4 Tombs to Explore in Leinster

A 5,500-year-old passage tomb uncovered at Dowth Hall in the heart of the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage site in Co Meath is “the most significant megalithic find in Ireland in the last 50 years”, archaeologists believe. It is less developed as a tourist attraction than its neighbours, partly because the chamber is much lower, and partly because the decoration is less visible.

Four Knocks is a Passage Chamber Tomb built about 5000 years ago. It is located 10 miles southeast of Newgrange between Ardcath in County Meath and the Naul in County Dublin. It has a short passage leading into a wide pear shaped chamber with three smaller offset chambers. The original roof was probably a wooden structure supported by a central pole. The name Fourknocks may be from the Irish Fuair Cnocs meaning Cold Hills.

This majestic neolithic tomb was approximately 5000 years old. Known locally as ‘The Caiseal’, it has only been excavated since 1990. There are two chambers on the site: the larger western chamber is aligned so that sunlight at sunset at the winter solstice shines along the passageway. It is National Monument no. 655, managed by the Office of Public Works on behalf of the state.

Seefin Passage Tomb is a passage grave and National Monument located atop Seefin Hill, County Wicklow, Ireland. The tomb was built circa 3,300 BC. It was excavated by R. A. Stewart Macalister in 1931, but no artefacts or human remains were found, suggesting that no-one was ever buried there, or that the remains were later removed. There are large kerb stones around the base of the tomb and the tomb has a passageway 7 mlong which opens into a chamber with five compartments.