Loughcrew Complex
The Loughcrew passage tombs, also known as Slieve na Calliagh, meaning Hill of the Witch, are situated south-east of Oldcastle, Co Meath. There are over 30 mounds and cairns, mostly on the two main hills, Carnbane East and Carnbane West. The cairns are identified with letters. There are a total of ten sites with physical evidence of some kind left on Carnbane East, these sites are all numbered as follows, from the west P1, P2, Q, R1,R2, S, T, U, V and the furthest east Cairn W. All the main sites are featured below, plus images of some of the smaller sites. The tombs were built around 3200 BCE.
Carnbane East
Cairn T pictured below, is the largest on Carnbane East approximately 120ft in diameter, this cairn was covered in white quartz the same as used at Newgrange. Like Newgrange, Cairn T also has the irish cruciform layout with a large central chamber and side chambers, another similarity to the mounds at the Boyne Valley complex are the many inscribed stones. The primary purpose of these passage mounds is to measure time. Cairn T is aligned with the spring and autumnal equinox.
The image below left shows L1, one of the inscribed stones inside cairn T, the first stone the rising equinox sun illuminates as it enters the passage. The passage is constructed in a such a way that the suns rays forms a narrow rectangular shaft of light that highlights the rock art on the backstone, stone 14 shown in the insert above, during the time of spring equinox 21st March. This rectangle of light highlights the solar symbol on the top left of the backstone before slowly descending to the solar symbol at the bottom right of the stone as the sun rises. This cairn also indicates the autumnal equinox 22/23 September. There are many more examples of passage tomb art in Cairn T.
Stone L1
Stone L2
The Hag's Chair
One of the kerbstones, pictured above, at Cairn T is known as the hags chair. The Hag is a mythical figure associated with the passage tombs at Loughcrew and also those at Slieve Gullion in County Armagh. In folklore it is believed the Hag was given a special task, to earn great power. It is said that she created the cairns on three hills at Loughcrew by dropping stones from her apron as she leapt from one hill to another, if she had jumped across to a fourth hill she would have succeeded in her task.
Cairn T. Latitude: 53° 44' 41" N. Longitude: 7° 6' 45" W
The passage and chamber of this mound are quite small. The passage is aligned to indicate the cross quarter days on 6 May and the 8 August. There were eighteen orthostats and three sill stones making up the passage of Cairn S. The right recess of this chamber is now missing and as can be seen in the image below left, part of the passage is blocked. Many of the chamber stones bear passage tomb art, mainly sun symbols. Pictured below right in the late evening light, are some of the stones that form the kerb of the cairn.
Looking into the passage
Kerbstones
The image above was taken from kerbstones looking over the chamber in the middle ground, with Cairn T in the background.
Cairn S. Latitude: 53° 44' 41" N. Longitude: 7° 6' 47" W
Cairn U is aligned to indicate the cross-quarter days on 4 February and 8 November. There are a few inscribed stones in cairn U that bear quite significant passage tomb art, mainly stones 8 and 14.
Cairn U. Latitude: 53° 44' 42" N. Longitude: 7° 6' 44" W.
Although little remains of Cairn V, it is believed that it indicated the winter solstice sunrise, as I approached this site from Cairn T, seen in the background of the image above, I noticed one of the remaining stones had some passage tomb art inscribed on both sides, this stone, pictured below right, is known as the solstice stone.
Cairn V. Latitude: 53° 44' 40" N. Longitude: 7° 6' 42" W.
Situated: From Oldcastle take the R195 to Millbrook branch left and then take a right turn (sign-posted) a narrow road will take you up to a small car-park, from here there is a steep path leading up Carnbane East. During the summer months there may be a guide there, for the walk around the grassy hilltops allow about 1 1/2 hours.
Discovery Map 42. Last visit Aug 2013.
Photos: Jim Dempsey.
