Cairn, Leamaneh, Co. Clare

Co. Clare |

Cairns

Cairn, Leamaneh, Co. Clare

On a high east-west ridge in County Clare, a low, almost circular mound sits in rough pastureland, looking out over a ravine some fifty metres to the north.

It is easy to mistake for a natural feature of the landscape, and that ambiguity is part of what makes it quietly interesting. Measuring roughly seven metres east to west and six metres north to south, and rising only half a metre above the surrounding ground, this cairn, a mound of heaped stones typically associated with burial or commemoration in prehistoric Ireland, barely asserts itself against the skyline. At its centre, a loose pile of stone about two metres across and similarly low is largely smothered in bushes, and surveyors have noted that this material may simply be field-clearance debris thrown onto the mound over generations of agricultural use, a reminder of how readily ancient structures become convenient dumping grounds for farmers working difficult ground.

The cairn was recorded by T. Coffey in the Sites and Monuments Record file for the area, and its precise nature remains uncertain. What gives the location added interest is its relationship to a neighbouring monument: a wedge tomb lies approximately sixty-three metres to the south-south-east. Wedge tombs are a form of megalithic burial monument characteristic of the later Neolithic and early Bronze Age in Ireland, typically consisting of a tapering stone gallery covered by a capstone, and they occur in particularly high concentrations across the Burren and its fringes in County Clare. Whether the cairn and the wedge tomb were part of the same ritual or funerary landscape, or simply accumulated in proximity by coincidence of topography, is not something the available evidence settles. The ridge position, commanding a view north over the ravine, suggests the site was chosen deliberately, though for what purpose, and by whom, remains open.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Cairn, Leamaneh, Co. Clare. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 50 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement