Carrowkeel Passage Tomb Cemetery

Map Reference: centred on G753117 (1753, 3117)



This passage tomb cemetery occupies several hilltops in the Bricklieve Mountains overlooking Lough Arrow. There are 14 mounds most of which are round. Two of them contain nothing and two contain box-like cists. Cairn E has a long oval shape and contains a court tomb.



The rest are typical Irish passage tombs which consist of a long entrance passage leading to a chamber. Two of the mounds (Cairn D and Cairn L) are so ruined that that exact nature of the chamber could not be determined. Cairn F has two chambers leading off each side of the main chamber and the rest are cruciform.



Excavation finds included mushroom-headed bone pins, stone hammer pendants and beads. Ornamented pottery typical of the Late Stone Age of about 3000 - 2000 B.C. was also found and there was evidence that some of the tombs were in use up till about 1500 B.C.



On a neighbouring ridge, below the level of the passage tombs, is a series of about 50 round huts which may or may not have been used by the passage tomb builders.











More Photos of Carrowkeel Passage Tombs