The 25 or so passage tombs that make up Loughcrew Megalithic Cemetery are some of the best examples of these Neolithic relics on the island. The cache is located atop Sliabh na Caillighe, one of the hills that makes up the site - and this translates as "The Hill of The Witch".
Getting here:
The nearest town to Loughcrew is Oldcastle. You take the N3 Dublin-Derry road to Kells and follow the R154 towards Oldcastle. There is a localised map below (click on the thumbnail to enlarge) to assist you.
Parking is at N 53°44.645 W 007°07.127, from here you'll have a short climb to the hilltop.
Loughcrew Megalithic Cemetery is safely tucked away in a remote corner of County Meath. The hill stands out of its surroundings by the three peaks, known as Cairnbane West, Cairnbane East and Patrickstown. Scattered over these peaks and the slopes of Loughcrew are 30 megalithic cairns in various states of decay. It is believed that the site once contained 50 to 100 cairns. Beside the cairns there are several other megalithic monuments, such as standing stones and a stone circle.
In the 1860's the megalithic cairns were surveyed and excavated by an archeologist named Comwell. Unfortunately Mr Comwell was a scholar without imagination and he decided to use an unfortunate naming convention, chosing to refer to the cairns from Cairn A through to Cairn Z. I'm not sure if he was even well educated because some names referred to more than one cairn, forcing his successors to introduce names like Cairn X-1.
The site is steeped in an mystical, almost spiritual atmosphere, caused by the remnants of the dilapidated cairns and, weather permitted, excellent views over the surrounding countryside. The most notable cairns for the interested visitor are Cairn T, the only complete cairn on this hill, and Cairn U, situated just north of Cairn T on the same peak.
Cairn T (the cache is located close to this), is a classic example of a passage tomb and cairn. It has cross-shaped chamber covered by a mound of stone 35m in diameter. Remember that it is considered good luck to bring a stone with you to place on the cairn. On top of the cairn there is an Ordnance Survey Altitude mark of 294m, so you can check how accurate your GPS is reading.
The site is still a mystery despite the artefacts found during these excavations and the studies that followed. Like other megalithic monuments there is a serious dating problem. The construction date is estimated somewhere between 4000 BC and 3000 BC. According to some scholars the passage tombs at Loughcrew were built before Newgrange, which is most likely built around 3200 BC.
The second mystery is also quite common and concerns the purpose of the structures. The few human remains found on the site belie the general idea that the cairns were actually used for burials. There are theories that this is the burial site of King Ollamh Fodhla - and some have claimed (rather far-fetchedly) that the biblical character of Jeremiah is interred here. (interior passage of Cairn T pictured below)
The main prevailing theory is that the site served a function as a calendar. The foundations of this theory are simple, yet effective. At dawn of the spring equinox a sunbeam illuminates a symbol, which might represent a flower or sun, in the top-left corner of the end stone in Cairn T. With the rising of the sun the beam of light slides and hits a second sun-like symbol spot on. But what about the other sun-like symbols on the slab? Considering their position on the lower part of the slab it seems improbable that the sun is able to illuminate them.
What most scholars and archeologists do agree on is that the site appears to have been built for many purposes. They may have acted as a focal point for a group or a tribe, perhaps with territorial meanings. The abstract, symbolic carvings and skyward orientation point toward a ritual purpose.
On equinox days (21 March, 21 September) sunlight enters the tomb and illuminates a series of line patterns which are carved on the inside. Decorated Bone chips from the Celtic period were found in this site, suggesting that the site held a significance for the Celts 2000 years after it was first established.
After all these riddles you might want to sit and reflect on everything you have seen and experienced while sitting on a seat-shaped stone on the west side of Cairn T. Perhaps you feel royal if you realise that the stone you are sitting on is known as Ollamh Fodhla's Seat, or perhaps you feel uncomfortable if I tell you that the stone is also known as The Hag's Chair. Perhaps you might feel even stranger if you knew that sitting on the stone was said to induce fertility in women!
Loughcrew is open all year around. Cairn T however is locked. If you want to see the inscribed slabs in Cairn T (Equinox Stone in Cairn T pictured below) you can pick up a key, which can normally can be obtained at the Loughcrew Historical Gardens, situated between Oldcastle and Loughcrew - you can also pay brief visit to the Oldcastle's tourist office to prevent disappointment.
Lastly, please be discreet when visiting the cache, as not to alert people to it.
