior is filled with a low cairn which has been heavily excavated, this seems to suggest a relationship between this fine ring and the small boulder tombs at Carrowmore in Sligo.
Click here to go to Beltany
This massive circle seems to be literally falling down around itself, yet it is still a very imposing place which has always been associated with the feast of Bealtaine (1st of May) from which it got its name. The circle is unusual in that it interior is filled with a low cairn which has been heavily excavated, this seems to suggest a relationship between this fine ring and the small boulder tombs at Carrowmore in Sligo.
Click here to go to Beltany
Legananny Dolmen, Co. Down.
Click on the photo for a larger view.
Legananny is well renowned as a superb tripod dolmen, its location in the wild hills around Castlewellan Forest Park is slightly marred by nearby buildings and houses obscuring the magnificent view. Nonetheless this portal tomb is a wonder of engineering and a must-visit site.
click here to see more photos of this tomb
Knowth Passage Tomb, and three of its satellite tombs, Co. Meath
Click on the photo for a larger view.
Knowth is a large complex of 18 passage tombs, with a magnificent central tomb which is larger than Newgrange or Dowth and which is also adorned with far more megalithic art. Existing under the shadow of Newgrange which has been controversially reconstructed according to one view of how it once looked, Knowth appears at first untouched after restoration though both chambers are now inaccesibile.
Click here to see more photos of this site.
Uragh Stone Circle, County Kerry.
Click on the photo for a larger view.
Small, but beautifully formed five stone circle with a massive outlier towering above the circle itself. It is set in a truly stunning landscape, overlooking a lake with a large waterfall opposite (weather dependent). Surely Irelands most beautiful stone circle.
Click here to see more photos of this circle.
Loughcrew Cairn and satellite tombs, Co. Meath.
Click on the photo for a larger view.
Ireland's worst kept secret, Loughcrew is just off the mainstream tourist route but still draws large amounts of visitors to see its well preserved cairns and fine megalithic artwork. The Loughcrew hills are strewn with cairns, standing stones, kists and other burials but the center pieces are Cairns T and L on opposite peaks and their ruined satellite tombs. Cairn T is open to the public and hosts a large amount of carvings in its central and recessed chambers. Anyone who visits Newgrange and would like a more intimate and less commercial experience should make this their next stop.
Click here to see more photos of this tomb and carvings inside it..
Clontygora Court Tomb, Co. Armagh
Click on the photo for a larger view.
Clontygora court tomb, just across the border from the republic in Armagh, is a very impressive court tomb, the court stones are high and placed in a way that could only be described as sculptural.
Click here to see more photos of this tomb.
'The Giants Ring' also known as Ballynahatty, near Lisburn/Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Click on the photo for a larger view.
Set in the middle of a suitably titled 'Giant' ring (a massive circular bank now used to exercise dogs!) is this skeleton of a passage tomb. Looking like an extended dolmen, no trace of the passage remains except for the chamber and a few outlaying stones. Well worth a visit nonetheless and also has easy access and parking.
Click here to see more photos of this tomb.
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