 Carrowkeel occupies several hilltops in the Bricklieve Mountains overlooking Lough Arrow. It is one of the big four passage tomb cemeteries in Ireland, consisting of 14 passage cairns, which are identified by letters. Most of the cairns are round in shape except Cairn E, which is a long oval shape. The tombs were built around 3200-2400 B.C.
At Carrowkeel there are fourteen mountain top cairns and the largest stone age village discovered so far in Ireland, with numerous ring forts and enclosures and other monuments in the surrounding countryside. There are an additional 12 cairns in the surrounding vicinity. On a neighbouring ridge, below the level of the passage tombs, is a series of about 50 round huts that some say are the remains of a pre-historic village, which may have been inhabited by the people who built the cairns.
Cairn G is a classic Irish passage tomb, consisting of a short passage leading to a central chamber with three equally spaced side chambers with a unique roofbox situated above the entrance. The only other known roofbox is at Newgrange.
About Carrowkeel (An Cheathru Chaol)
Megalithic Portal: Carrowkeel Cairn G
Megalithic Portal: Carrowkeel Cairn H
Megalithic Portal: Carrowkeel Cairn K
Megalithic Ireland: Carrowkeel Cemetery
Irish Antiquities: Carrowkeel Passage Tomb Cemetery
Wikipedia: Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery
Journey to Carrowkeel (An Cheathru Chaol)
The Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery is located in south County Sligo, Ireland about 10 miles north of Boyle off the N4. From the village of Castlebaldwin, head west on a minor road into the Bricklieve mountains, following the signs for Carrowkeel Passage Tombs.
Map Reference: G75231206
Visitors Information
Visitors information for Carrowkeel may be found at The Sacred Island website. General tourist information may be found at this website and at the Sligo Tourism website.
Additional Photos of Carrowkeel (An Cheathru Chaol)
Road Sign for Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery
Map to Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery
Approaching Carrowkeel
Cairn H and Cairn K from Cairn G, Carrowkeel
Cairn G, Carrowkeel
Entrance to Cairn G, Carrowkeel
Interior of Cairn G, Carrowkeel
Interior of Cairn G, Carrowkeel
Interior of Cairn G, Carrowkeel
Cairn H from Cairn G, Carrowkeel
Cairn H, Carrowkeel
Entrance to Cairn H, Carrowkeel
Close-Up of Entrance to Cairn H, Carrowkeel
Interior of Cairn H, Carrowkeel
Cairn K from Cairn H, Carrowkeel
Approaching Cairn K, Carrowkeel
Entrance to Cairn K, Carrowkeel
Close-Up of Entrance to Cairn K, Carrowkeel
Interior, Cairn K, Carrowkeel
Interior, Cairn K, Carrowkeel
Collapsed Cairn L from Cairn K, Carrowkeel
Cairn H and Cairn G from Cairn K, Carrowkeel
Cairn A on Tully Mountain, Carrowkeel
|
