Ireland’s best-kept archaeological secret

The Loughcrew passage tomb dates back to 3200 BC and is not only 500 years older than Newgrange but is also located 800 feet above sea level. It has been described as ‘Ireland’s greatest archaeological secret’ and is one of Ireland’s BIG 4 megalithic sites, the others being Carrowkeel, Carrowmore, and Bru Na Boinne.  There are 24 other cairns in this area but it is believed that there may have originally been up to 100. These hills are known in Irish as ‘Sliabh na Caillighe’ or ‘The Mountains of the Witch’ and the largest – Cairn T, is 38 yards in diameter and has 37 large kerbstones. Inside the tomb lies a cruciform chamber, a corbelled roof, and some of the most beautiful examples of Neolithic art in Ireland. During the equinox, people still gather at dawn in this cairn to watch sunlight enter the chamber. The cairn is known locally as ‘The Witch’s Cave’ and its largest kerbstone is known as the ‘Hag’s Chair’. This is so-called after Garavogue the Witch who is said to have dropped these large heaps of stones from her apron as she hopped across the hills, before dropping dead at Patrickstown.