The oval mound measured 19 feet east to west and 16 feet 6 inches north to south, standing about 3 feet 6 inches high. Built from dry sandy soil and reinforced with a kerb of large boulders, with more sizeable stones scattered across its surface, the mound concealed a remarkable find beneath two capstones some 3 feet below the surface.

The limestone cist itself was divided into two compartments, each measuring 32 inches east to west, 11 inches wide, and 14 inches deep. The thin limestone slabs forming the burial chambers were carefully secured with packing stones, and each compartment contained the disarticulated remains of an individual, their heads oriented towards the west in keeping with ancient burial customs. The careful construction and positioning suggest this was a significant burial site for the community that created it.

The site’s story didn’t end in prehistory, however. Additional skeletal remains discovered within the mound, including two infant skulls, point to its later use as a cillín; a burial ground for unbaptised children that remained in use until around 1850. This poignant continuity of purpose, from Bronze Age burial site to more recent informal cemetery, reflects the enduring sacred nature of certain places in the Irish landscape. Today, the site sits east of Lough Fad amidst good pasture land interspersed with rougher patches, a quiet reminder of the layers of history beneath Donegal’s fields.